2 Corinthians 10:4-7 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:1-5

Here we may observe, I. The mild and humble manner in which the blessed apostle addresses the Corinthians, and how desirous he is that no occasion may be given him to use severity. 1. He addresses them in a very mild and humble manner: I Paul myself beseech you, 2 Cor. 10:1. We find, in the introduction to this epistle, he joined Timothy with himself; but now he speaks only for himself, against whom the false apostles had particularly levelled their reproaches; yet in the midst of the greatest... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:7-11

In these verses the apostle proceeds to reason the case with the Corinthians, in opposition to those who despised him, judged him, and spoke hardly of him: ?Do you,? says he, ?look on things after the outward appearance? 2 Cor. 10:7. Isa. this a fit measure or rule to make an estimate of things or persons by, and to judge between me and my adversaries?? In outward appearance, Paul was mean and despicable with some; he did not make a figure, as perhaps some of his competitors might do: but this... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

10:1-6 It is I Paul who call upon you--and I am doing it in the gentleness and the sweet reasonableness of Christ--I, who, as you say, am a poor creature when I am with you, but a man of courage when I am absent. It is my prayer that, when I do come to you, I may not have to be bold with that confidence with which I reckon that I can boldly face some who reckon that we direct our conduct by purely human motives. It is true that we live in a human body, but for all that we do not carry on our... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 2 Corinthians 10:7-18

10:7-18 Look at what lies in front of you. If anyone confidently believes that he belongs to Christ, let him examine his own case again, because, just as he belongs to Christ, so do we also. If I make what might look like excessive claims about our authority--that authority which the Lord gave us to upbuild you and not to destroy you--I will not be put to shame. And I am going to do just that very thing so that I may not seem, as it were, to be striking terror into you through a series of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:4

For the weapons of our warfare ,.... By "warfare" is here meant, not that which is common to all believers, who are enlisted as volunteers under the captain of their salvation, and fight his battles, and are more than conquerors through him; but what is peculiar to the ministers of the Gospel; and designs the ministerial function, or office, and the discharge of it. So the Levitical function, or the ministerial service of the Levites, is called העבדה צבא , "the warfare of the service", ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:5

Casting down imaginations ,.... Or "reasonings"; the carnal reasonings of the minds of natural men against God, his providences and purposes, against Christ, and the methods of salvation, and every truth of the Gospel; which are all disproved, silenced, and confounded, by the preaching of the word, which though reckoned the foolishness and weakness of God, appears to be wiser and stronger than men; and whereby the wisdom of the wise is destroyed, and the understanding of the prudent brought... read more

John Gill

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Corinthians 10:4

The 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 doctrines are true and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Corinthians 10:5

Casting down imaginations - Λογισμους· Reasonings or opinions. The Greek philosophers valued themselves especially on their ethic systems, in which their reasonings appeared to be very profound and conclusive; but they were obliged to assume principles which were either such as did not exist, or were false in themselves, as the whole of their mythologic system most evidently was: truly, from what remains of them we see that their metaphysics were generally bombast; and as to their... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:1-5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:7-11

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 2 Corinthians 10:7-18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 10:5

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

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Corinthians 10:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Corinthians 10:5

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