2 Corinthians 12:9-10

12:9 But ¹  he said to me, “My grace is enough ²  for you, for my ³  power is made perfect ⁴  in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly ⁵  about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in ⁶  me. 12:10 Therefore I am content with ⁷  weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties ⁸  for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Ephesians 3:16

3:16 I pray that ⁹  according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,

Ephesians 6:10

Exhortations for Spiritual Warfare

6:10 Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power.

Colossians 1:11

1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of ¹⁰  all patience and steadfastness, joyfully

Isaiah 40:29-31

40:29 He gives strength to those who are tired;

to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.

40:30 Even youths get tired and weary;

even strong young men clumsily stumble. ¹¹ 

40:31 But those who wait for the Lord’s help ¹²  find renewed strength;

they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, ¹³ 

they run without growing weary,

they walk without getting tired.

Isaiah 41:10

41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you!

Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! ¹⁴ 

I strengthen you –

yes, I help you –

yes, I uphold you with my saving right hand! ¹⁵ 

Isaiah 45:24

45:24 they will say about me,

“Yes, the Lord is a powerful deliverer.”’” ¹⁶ 

All who are angry at him will cower before him. ¹⁷ 

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” because of the contrast implicit in the context.

² tn Or “is sufficient.”

³ tc The majority of later mss (א² A^c D¹ Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï) as well as some versional witnesses include the pronoun “my” here, but the omission of the pronoun has excellent external support (Ì^46vid א* A* B D* F G latt). Scribes probably added the pronoun for clarity, making the obvious referent explicit. This would also make “power” more parallel with “my grace.” Though the original text probably did not include “my,” scribes who added the word were following the sense of Paul’s statement.

⁴ tn Or “my power comes to full strength.”

⁵ tn “Most gladly,” a comparative form used with superlative meaning and translated as such.

⁶ tn Or “may rest on.”

⁷ tn Or “I take delight in.”

⁸ tn Or “calamities.”

⁹ tn Grk “that.” In Greek v. 16 is a subordinate clause to vv. 14-15.

¹⁰ tn The expression “for the display of” is an attempt to convey in English the force of the Greek preposition εἰς (eis) in this context.

¹¹ tn Heb “stumbling they stumble.” The verbal idea is emphasized by the infinitive absolute.

¹² tn The words “for the Lord’s help” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

¹³ tn Heb “they rise up [on] wings like eagles” (TEV similar).

¹⁴ tn According to BDB (1043 s.v. שָׁעָה), the verb תִּשְׁתָּע (tishta’) in the second line of the poetic couplet is a Hitpael form from the root שָׁעָה (sha’ah, “gaze,” with metathesis of the stem prefix and the first root letter). Taking the Hitpael as iterative, one may then translate “do not anxiously look about.” However, the alleged Hitpael form of שָׁעָה (sha’ah) only occurs here and in verse 23. HALOT 1671 s.v. שׁתע proposes that the verb is instead a Qal form from the root שׁתע (“fear”) which is attested in cognate Semitic languages, including Ugaritic (discovered after the publishing of BDB), suggests the existence of this root. The poetic structure of v. 10 also supports the proposal, for the form in question is in synonymous parallelism to יָרֵא (yare’, “fear”).

¹⁵ tn The “right hand” is a symbol of the Lord’s power to deliver (Exod 15:6, 12) and protect (Ps 63:9 HT [63:8 ET]). Here צֶדֶק (tsedeq) has its well-attested nuance of “vindicated righteousness,” i.e., “victory, deliverance” (see 45:8; 51:5, and BDB 841-42 s.v.).

¹⁶ tn Heb “‘Yes, in the Lord,’ one says about me, ‘is deliverance and strength.’”

¹⁷ tn Heb “will come to him and be ashamed.”