2 Corinthians 10:1-18 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:6

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience ,.... Not with the temporal sword, as the civil magistrate, but with the spiritual one; meaning either censures and excommunication, which a faithful minister of the Gospel, with the suffrage of the church, has at hand, and a power to make use of, for the reclaiming of disobedient persons; or rather that extraordinary power which was peculiar to the apostles, of inflicting punishments on delinquents, such as what was exercised by Peter... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:7

Do ye look on things after the outward appearance ,.... Or "look upon things", ironically said; or "ye do look on things", a reproof for making judgment of persons and things, by the outward appearance of them; so many judged of Paul by the meanness of his person, the weakness of his body, the lowness of his voice, his outward circumstances of life, his poverty, afflictions, and persecutions; and despised him; whilst they looked upon the riches, eloquence, haughty airs, noisiness, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:8

For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority ,.... Than as yet he had done, or used to do; or rather the sense is, should he boast of a greater authority than the false apostles, or even than the true ministers of the Gospel in common had, he should not exceed the bounds of truth and modesty; for as an apostle he not only had an authority from Christ to preach the Gospel, and administer ordinances, but also had an extraordinary power of punishing offenders, as before observed: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:9

That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. Here seems to be something wanting, which is to be supplied, The sense is, though I might lawfully boast of the superior authority which we apostles have above other persons, in using sharpness with men insolent and hardened in sin; yet I will not, I forbear every thing of that kind, I drop it, I do not choose to insist upon it; מחמא אנא , "I overlook", or "neglect" it, "I do not care" to do it, as the Syriac version supplies it;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:10

For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful ,.... These words contain the reason why he did not choose to say any more of his authority as an apostle to punish offenders, that he might give no occasion for such a calumny, some among them, or the false apostles, had cast upon him; that his epistles, referring particularly to his former epistle, and that part of it which respected the incestuous person, and his delivery to Satan, were blustering and thundering; were laden with sharp... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:11

Let such an one think this ,.... The apostle seems to have in view some one particular person, though he does not choose to name him, who had more especially reproached him after this manner; and who was either one of the members of this church, or rather one of the false apostles: and so in the foregoing verse, instead of "say they", in which way both the Syriac and Vulgate Latin read, and is followed in our version, it is in the original text φησι , "says he", or "he says"; and so a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:12

For we dare not make ourselves of the number ,.... Some understand this as spoken ironically, as if the apostle jeeringly should say, he would not pretend to join, or put himself upon a level, who was a poor, little, mean, despicable person, with such great men as the false apostles were, men of such large gifts, and of such great learning and eloquence; though they may be understood without an irony, that the modesty of the apostle and his fellow ministers would not suffer them to mingle... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:13

But we will not boast of things without our measure ,.... Or things unmeasurable; meaning not doctrines, the knowledge of which they had not attained to, and which were not to be measured by reason or revelation, such as the Gnostics boasted of; but the sense is, that they would not glory in, and boast of actions, that were never done by them, within the compass of their ministration, as the false apostles did; who pretended that they had been everywhere, and had preached the Gospel, and had... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:14

For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure ,.... They did not go beyond the bounds set them by the purpose and providence of God, by going to Corinth; nor did they boast of things without their measure, when they spoke of their labours, and of the success of their ministrations among them; nor did they assume and arrogate to themselves what did not belong to them, when they claimed an authority over them, and a right of exercising their apostolical office among them: as though we... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:15

Not boasting of things without our measure ,.... The apostle here asserts what he had done before, 2 Corinthians 10:13 with a view to explain it, as he does, saying, that is of other men's labours ; when they boasted of the Corinthians as their converts and children, whom they had begotten through the Gospel of Christ, they did not boast of other men's labours, as did the false apostles; who when they came to Corinth, found a church already planted by the apostle, and a multitude of... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:15

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