2 Corinthians 10:1

Now I, Paul, appeal to you ¹  personally ²  by the meekness and gentleness ³  of Christ (I who am meek ⁴  when present among ⁵  you, but am full of courage ⁶  toward you when away!) –

Ps 45:4; Isa 42:3,4; Zec 9:9; Mt 11:29; Mt 12:19,20; Mt 21:5; Ac 8:32; Ro 10:20; Ro 12:1; Ro 15:15; 1Co 2:3; 1Co 4:10; 1Co 16:21,22; 2Co 3:12; 2Co 5:20; 2Co 6:1; 2Co 7:4; 2Co 10:2; 2Co 10:7,10; 2Co 10:10; 2Co 11:21; 2Co 11:30; 2Co 12:5,7-9; 2Co 13:2,3; 2Co 13:4; Ga 4:13; Ga 5:2; Eph 4:1; 2Th 3:17; Phm 1:9; 1Pe 2:11; 1Pe 2:22,23; Re 1:9

¹ tn The Greek pronoun (“you”) is plural.

² tn The word “personally” is supplied to reflect the force of the Greek intensive pronoun αὐτός (autos) at the beginning of the verse.

³ 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.”

⁴ tn Or “who lack confidence.”

⁵ tn Or “when face to face with.”

⁶ tn Or “but bold.”