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;)
• New International Version (NIV)The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
• 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,

Context of 2 Corinthians 10:4

2Well, I am begging you now so that when I come I won’t have to be bold with those who think we act from human motives. 3We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 6And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.

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 6:7We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense.
• Romans 6:13Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
• Romans 13:12The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.
• Ephesians 6:13Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:8But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
• 1 Timothy 1:18Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles.
• 2 Timothy 2:3Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
• 2 Corinthians 3:5It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.
• 2 Corinthians 4:7We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
• 2 Corinthians 13:3I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you; he is powerful among you.
• Judges 7:13Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!”
• Judges 15:14As Samson arrived at Lehi, the Philistines came shouting in triumph. But the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon Samson, and he snapped the ropes on his arms as if they were burnt strands of flax, and they fell from his wrists.
• 1 Samuel 17:45David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
• Psalms 110:2The Lord will extend your powerful kingdom from Jerusalem; you will rule over your enemies.
• Isaiah 41:14Though you are a lowly worm, O Jacob, don’t be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you. I am the Lord, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel.’
• Zechariah 4:6Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

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