Passage
2 Corinthians 10
2 Corinthians 10, 2 Cor 10Book: 2 Corinthians · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT
The spiritualized-warfare core (verses 3-6)
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ASV (ASV)
3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh 4. (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds), 5. casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; 6. and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6, ASV)
WEB (WEB)
3. For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh; 4. for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, 5. throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6. and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is made full. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6, WEB)
KJV (KJV)
3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5. 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; 6. And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6, KJV)
YLT (YLT)
3. for walking in the flesh, not according to the flesh do we war, 4. for the weapons of our warfare [are] not fleshly, but powerful to God for bringing down of strongholds, 5. reasonings bringing down, and every high thing lifted up against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Christ, 6. and being in readiness to avenge every disobedience, whenever your obedience may be fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6, YLT)
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Setting
- Speaker: Paul of Tarsus, dictating to an amanuensis
- Audience: the church at Corinth, defending Paul's apostolic authority against rival super-apostles
- Location: written from Macedonia
- Time period: c. AD 55-57
Theological reading
2 Corinthians 10 opens Paul's "tearful letter" defense against rival apostles in Corinth and contains the NT's principal spiritualization of the OT herem-warfare category (vv. 3-6). The Christian's warfare is not against flesh but against every lofty thing raised against the knowledge of God. Cited in Lesson 4.3, Old Testament Difficulties as the canonical-trajectory anchor for the apologetic that Christianity reads the conquest as floor, not ceiling. See 2 Corinthians 10.4 for the specific load-bearing verse. The book of 2 Corinthians hub (2 Corinthians) provides higher-level theological context.
See also
- 2 Corinthians 10.4, the load-bearing verse
- Canaanite Conquest and Herem, the conquest defeater
- Lesson 4.3, Old Testament Difficulties, the Course lesson
- 2 Corinthians, book hub
Quoted in
Arguments and defeaters:
- Epistemology Defeats Christianity Objection Defeater, via 2 Corinthians 10.5
- Religion Causes Violence Objection Defeater, via 2 Corinthians 10.3-5
- Transcendental Argument for God, via 2 Corinthians 10.5
Concepts:
- Apologetics, via 2 Corinthians 10.3-5
- Apologist, via 2 Corinthians 10.5
- Canaanite Conquest and Herem, via 2 Corinthians 10.4
- Church at Corinth
- Critical Thinking Christian Framework, via 2 Corinthians 10.5
- External Sources of Thought, via 2 Corinthians 10.5
- Faith and Reason, via 2 Corinthians 10.5
- Lesson 1.2, The Biblical Charge, via 2 Corinthians 10.5
- Lesson 4.3, Old Testament Difficulties
- Lesson 4.4, Christian Conduct Critiques, via 2 Corinthians 10.4
- Prayers Against Scoffing and Mockery, via 2 Corinthians 10.3-5
Lexicon:
- G0331 - anathema, via 2 Corinthians 10.3-6
- G3563 - nous, via 2 Corinthians 10.5
- G5218 - hypakoe, via 2 Corinthians 10.5-6, 2 Corinthians 10.6
Guides:
Passages:
Why these four translations
ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.
The four:
- ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.
See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.