2 Corinthians 10:10

2 Corinthians 10:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
• New International Version (NIV)For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.”

Context of 2 Corinthians 10:10

8For if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of doing so. 9I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters, because some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak and his speech is of no account.” 11Let such a person consider this: What we say by letters when we are absent, we also are in actions when we are present. 12For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

2 Corinthians 10:10 word by word

ὅτι αἱ ἐπιστολαὶ μέν φησιν βαρεῖαι καὶ ἰσχυραί, ἡ δὲ παρουσία τοῦ σώματος ἀσθενὴς καὶ ὁ λόγος ἐξουθενημένος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• lettersἐπιστολήepistolē · epistleG1992
• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• say theyφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
• weightyβαρύςbarus · weightyG926
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• powerfulἰσχυρόςischuros · strongG2478
• butδέde · thenG1161
• bodilyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• presenceπαρουσίαparousia · comingG3952
• weakἀσθενήςasthenēs · weakG772
• speechλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• contemptibleἐξουθενέωexoutheneō · to rejectG1848

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 10:10

• 2 Corinthians 10:11Let such a person consider this: What we say by letters when we are absent, we also are in actions when we are present.
• 2 Corinthians 10:1Now I, Paul, appeal to you personally by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (I who am meek when present among you, but am full of courage toward you when away!) –
• 2 Corinthians 12:5On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.
• 1 Corinthians 2:3And I was with you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling.
• Galatians 4:13But you know it was because of a physical illness that I first proclaimed the gospel to you,
• 2 Corinthians 11:6And even if I am unskilled in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way.
• Exodus 4:10Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not an eloquent man, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
• Jeremiah 1:6I answered, “Oh, Lord God, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young.”
• 1 Corinthians 1:17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – and not with clever speech, so that the cross of Christ would not become useless.
• 1 Corinthians 2:1When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come with superior eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony of God.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 10:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful - He boasts of high powers, and that he can do great things. See on 2 Corinthians 10:1-2; (note). But his bodily presence is weak - When you behold the man, you find him a feeble, contemptible mortal; and when ye hear him speak, his speech, ̔ , probably, his doctrine, , is good for nothing; his person, matter, and manner, are altogether uninteresting, unimpressive, and too contemptible to be valued by…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10For his letters - The letters which he has sent to the church when absent. Reference is had here probably to the First Epistle to the Corinthians. They might also have seen some of Paul‘s other epistles, and been so well acquainted with them as to he able to make the general remark that he had the power of writing in an authoritative and impressive manner. Say they - Margin, “Said he.” Greek ( ̀ phēsin) in the singular. This seems to have referred to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-11Verses 7-11 In outward appearance, Paul was mean and despised in the eyes of some, but this was a false rule to judge by. We must not think that none outward appearance, as if the want of such things proved a man not to be a real Christian, or an able, faithful minister of the lowly Saviour.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10Paul’s letters can be difficult and demanding, as other Christians also noticed (compare 2 Peter 3:16). his physical presence is unimpressive: Paul did not have an overpowering presence that forced people to obey (compare 2 Corinthians 1:24; 1 Corinthians 2:1–5). The earliest descriptions of Paul’s appearance (Acts of Paul and Thecla, around AD 200) describe him as "a man of small height, almost bald, with crooked legs, but with a good body and eyebrows…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. letters--implying that there had been already more letters of Paul received by the Corinthians than the one we have, namely, First Corinthians; and that they contained strong reproofs. say they--Greek, "says one," "such a one" (2Co 10:11) seems to point to some definite individual. Compare Ga 5:10; a similar slanderer was in the Galatian Church. weak--(2Co 12:7; 1Co 2:3). There was nothing of majesty or authority in his manner; he bore himself…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 10:10

• Church
• Paul

In the dictionaries

• Approved
• Beseech
• Captivity
• Measure
• Thorn in the flesh
• Walk
• Warfare
• Weapon
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Epistle

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