and · personal pronoun — 1st person nominative singular + conjunction
I
ἐγώegṓ
G1473
I
was
ἐγενόμηνegenomēn
G1096
to cause to be ("gen"-erate) · verb — second aorist middle deponent indicative, 1st person singular
with
πρὸςpros
G4314
a preposition of direction · preposition
you
ὑμᾶςhymâs
G5209
you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
in
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
weakness
ἀσθενείᾳastheneia
G769
feebleness (of mind or body) · noun — dative singular feminine
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
in
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
fear
φόβῳphobō
G5401
alarm or fright · noun — dative singular masculine
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
in
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
much
πολλῷpollō
G4183
(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many · adjective — dative singular masculine
trembling
τρόμῳtromō
G5156
a "trembling" · noun — dative singular masculine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
2 Corinthians 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by…
1 Corinthians 4:10-13 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
2 Corinthians 12:5-10 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
2 Corinthians 13:9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.
2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 Corinthians 4:7-12 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
In this passage the apostle pursues his design, and reminds the Corinthians how he acted when he first preached the gospel among them.
I. As to the matter or subject he tell us (Co1 2:2), He determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him crucified - to make a show of no other knowledge than this, to preach nothing, to discover the knowledge of nothing, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Note, Christ, in his person and offices, is the sum and substance of the gospel, and ought to be the great subject of a gospel minister's preaching. His business is to display the banner of the cross, and invite people under it. Any one that heard Paul preach found him to harp so continually…
I--the preacher: as Co1 2:2 describes the subject, "Christ crucified," and Co1 2:4 the mode of preaching: "my speech . . . not with enticing words," "but in demonstration of the Spirit."
weakness--personal and bodily (Co2 10:10; Co2 12:7, Co2 12:9; Gal 4:13).
trembling--(compare Phi 2:12). Not personal fear, but a trembling anxiety to perform a duty; anxious conscientiousness, as proved by the contrast to "eye service" (Eph 6:5) [CONYBEARE and HOWSON].
Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 2:3
I was with you in weakness - It is very likely that St. Paul had not only something in his speech very unfavourable to a ready and powerful elocution, but also some infirmity of body that was still more disadvantageous to him. A fine appearance and a fine voice cover many weaknesses and defects, and strongly and forcibly recommend what is spoken, though not remarkable for depth of thought or solidity of reasoning. Many popular orators have little besides their persons and their voice to recommend them. Louis XIV. styled Peter du Bosc le plus beau parleur de son royaume, the finest speaker in his kingdom; and among his own people he was styled l'orateur parfait, the perfect orator. Look at th…
By preaching Christ in what appeared to be folly to human wisdom, Paul provoked hatred and persecution against himself.
"And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling." This again is another topic: for not only are the believers unlearned persons; not only is he that speaketh unlearned; not only is the manner of the teaching of an unlearned cast throughout; not only was the thing preached of itself enough to stagger people; (for the cross and death were the message brought;) but together with these there were also other hindrances, the dangers, and the plots, and the daily fear, and the being hunted about. For the word "weakness," with him in many places stands for the persecutions: as also elsewhere. "My weakness which I had in my flesh ye did not set at nought:" (Galatians 4:13-14) and again, "If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my weakness." (2 Corinthians 11:30) What weakness? "The governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, desirous to apprehend me." (2 Corinthians 5:32) And again, "Wherefore I take pleasure in weakness:" (2 Corinthians 12:10) then, saying in what, he added, "In injuries, in necessities, in distresses." And here he makes the same statement; for having said, "And I was in weakness," etc. he did not stop at this point, but explaining the word "weakness" makes mention of his dangers. He adds again, "and in fear, and in much trembling, I was with you." "How sayest thou? Did Paul also fear dangers?" He did fear, and dreaded them excessively; for though he was Paul, yet he was a man. But this is no charge against Paul, but infirmity of human nature; and it is to the praise of his fixed purpose of mind that when he even dreaded death and stripes, he did nothing wrong because of this fear. So that they who assert that he feared not stripes, not only do not honor him, but rather abridge greatly his praises. For if he feared not, what endurance or what self-restraint was there in bearing the dangers? I, for my part, on this account admire him; because being in fear, and not simply in "fear," but even in "trembling" at his perils, he so ran as ever to keep his crown; and gave not in for any danger, in his task of purging out the world, and everywhere both by sea and land sowing the Gospel.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Thorn in the flesh — (2 Cor. 12:7-10). Many interpretations have been given of this passage. (1.) Roman Catholic writers think that it denotes suggestions to impiety. (2.) Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers interpret…
Humility · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Philosophy · Employment of, was not Paul’s method of preaching the gospel — Employment of, was not Paul’s method of preaching the gospel
Preaching · UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO — UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
Reasoning · The gospel — The gospel
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
on 1 Corinthians 2:3
And I was with you in weakness,.... Meaning either the weakness of his bodily presence, the contemptibleness of his voice, and the mean figure he made as a preacher among them, both with respect to the matter and manner of his ministry in the eyes of many; or his lowly and humble deportment among them, not exerting the power and authority Christ had given him as an apostle; but choosing rather to work with his own hands, as he did at Corinth, to minister to his own necessities, and those of others; or the many persecutions which he endured there for the sake of preaching a crucified Christ; and which he sometimes calls "infirmities"; see 2 Corinthians 12:9 wherefore it is added,
and in fear…
1 Corinthians 2:3-5
3. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
3. Et ego in infirmirate, [106] et in timore, et in tremore multo fui apud vos:
4. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
4. Et sermo meus, et praedicatio mea, non in persuasoriis humanae sapientiae sermonibus, sed in demonstratione Spiritus et potentiae:
5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
5. Ut fides vestra non sit in sapientia hominum, sed in potentia Dei.
3. And I was with you in weakness He explains at greater length what he had previously touched upon -- that…
Human weakness is no barrier to God’s work (2 Cor 12:7-10). The real power is not in charismatic preaching, finesse of presentation, or logical persuasiveness (cp. 2 Cor 10:10), but in the message itself, centered on Christ and his death for our sins, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, who convicts the human heart.
