Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence _am_ base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness - Having now finished his directions and advices relative to the collection for the poor, he resumes his argumen... [ Continua a leggere ]
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. Some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh - As it is customary for cowards and overbearing men... [ Continua a leggere ]
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: Though we walk in the flesh - That is: Although I am in the common condition of human nature, and must live as a human being, yet I do not war after the flesh - I do not act the coward or the poltroon, as they insinuate. I have a good c... [ Continua a leggere ]
(For the weapons of our warfare _are_ not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) The weapons of our warfare - The apostle often uses the metaphor of a warfare to represent the life and trials of a Christian minister. See Efesini 6:10; 1 Timoteo 1:18; 2 Timoteo 2:3. Are... [ Continua a leggere ]
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; Casting down imaginations - Λογισμους· Reasonings or opinions. The Greek philosophers valued themselves especially on their ethic s... [ Continua a leggere ]
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience - I am ready, through this mighty armor of God, to punish those opposers of the doctrine of Christ, and the disobedience which has been produced by them. Wh... [ Continua a leggere ]
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he _is_ Christ's, even so _are_ we Christ's. Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? - Do not be carried away with appearances; do not be satis... [ Continua a leggere ]
For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: For, though I should boast, etc. - I have a greater authority and spiritual power than I have yet shown, both to edify and to punish; but I e... [ Continua a leggere ]
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. That I may not seem, etc. - This is an elliptical sentence, and may be supplied thus: "I have not used this authority; nor will I add any more concerning this part of the subject, lest I should seem, as my adversary has insinuated, to wish to... [ Continua a leggere ]
For _his_ letters, say they, _are_ weighty and powerful; but _his_ bodily presence _is_ weak, and _his_ speech contemptible. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful - He boasts of high powers, and that he can do great things. See on 2 Corinzi 10:1 (note). But his bodily presence is weak... [ Continua a leggere ]
Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such _will we be_ also in deed when we are present. Such as we are in word - A threatening of this kind would doubtless alarm the false apostle; and it is very likely that he did not await the apostle's coming, a... [ Continua a leggere ]
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We dare not make ourselves, etc. - As if he had said: I dare neither associate with, nor compare... [ Continua a leggere ]
But we will not boast of things without _our_ measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. Things without our measure - There is a great deal of difficulty in this and the three following verses, and there is a great diversity... [ Continua a leggere ]
For we stretch not ourselves beyond _our measure_, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in _preaching_ the gospel of Christ: For we stretch not ourselves beyond - We have not proceeded straight from Macedonia through Thessaly, and across the Adriatic Gulf into Ita... [ Continua a leggere ]
Not boasting of things without _our_ measure, _that is_, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, Not boasting of things without our measure - We speak only of the work which God has done by us; for we h... [ Continua a leggere ]
To preach the gospel in the _regions_ beyond you, _and_ not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. To preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you - He probably refers to those parts of the Morea, such as Sparta, etc., that lay southward of them; and to Italy, which lay on t... [ Continua a leggere ]
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord - Instead of boasting or exulting even in your own success in preaching the Gospel, as none can be successful without the especial blessing of God, let God who gave the blessing have the glory. Even the genu... [ Continua a leggere ]
For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. Not he that commendeth himself - Not the person who makes a parade of his own attainments; who preaches himself, and not Christ Jesus the Lord; and, far from being your servant for Christ's sake, affects to be your ruler;... [ Continua a leggere ]