2 Corinthians 10:4

2 Corinthians 10:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
• New Living Translation (NLT)We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

Context of 2 Corinthians 10:4

2I 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. 3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

2 Corinthians 10:4 word by word

τὰ γὰρ ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὐ σαρκικὰ ἀλλὰ δυνατὰ τῷ θεῷ πρὸς καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων, λογισμοὺς καθαιροῦντεςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• the weaponsὅπλονhoplon · weaponG3696
• of ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• warfareστρατείαstrateia · warfareG4752
• notοὐou · noG3756
• carnalσαρκικόςsarkikos · fleshlyG4559
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• mightyδυνατόςdunatos · ableG1415
• through Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• the pulling downκαθαίρεσιςkathairesis · destructionG2506
• of strong holdsὀχύρωμαochurōma · strongholdG3794

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 10:4

• 2 Corinthians 6:7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
• Romans 6:13Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
• Romans 13:12The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
• Ephesians 6:13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
• 1 Timothy 1:18Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well,
• 2 Timothy 2:3Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
• 2 Corinthians 3:5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
• 2 Corinthians 4:7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
• 2 Corinthians 13:3since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.
• Judges 7:13Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
• Judges 15:14As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands.
• 1 Samuel 17:45David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
• Psalms 110:2The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!”
• Isaiah 41:14Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
• Zechariah 4:6So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 10:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The weapons of our warfare - The apostle often uses the metaphor of a warfare to represent the life and trials of a Christian minister. See Ephesians 6:10-17; 1 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 2:3-5. Are not carnal - Here he refers to the means used by the false apostle in order to secure his party; he calumniated St. Paul, traduced the truth, preached false and licentious doctrines, and supported these with sophistical reasonings. But mighty through God - Our…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For the weapons of our warfare - The means by which we hope to achieve our victory. Are not carnal - Not those of the flesh. Not such as the people of the world use. They are not such as are employed by conquerors; nor are they such as people in general rely on to advance their cause. We do not depend on eloquence, or talent, or learning, or wealth, or beauty, or any of the external aids on which the people of this world rely. They are not such as derive…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5A military metaphor strengthens Paul's argument that Paul's weapons have divine power over spiritual strongholds (see 4:3–4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. A confutation of those who try to propagate their creed by force and persecution (compare Lu 9:54-56). weapons--for punishing offending members (2Co 10:6; 1Co 4:21; 5:5, 13); boldness of speech, ecclesiastical discipline (2Co 10:8; 2Co 13:10), the power of the word, and of the sacraments, the various extraordinary gifts of the Spirit. carnal--Translate, "fleshly," to preserve the allusion to 2Co 10:2, 3. mighty through God--Greek, "mighty to God," that…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 10:4

• Armor
• Blessing
• Church
• Gospel
• War

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Approved
• Beseech
• Captivity
• Carnal
• Measure
• Walk
• Warfare
• Weapon

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