2 Corinthians 10:2

10:2 now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that (I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving ¹  according to human standards. ² 

2 Corinthians 10:1

Paul’s Authority from the Lord

10:1 Now I, Paul, appeal to you ³  personally ⁴  by the meekness and gentleness ⁵  of Christ (I who am meek ⁶  when present among ⁷  you, but am full of courage ⁸  toward you when away!) –

[10:2]  ¹ tn Grk “consider us as walking.”

[10:2]  ² tn Grk “according to the flesh.”

[10:1]  ³ tn The Greek pronoun (“you”) is plural.

[10:1]  ⁴ tn The word “personally” is supplied to reflect the force of the Greek intensive pronoun αὐτός (autos) at the beginning of the verse.

[10:1]  ⁵ 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.”

[10:1]  ⁶ tn Or “who lack confidence.”

[10:1]  ⁷ tn Or “when face to face with.”

[10:1]  ⁸ tn Or “but bold.”