2 Corinthians 10:2

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
beseech	δέομαι deomai	G1189	to beg (as binding oneself) · verb — present middle or passive deponent indicative, 1st person singular
may	θαρρῆσαι tharrēsai	G2292	to exercise courage · verb — aorist active infinitive
not	μὴ mē	G3361	(adverb) not · particle — negative
bold	θαῤῥέω tharrhéō	G2292	to exercise courage
present	παρὼν parōn	G3918	to be near · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
confidence	πεποιθήσει pepoithēsei	G4006	reliance · noun — dative singular feminine
think	λογίζομαι logizomai	G3049	to take an inventory · verb — present middle or passive deponent indicative, 1st person singular
bold	τολμῆσαι tolmēsai	G5111	probably itself from the base of G5056 (τέλος) through… · verb — aorist active infinitive
against	ἐπί epi	G1909	properly · preposition
some	τινας tinas	G5100	some or any person or object · indefinite pronoun — accusative plural masculine
which	ᾗ hē	G3739	the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun · relative pronoun — dative singular feminine
think	λογιζομένους logizomenous	G3049	to take an inventory · verb — present middle or passive deponent participle, accusative plural masculine
us	ἡμᾶς hēmâs	G2248	us
if	ὡς hōs	G5613	which how · particle
walked	περιπατοῦντας. peripatountas	G4043	to tread all around · verb — present active participle, accusative plural masculine
to	κατὰ kata	G2596	(prepositionally) down (in place or time) · preposition
flesh	σάρκα sarka	G4561	flesh (as stripped of the skin) · noun — accusative singular feminine

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 13:10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me…
2 Corinthians 13:2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinne…
Galatians 5:16-25 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Ephesians 2:2-3 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now w…
1 Corinthians 4:18-21 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
2 Corinthians 12:13-20 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

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, Co2 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 provocations he shows humility and mildness, from the consideration of the meekness and gentleness of Christ, and desires this great example may have the same influence on the Corinthians. Note, When we f…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 10:2

I beseech you--Intimating that, as he can beseech in letters, so he can be severe in their presence. that I may not be--that I may not have to be bold, &c. with that confidence--that authoritative sternness. I think--I am minded to be. as if we walked according to the flesh--His Corinthian detractors judged of him by themselves, as if he were influenced by fleshly motives, the desire of favor or fear of giving offense, so as not to exercise his authority when present.

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 10:2

Some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh - As it is customary for cowards and overbearing men to threaten the weak and the timid when present; to bluster when absent; and to be very obsequious in the presence of the strong and courageous. This conduct they appear to have charged against the apostle, which he calls here walking after the flesh - acting as a man who had worldly ends in view, and would use any means in order to accomplish them.

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 10:2

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present,.... That is, he entreated them that they would so behave for the future, that he might have no occasion, when he came among them, to use that power and authority they called boldness, which he had received from Christ for edification, and not destruction; as for that asperity and roughness with which he wrote, and which was thought to be too severe, it was in order to reclaim them, and so prevent that sharpness he was empowered by Christ to use: for though he had said in his former epistle, 1 Corinthians 4:21 "shall I come unto you with a rod or in love? and in the spirit of meekness?" he chose to come in the latter, rather than wi…

The Church Fathers

Paul is referring here to those who did not accept that his teaching was spiritual.
— Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

2 Corinthians 10:2

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 10:2

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 10:2

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 10:2

The Church Fathers

2 Corinthians 10:2

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 10:2

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 10:2

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 10:2

The Church Fathers

John Calvin on 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Corinthians 10:1–end