Passage Explorer

2 Corinthians 10

Setting the scene
Who wrote it
Paul
Who it was for
The church in Corinth
What was happening
Paul defends his authority with the gentleness of Christ, against those who say he is weak
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What’s happening

Here the tone changes. "Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you." He begs them that when he is present he will not need to be bold with the confidence with which he plans to be bold against some who suspect they walk according to the flesh. "For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." He is ready to punish all disobedience when their obedience is complete. "You look at things according to the outward appearance. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that, just as he is Christ's, so also are we." Even if Paul boasts somewhat more of the authority the Lord gave for building up and not for tearing down, he will not be ashamed. He does not want to seem to terrify them by letters, for some say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised." Such people should know that what Paul is in word by letters when absent, he will be also in deed when present. He does not dare to classify or compare himself with some who commend themselves; they measure themselves by themselves. But Paul will not boast beyond limits, but within the field God has assigned, which reaches even to them; he did not overextend, for he was first to come all the way to Corinth with the gospel. He hopes that as their faith grows, his area will be greatly enlarged, so that he can preach the gospel in regions beyond them, not boasting in another's field. "But he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord." For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

Why the setting matters

Chapters 10 to 13 are written in a very different mood from chapters 1 to 9, and that is the biggest debate about the letter. Some scholars think these chapters are part of a separate letter written after bad news came from Corinth, perhaps the "severe letter" or a later one; others think they belong to the same letter and that Paul turns, after thanking the majority, to the minority still opposing him. The text itself does not decide. What is clear is that outside teachers (the "super-apostles," 11:5) have been criticizing him: his letters are strong but he is unimpressive in person, his speech is poor, and he does not take pay. In a culture that valued polished speaking, that was a serious charge. Paul's answer is that his weapons are spiritual, his authority is for building up, and the right kind of boasting is "in the Lord." The military picture of strongholds and captives comes from the world of Roman warfare. The "field" (kanon) he speaks of is the area of mission assigned to him, probably recalling the agreement with the Jerusalem leaders about who would work among whom (Galatians 2:7-9).

Read 2 Corinthians 10 (World English Bible)

Who’s in this chapter

Paul

Defends his authority with the gentleness of Christ.

The "super-apostles"

Outsiders who commend themselves and criticize Paul.

The believers in Corinth

Urged to look beyond outward appearance.

Jesus

The model of humility and gentleness.

Talk it through

  1. Paul appeals "by the meekness and gentleness of Christ," then talks about weapons and strongholds. How do these fit together?
  2. His critics say he is bold only in letters. How should a leader respond to criticism of that kind?
  3. "Take every thought captive to obey Christ." What are the "strongholds" he has in mind?
  4. "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord." What makes a boast legitimate in Paul's view?

Read 2 Corinthians 10

World English Bible

1Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. 2Yes, I beg you that I may not, when present, show courage with the confidence with which I intend to be bold against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh. 3For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh; 4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, 5throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is made full. 7Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that even as he is Christ’s, so we also are Christ’s. 8For even if I boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down, I will not be ashamed, 9that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters. 10For, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.” 11Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present. 12For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding. 13But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you. 14For we don’t stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn’t reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ, 15not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence, 16so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done. 17But “he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.” 18For it isn’t he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources