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THE MESSAGE
2 Corinthians 10:9
And what's this talk about me bullying you with my letters? "His letters are brawny and potent, but in person he's a weakling and mumbles when he talks." Such talk won't survive scrutiny. What we write when away, we do when present. We're the exact same people, absent or present, in letter or in person.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- FaussetEncyclopedias:
- InternationalDevotionals:
- EveryParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters.
I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters.
King James Version (1611)
That I may not seeme as if I would terrifie you by letters.
That I may not seeme as if I would terrifie you by letters.
King James Version
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
English Standard Version
I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters.
I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters.
New American Standard Bible
for I do not want to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
for I do not want to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
New Century Version
I do not want you to think I am trying to scare you with my letters.
I do not want you to think I am trying to scare you with my letters.
Amplified Bible
nor do I want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters;
nor do I want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters;
New American Standard Bible (1995)
for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
Legacy Standard Bible
for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
Berean Standard Bible
I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.
I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.
Contemporary English Version
And I am not trying to scare you with my letters.
And I am not trying to scare you with my letters.
Complete Jewish Bible
My object is not to seem as if I were trying to frighten you with these letters.
My object is not to seem as if I were trying to frighten you with these letters.
Darby Translation
that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters:
that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters:
Easy-to-Read Version
I don't want you to think that I am trying to scare you with my letters.
I don't want you to think that I am trying to scare you with my letters.
Geneva Bible (1587)
This I say, that I may not seeme as it were to feare you with letters.
This I say, that I may not seeme as it were to feare you with letters.
George Lamsa Translation
But I am hesitant, lest I seem as if I were trying to frighten you with my letter.
But I am hesitant, lest I seem as if I were trying to frighten you with my letter.
Good News Translation
I do not want it to appear that I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
I do not want it to appear that I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
Lexham English Bible
so that I do not want to appear as if I were terrifying you by my letters,
so that I do not want to appear as if I were terrifying you by my letters,
Literal Translation
so that I may not seem to frighten you by letters.
so that I may not seem to frighten you by letters.
American Standard Version
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
Bible in Basic English
That I may not seem to have the desire of causing you fear by my letters.
That I may not seem to have the desire of causing you fear by my letters.
Hebrew Names Version
that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.
that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.
International Standard Version
I do not want you to think that I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
I do not want you to think that I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
Etheridge Translation
9 But I insist not, [fn] that I may not be considered as one who would terrify you by my epistles.
9 But I insist not, [fn] that I may not be considered as one who would terrify you by my epistles.
Murdock Translation
But I forbear, lest I should be thought to terrify you terribly, by my epistles.
But I forbear, lest I should be thought to terrify you terribly, by my epistles.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Lest I should seeme as though I wet about to make you afrayde by letters.
Lest I should seeme as though I wet about to make you afrayde by letters.
English Revised Version
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
World English Bible
that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.
that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
That I may not seem to terrify you by letters.
That I may not seem to terrify you by letters.
Weymouth's New Testament
Let it not seem as if I wanted to frighten you by my letters.
Let it not seem as if I wanted to frighten you by my letters.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But that Y be not gessid as to fere you bi epistlis,
But that Y be not gessid as to fere you bi epistlis,
Update Bible Version
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
Webster's Bible Translation
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
New English Translation
I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters,
I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters,
New King James Version
lest I seem to terrify you by letters.
lest I seem to terrify you by letters.
New Living Translation
I'm not trying to frighten you by my letters.
I'm not trying to frighten you by my letters.
New Life Bible
I do not want you to think I am trying to make you afraid with my letters.
I do not want you to think I am trying to make you afraid with my letters.
New Revised Standard
I do not want to seem as though I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
I do not want to seem as though I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
That I may not seem as though I would be terrifying you through means of my letters;
That I may not seem as though I would be terrifying you through means of my letters;
Douay-Rheims Bible
But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles,
But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles,
Revised Standard Version
I would not seem to be frightening you with letters.
I would not seem to be frightening you with letters.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
This saye I lest I shuld seme as though I went about to make you a frayde with letters.
This saye I lest I shuld seme as though I went about to make you a frayde with letters.
Young's Literal Translation
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you through the letters,
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you through the letters,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This I saye, lest I shulde seme, as though I wente aboute to make you afrayed with letters.
This I saye, lest I shulde seme, as though I wente aboute to make you afrayed with letters.
Mace New Testament (1729)
but that I may not seem as if I would strike a terror in you by letters:
but that I may not seem as if I would strike a terror in you by letters:
Simplified Cowboy Version
I'm not trying to be a bully with my letters.
I'm not trying to be a bully with my letters.
