OET interlinear 2COR 10:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γὰρ

for

Here, the word For introduces a further explanation of what Paul said in the previous verse (10:3) 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

the & weapons ˱of˲_the warfare ˱of˲_us_‹are› not fleshly but powerful ¬the ˱to˲_God to /the/_tearing_down ˱of˲_strongholds arguments taking_down

Here, just as in 10:3, 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

the & weapons ˱of˲_the warfare ˱of˲_us_‹are›

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

fleshly

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

powerful ¬the ˱to˲_God

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,

to /the/_tearing_down ˱of˲_strongholds arguments taking_down

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”