2 Corinthians 10:2

2 Corinthians 10:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
• New International Version (NIV)I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

Context of 2 Corinthians 10:2

1I, Paul, need to ask you something. Perhaps you think that I am only humble when I am present there with you. You think that I only speak strongly to you when I am far away! Now I am away from you. But I am still humble and kind, like Christ is. So please listen to what I am asking you. Some people among you think that we live like people who belong to this world. When I come to visit you, I am sure that I will be brave enough to speak against those people. But I do not want to have to speak strongly like that against all of you. 3It is true that we live in this world as humans. But we do not use our human ideas to fight against what is wrong. 4It is like we are fighting in a war, but we do not use human weapons. Instead we use God's weapons. Those weapons are powerful enough to destroy the enemy's strong places. We use those weapons to destroy people's wrong ideas.

2 Corinthians 10:2 word by word

δέομαι δὲ τὸ μὴ παρὼν θαρρῆσαι τῇ πεποιθήσει ᾗ λογίζομαι τολμῆσαι ἐπί τινας τοὺς λογιζομένους ἡμᾶς ὡς κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦντας.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• I beseechδέομαιdeomai · to prayG1189
• that I mayθαρρέωtharrheō · be confidentG2292
• notμήmē · notG3361
• when I am presentπάρειμιpareimi · be presentG3918
• with that confidenceπεποίθησιςpepoithēsis · confidenceG4006
• wherewith I thinkλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• to be boldτολμάωtolmaō · be boldG5111
• againstἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• someτιςtis · oneG5100
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• of usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• as ifὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• we walkedπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
• according toκατάkata · according toG2596
• the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 10:2

• 2 Corinthians 12:20When I come there to visit you, I hope you will be living in a good way. But I am afraid that I will not see what I want to see. Then you will see that I am different from what you want me to be! I am afraid that you may be quarrelling. You may be jealous of each other. You may be very angry with each other. Some of you may just want to please yourselves. You may be insulting one another, or telling lies about one another. You may be proud of how good you are. You may be causing trouble for one another. Yes, I am afraid that all those things may be happening among you.
• 2 Corinthians 13:2I have already warned those people who did wrong things before. I did that when I was with you on my second visit. Now I am warning them again, while I am away from you. So, when I come to you the next time, nobody will go free. I will punish those people and all the others who have done wrong things.
• 1 Corinthians 4:19But I will come to visit you again soon, if the Lord wants me to. Then I will find out what these proud people are really like. It is not just the words that they say. I will find out if they have the power of God.
• 2 Corinthians 11:9When I was there with you, I never made you help me. Even when I needed something, I did not cause trouble to anyone. Instead, the believers who came from Macedonia gave me everything that I needed. I was very careful never to cause you to have trouble. And I will continue to be careful like that.
• 2 Corinthians 12:13I worked among you in the same way as I did with the other churches. You were never less important to me than they are. The only difference is that I did not ask you to help me with money. So perhaps I should ask you to forgive me for that!
• Romans 8:1Now we know this: God has forgiven those people who are united with Christ Jesus. God will never say that they are guilty.
• Galatians 5:16So this is what I say: Let God's Spirit show you how to live in a good way. Then you will not do the wrong things that you may want to do, as people who are weak and human.
• Ephesians 2:2You lived in a bad way, like the people who belong to this world. You were obeying Satan, who rules the powerful spirits in the air. Those spirits are working now in everyone who refuses to obey God.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 10:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh - As it is customary for cowards and overbearing men to threaten the weak and the timid when present; to bluster when absent; and to be very obsequious in the presence of the strong and courageous. This conduct they appear to have charged against the apostle, which he calls here walking after the flesh - acting as a man who had worldly ends in view, and would use any means in order to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2That I may not be bold - I entreat you so to act that I may not have occasion to exercise the severity which I fear I shall be compelled to use against those who accuse me of being governed wholly by worldly motives and policy. In other words, that I may not be compelled to be bold and decisive in my measures by your improper conduct. Which think of us - Margin, “reckon.” They suppose this; or, they accuse me of it. By the word “us” here Paul means…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-6Paul clearly states his intentions and sincerity by defending himself against accusations of acting from human motives.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. I beseech you--Intimating that, as he can beseech in letters, so he can be severe in their presence. that I may not be--that I may not have to be bold, &c. with that confidence--that authoritative sternness. I think--I am minded to be. as if we walked according to the flesh--His Corinthian detractors judged of him by themselves, as if he were influenced by fleshly motives, the desire of favor or fear of giving offense, so as not to exercise his…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 10:2

• Church
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Approved
• Beseech
• Captivity
• Measure
• Walk
• Warfare
• Weapon
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Galatians, Epistle to the
• Paul, the Apostle

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings