Lectionary Calendar
Friday, August 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible
New Life Version
2 Corinthians 10:9
I do not want you to think I am trying to make you afraid with my letters.
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 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:
THE MESSAGE
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.
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.
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
7 You are seeing things only as men see them. If anyone feels sure he belongs to Christ, he should remember that we belong to Christ also. 8 I am not ashamed if I say this of myself. The Lord gave me the right and the power to help you become stronger, not to break you down. 9 I do not want you to think I am trying to make you afraid with my letters. 10 They say, "His letters are strong and they make us think. When he is here with us, he is weak and he is hard to listen to." 11 What we say in our letters we will do when we get there. They should understand this.
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
Very large men were on the earth in those days, and later also, when the sons of God lived with the daughters of men, who gave birth to their children. These were the powerful men of long ago, men of much strength.
Very large men were on the earth in those days, and later also, when the sons of God lived with the daughters of men, who gave birth to their children. These were the powerful men of long ago, men of much strength.
Genesis 6:11
Now the earth was sinful in the eyes of God. The earth was filled with people hurting each other.
Now the earth was sinful in the eyes of God. The earth was filled with people hurting each other.
Genesis 13:13
whose men were sinful, sinning against the Lord.
whose men were sinful, sinning against the Lord.
Genesis 25:27
When the boys grew older, Esau became a good hunter, a man of the field. But Jacob was a man of peace, living in tents.
When the boys grew older, Esau became a good hunter, a man of the field. But Jacob was a man of peace, living in tents.
Genesis 27:30
When Isaac had finished praying that good would come to Jacob, Jacob left his father Isaac. Just then his brother Esau came in from hunting.
When Isaac had finished praying that good would come to Jacob, Jacob left his father Isaac. Just then his brother Esau came in from hunting.
2 Chronicles 28:22
In the time of his trouble, this same King Ahaz became even less faithful to the Lord.
In the time of his trouble, this same King Ahaz became even less faithful to the Lord.
Psalms 52:7
"Look, the man who would not make God his safe place, but trusted in his many riches and was strong in his sinful desire."
"Look, the man who would not make God his safe place, but trusted in his many riches and was strong in his sinful desire."
Jeremiah 16:16
"See, I am going to send for many fishermen," says the Lord, "and they will fish for them. After this I will send for many men who hunt. And they will hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes in the rocks.
"See, I am going to send for many fishermen," says the Lord, "and they will fish for them. After this I will send for many men who hunt. And they will hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes in the rocks.
Ezekiel 13:18
and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: "It is bad for the women who sew objects with secret powers to wear on their arms, and make coverings for the heads to trap people. Will you go after the lives of My people, but save the lives of others for yourselves?
and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: "It is bad for the women who sew objects with secret powers to wear on their arms, and make coverings for the heads to trap people. Will you go after the lives of My people, but save the lives of others for yourselves?
Micah 7:2
There is not a God-like person left in the land. There is no good person among men. All of them lie in wait to kill. Each one hunts the other with a net.
There is not a God-like person left in the land. There is no good person among men. All of them lie in wait to kill. Each one hunts the other with a net.
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;
מחמא אנא, "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. “I 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.”
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.