Contextual Overview
7You stare and stare at the obvious, but you can't see the forest for the trees. If you're looking for a clear example of someone on Christ's side, why do you so quickly cut me out? Believe me, I am quite sure of my standing with Christ. You may think I overstate the authority he gave me, but I'm not backing off. Every bit of my commitment is for the purpose of building you up, after all, not tearing you down. 9And what's this talk about me bullying you with my letters? "His letters are brawny and potent, but in person he's a weakling and mumbles when he talks." Such talk won't survive scrutiny. What we write when away, we do when present. We're the exact same people, absent or present, in letter or in person.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
terrify: 2 Corinthians 10:10, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 1 Corinthians 4:19-21
Reciprocal: 2 Corinthians 12:6 - above that 2 Corinthians 12:20 - and that
Cross-References
Genesis 6:4
This was back in the days (and also later) when there were giants in the land. The giants came from the union of the sons of God and the daughters of men. These were the mighty men of ancient lore, the famous ones.
This was back in the days (and also later) when there were giants in the land. The giants came from the union of the sons of God and the daughters of men. These were the mighty men of ancient lore, the famous ones.
Genesis 6:11
As far as God was concerned, the Earth had become a sewer; there was violence everywhere. God took one look and saw how bad it was, everyone corrupt and corrupting—life itself corrupt to the core.
As far as God was concerned, the Earth had become a sewer; there was violence everywhere. God took one look and saw how bad it was, everyone corrupt and corrupting—life itself corrupt to the core.
Genesis 13:13
The people of Sodom were evil—flagrant sinners against God .
The people of Sodom were evil—flagrant sinners against God .
Genesis 25:27
The boys grew up. Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman. Jacob was a quiet man preferring life indoors among the tents. Isaac loved Esau because he loved his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
The boys grew up. Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman. Jacob was a quiet man preferring life indoors among the tents. Isaac loved Esau because he loved his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Genesis 27:30
And then right after Isaac had blessed Jacob and Jacob had left, Esau showed up from the hunt. He also had prepared a hearty meal. He came to his father and said, "Let my father get up and eat of his son's game, that he may give me his personal blessing."
And then right after Isaac had blessed Jacob and Jacob had left, Esau showed up from the hunt. He also had prepared a hearty meal. He came to his father and said, "Let my father get up and eat of his son's game, that he may give me his personal blessing."
2 Chronicles 28:22
But King Ahaz didn't learn his lesson—at the very time that everyone was turning against him, he continued to be against God ! He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus. He had just been defeated by Damascus; he thought, "If I worship the gods who helped Damascus, those gods just might help me, too." But things only went from bad to worse: first Ahaz in ruins and then the country. He cleaned out The Temple of God of everything useful and valuable, boarded up the doors of The Temple, and then went out and set up pagan shrines for his own use all over Jerusalem. And not only in Jerusalem, but all over Judah—neighborhood shrines for worshiping any and every god on sale. And was God ever angry!
But King Ahaz didn't learn his lesson—at the very time that everyone was turning against him, he continued to be against God ! He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus. He had just been defeated by Damascus; he thought, "If I worship the gods who helped Damascus, those gods just might help me, too." But things only went from bad to worse: first Ahaz in ruins and then the country. He cleaned out The Temple of God of everything useful and valuable, boarded up the doors of The Temple, and then went out and set up pagan shrines for his own use all over Jerusalem. And not only in Jerusalem, but all over Judah—neighborhood shrines for worshiping any and every god on sale. And was God ever angry!
Jeremiah 16:16
"Now, watch for what comes next: I'm going to assemble a bunch of fishermen." God 's Decree! "They'll go fishing for my people and pull them in for judgment. Then I'll send out a party of hunters, and they'll hunt them out in all the mountains, hills, and caves. I'm watching their every move. I haven't lost track of a single one of them, neither them nor their sins.
"Now, watch for what comes next: I'm going to assemble a bunch of fishermen." God 's Decree! "They'll go fishing for my people and pull them in for judgment. Then I'll send out a party of hunters, and they'll hunt them out in all the mountains, hills, and caves. I'm watching their every move. I haven't lost track of a single one of them, neither them nor their sins.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. Here seems to be something wanting, which is to be supplied, The sense is, though I might lawfully boast of the superior authority which we apostles have above other persons, in using sharpness with men insolent and hardened in sin; yet I will not, I forbear every thing of that kind, I drop it, I do not choose to insist upon it;
×××× ×× ×, "I overlook", or "neglect" it, "I do not care" to do it, as the Syriac version supplies it; and this he thought most prudent and advisable, lest he should give any occasion to the above calumny that he was bold, and blustering, and terrifying by his letters when absent, and only threatened that he had no power to perform.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
That I may not seem ... - The meaning of this verse seems to be this. âI say that I might boast more of my power in order that I may not appear disposed to terrify you with my letters merely. I do not threaten more than I can perform. I have it in my power to execute all that I have threatened, and to strike an awe not only by my letters, but by the infliction of extraordinary miraculous punishments. And if I should boast that I had done this, and could do it again, I should have no reason to be ashamed. It would not be vain and empty boasting; not boasting which is not well-founded.â
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 2 Corinthians 10:9. That I may not seem, c.] 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 terrify you by my letters.
