2 Corinthians 4:7-12

An Eternal Weight of Glory

4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power ¹  belongs to God and does not come from us. 4:8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, ²  but are not crushed; we are perplexed, ³  but not driven to despair; 4:9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; ⁴  we are knocked down, ⁵  but not destroyed, 4:10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, ⁶  so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible ⁷  in our body. 4:11 For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible ⁸  in our mortal body. ⁹  4:12 As a result, ¹⁰  death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. ¹¹ 

2 Corinthians 10:3-4

10:3 For though we live ¹²  as human beings, ¹³  we do not wage war according to human standards, ¹⁴  10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, ¹⁵  but are made powerful by God ¹⁶  for tearing down strongholds. ¹⁷  We tear down arguments ¹⁸ 

2 Corinthians 10:10

10:10 because some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak ¹⁹  and his speech is of no account.” ²⁰ 

2 Corinthians 10:1

Paul’s Authority from the Lord

10:1 Now I, Paul, appeal to you ²¹  personally ²²  by the meekness and gentleness ²³  of Christ (I who am meek ²⁴  when present among ²⁵  you, but am full of courage ²⁶  toward you when away!) –

Colossians 2:3

2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

¹ tn Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunamew") has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).

² tn Grk “we are hard pressed [by crowds] on every side.”

³ tn Or “at a loss.”

⁴ tn Or “forsaken.”

⁵ tn Or “badly hurt.” It is possible to interpret καταβαλλόμενοι (kataballomenoi) here as “badly hurt”: “[we are] badly hurt, but not destroyed” (L&N 20.21).

⁶ tn The first clause of 2 Cor 4:10 is elliptical and apparently refers to the fact that Paul was constantly in danger of dying in the same way Jesus died (by violence at least). According to L&N 23.99 it could be translated, “at all times we live in the constant threat of being killed as Jesus was.”

⁷ tn Or “may also be revealed.”

⁸ tn Or “may also be revealed.”

⁹ tn Grk “mortal flesh.”

¹⁰ tn Or “So then.”

¹¹ tn Grk “death is at work in us, but life in you”; the phrase “is at work in” is repeated in the translation for clarity.

¹² tn Grk “we walk.”

¹³ tn Grk “in the flesh.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “according to the flesh.”

¹⁵ tn Grk “are not fleshly [weapons].” The repetition of the word “warfare” does not occur in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity.

¹⁶ tn Or “but (are) divinely powerful,” “but they have divine power,” or “but are powerful for God’s [service]”; Grk “but are powerful to God.”

¹⁷ sn Ultimately Paul is referring here to the false arguments of his opponents, calling them figuratively “strongholds.” This Greek word (ὀχύρωμα, ocurwma) is used only here in the NT.

¹⁸ tn Or “speculations.”

¹⁹ tn Or “unimpressive.”

²⁰ tn Or “is contemptible”; Grk “is despised.”

²¹ tn The Greek pronoun (“you”) is plural.

²² tn The word “personally” is supplied to reflect the force of the Greek intensive pronoun αὐτός (autos) at the beginning of the verse.

²³ tn Or “leniency and clemency.” D. Walker, “Paul’s Offer of Leniency of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:1): Populist Ideology and Rhetoric in a Pauline Letter Fragment (2 Cor 10:1-13:10)” (Ph.D. diss., University of Chicago, 1998), argues for this alternative translation for three main reasons: (1) When the two Greek nouns πραΰτης and ἐπιείκεια (prauth" and ejpieikeia) are used together, 90% of the time the nuance is “leniency and clemency.” (2) “Leniency and clemency” has a military connotation, which is precisely what appears in the following verses. (3) 2 Cor 10-13 speaks of Paul’s sparing use of his authority, which points to the nuance of “leniency and clemency.”

²⁴ tn Or “who lack confidence.”

²⁵ tn Or “when face to face with.”

²⁶ tn Or “but bold.”