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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
2 Cor C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13
2 Cor 10 V1 V2 V3 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18
OET (OET-LV) For/Because the weapons of_the warfare of_us are not fleshly, but powerful to_ the _god to the_tearing_down of_strongholds, arguments taking_down,
OET (OET-RV) because the weapons that we use in war are not physical but come with God’s power for tearing down anti-God institutions and nullifying their arguments.
In this section, Paul asked the believers in Corinth to live in obedience to their faith, or he might have to rebuke or discipline some (10:1–2). He explained how a believer fights against those who oppose God (10:3–4) and how to rebuke them as well as correct a disobedient believer (10:5–6).
He told them to understand their situation, including Paul’s authority (10:7–8). He explained that he was forceful in his letters, and that he would be forceful in person if he had to be (10:9–11).
He told them that people who commend themselves are not wise (10:12). He explained that he boasted only in proper ways. One of those ways was boasting about the faith of people whom he had helped become believers, which included those in Corinth (10:13–15a). He told them that he hoped to preach the gospel in more regions (10:15b–16a). He explained further about proper things to boast about (10:16b–17). Lastly, he told them that God approves of people according to what God himself says in favor of them and not what a person boasts about himself (10:18).
Other examples of headings for this section are:
Paul’s reply to accusations of weakness (NJB)
Paul Describes Himself (NASB)
Paul responded to some who had criticized him
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world.
For the weapons with which we(excl) do battle are not human weapons.
Fighting men use weapons made by people, but we use different weapons.
The methods/means we use to oppose our enemies/opponents are not the methods/means that ungodly people use.
10:4 begins with a Greek conjunction that introduces an explanation about how Paul and the other evangelists oppose other people. For example:
for (RSV)
In some languages it is more natural to allow the context to indicate the connection and omit the conjunction.
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world: This clause continues the metaphor about war from 10:3b. The weapons that Paul uses are not the same kind of weapons as the people of the world use. His weapons are from God (10:4b). They would include the gospel, prophecy, doing miracles, and things like that. Another way to translate this is:
We fight with weapons that are different from those the world uses (NCV)
the weapons of the world: This phrase refers to the ways in which the world fights. For example:
human weapons (NET)
Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
Instead, they have power to destroy fortresses on God’s behalf.
Our weapons have God’s power to destroy/ruin spiritual strong places of his enemies.
Our methods/means have the power of God to tear down the places of strength of our enemies/opponents.
they have divine power: The Greek words are literally “powerful to/for/through God.” God gives this power. For example:
God’s powerful weapons (GNT)
powerful in God’s warfare (JBP)
powerful weapons from God (GW)
they: Here this pronoun refers to “the weapons of our warfare” in 10:4a.
demolish strongholds: Like strongholds in human warfare, the enemies of God have spiritual strongholds. But the weapons of believers can demolish them. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
destroy strongholds (RSV)
destroy spiritual strong places of the enemies of God
strongholds: This word refers to places easy to defend against attack. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
fortresses (NASB)
the enemy’s strong places (NCV)
However, the word here is used figuratively for “arguments” (10:5a). Any opposition to the gospel of Jesus is a stronghold. In some languages a literal translation of this word would wrongly refer only to places on earth. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
Explain its meaning in your translation. For example:
spiritual strongholds
strongholds in people’s minds
Translate literally and explain the meaning in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Here, the word “stronghold” refers to any opposition to the gospel of Jesus.
Paul first explained what the weapons were not and then explained what the weapons were. In some languages it is more natural to explain what the weapons were first. For example:
4aThe weapons we fight with 4bhave divine power to demolish strongholds. They 4aare not the weapons of the world.
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases
γὰρ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τά Γάρ ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὒ σαρκικά ἀλλά δυνατά τῷ Θεῷ πρός καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων λογισμούς καθαιροῦντες)
Here, the word For introduces a further explanation of what Paul said in the previous verse ([10:3](../10/03.md)) about waging war not according to the flesh. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different word or phrase that introduces further explanation, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: [Indeed,]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor
τὰ & ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὐ σαρκικὰ, ἀλλὰ δυνατὰ τῷ Θεῷ πρὸς καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων, λογισμοὺς καθαιροῦντες
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τά Γάρ ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὒ σαρκικά ἀλλά δυνατά τῷ Θεῷ πρός καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων λογισμούς καθαιροῦντες)
Here, just as in [10:3](../10/03.md), Paul speaks as if he and his fellow workers were involved in warfare. In this verse, he specifically speaks about their weapons and about their enemies’ strongholds. He defines the strongholds as strategies or arguments against him and the gospel. Paul means by this that God empowers him and his fellow workers to prove that these arguments are false. Paul does not mean that they are physically fighting against people or destroying physical strongholds. Preserve the metaphor if it is clear in your language or express the idea with a simile. Alternate translation: [what we use to defend ourselves are like weapons of warfare that are not fleshly but are powerful to God for overcoming strategies and arguments, which are like strongholds] or [we do not fight with fleshly weapons but with arguments that are powerful to God for the defeating of powerful enemies and strategies]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
τὰ & ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τά Γάρ ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὒ σαρκικά ἀλλά δυνατά τῷ Θεῷ πρός καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων λογισμούς καθαιροῦντες)
Here, Paul is using the possessive form to describe weapons that are used to fight in warfare. If this is not clear in your language, you could use a different form. Alternate translation: [our weapons for fighting] or [the weapons with which we wage war]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν
˱of˲_the warfare ˱of˲_us_‹are›
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of warfare, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [with which we fight] or [we use to wage war]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
σαρκικὰ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τά Γάρ ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὒ σαρκικά ἀλλά δυνατά τῷ Θεῷ πρός καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων λογισμούς καθαιροῦντες)
Here, fleshly represents what is natural and human as opposed to what is spiritual and godly. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [not according to natural human wisdom]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
δυνατὰ τῷ Θεῷ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τά Γάρ ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὒ σαρκικά ἀλλά δυνατά τῷ Θεῷ πρός καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων λογισμούς καθαιροῦντες)
Here, the phrase powerful to God indicates that the weapons are powerful because God makes them powerful. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [are made powerful by God] or [have God’s power]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet
πρὸς καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων, λογισμοὺς καθαιροῦντες,
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τά Γάρ ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὒ σαρκικά ἀλλά δυνατά τῷ Θεῷ πρός καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων λογισμούς καθαιροῦντες)
The phrases the tearing down of strongholds and tearing down strategies mean similar things. Paul is using the two phrases together for emphasis, with the the second phrase defining the first phrase. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [for the tearing down of powerful strategies]
OET (OET-LV) For/Because the weapons of_the warfare of_us are not fleshly, but powerful to_ the _god to the_tearing_down of_strongholds, arguments taking_down,
OET (OET-RV) because the weapons that we use in war are not physical but come with God’s power for tearing down anti-God institutions and nullifying their arguments.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.