2 Corinthians 10:3

THE MESSAGE

The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

Legacy Standard Bible
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

Simplified Cowboy Version
We are just cowboys, but we don't fight our battles like the rest of the world does.

Bible in Basic English
For though we may be living in the flesh, we are not fighting after the way of the flesh

Darby Translation
For walking in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.

Christian Standard Bible®
For though we live in the body, we do not wage war in an unspiritual way,

World English Bible
For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

Weymouth's New Testament
For, though we are still living in the world, it is no worldly warfare that we are waging.

King James Version (1611)
For though we walke in the flesh, we doe not warre after the flesh:

Literal Translation
For walking about in flesh, we do not war according to flesh;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for though we walke in the flesh, yet fighte we not after a fleshly maner.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for tho' I am involv'd with the world, I don't sustain the war with their poor arts:

Amplified Bible
For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man.

American Standard Version
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh

Revised Standard Version
For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Neverthelesse though we walke compased with ye fleshe yet we warre not flesshlye

Update Bible Version
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

Webster's Bible Translation
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh:

Young's Literal Translation
for walking in the flesh, not according to the flesh do we war,

New Century Version
We do live in the world, but we do not fight in the same way the world fights.

New English Translation
For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards,

Berean Standard Bible
For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.

Contemporary English Version
We live in this world, but we don't act like its people

Complete Jewish Bible
For although we do live in the world, we do not wage war in a worldly way;

English Standard Version
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Neuerthelesse, though wee walke in the flesh, yet we doe not warre after the flesh.

George Lamsa Translation
For though we do live an earthly life, yet we do not serve worldly things.

Hebrew Names Version
For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh;

International Standard Version
Of course, we are living in the flesh, but we do not fight in a fleshly way.

Etheridge Translation
For if we walk in the flesh, yet we war not according to the flesh.

Murdock Translation
For, although we walk in the flesh, our warfare is not after the flesh.

New King James Version
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

New Living Translation
We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do.

New Life Bible
It is true, we live in a body of flesh. But we do not fight like people of the world.

English Revised Version
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh

New Revised Standard
Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, though, in flesh, we walk, not, according to flesh, do we war, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

King James Version
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

Lexham English Bible
For although we are living in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For though we walke in the fleshe, yet we do not warre according to ye flesh.

Easy-to-Read Version
We live in this world, but we don't fight our battles in the same way the world does.

New American Standard Bible
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle according to the flesh,

Good News Translation
It is true that we live in the world, but we do not fight from worldly motives.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For we walkynge in fleisch, fiyten not aftir the fleisch.

Contextual Overview

¹And now a personal but most urgent matter; I write in the gentle but firm spirit of Christ. I hear that I'm being painted as cringing and wishy-washy when I'm with you, but harsh and demanding when at a safe distance writing letters. Please don't force me to take a hard line when I'm present with you. Don't think that I'll hesitate a single minute to stand up to those who say I'm an unprincipled opportunist. Then they'll have to eat their words. ³The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

walk: Galatians 2:20, 1 Peter 4:1, 1 Peter 4:2

we do: 2 Corinthians 10:4, Romans 8:13, 1 Timothy 1:18, 2 Timothy 2:3, 2 Timothy 2:4, 2 Timothy 4:7, Hebrews 12:1

Reciprocal: Numbers 4:3 - enter Numbers 4:23 - to perform the service Zechariah 9:13 - against Matthew 12:20 - till Luke 22:38 - It Romans 8:5 - For they 1 Corinthians 1:17 - not 2 Corinthians 1:17 - according 2 Corinthians 12:16 - being 2 Corinthians 13:4 - we also Philippians 1:22 - live Colossians 2:20 - living 1 Timothy 6:12 - Fight 2 Peter 2:10 - that Revelation 6:2 - and he went Revelation 12:11 - they overcame

Cross-References

Jeremiah 51:27
"Raise the signal in the land, blow the shofar-trumpet for the nations. Consecrate the nations for holy work against her. Call kingdoms into service against her. Enlist Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a field marshal against her, and round up horses, locust hordes of horses! Consecrate the nations for holy work against her— the king of the Medes, his leaders and people.

Ezekiel 27:14
"‘Beth-togarmah traded work horses, war horses, and mules for your products.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For though we walk in the flesh,.... The apostle removes the calumny of walking after the flesh, by owning that they were in the flesh, in the body, in a state of imperfection, attended with many weaknesses and infirmities, and surrounded with a variety of afflictions and sorrows; in this sense they were, and lived and walked in the flesh; but then he denies the charge exhibited against them,

we do not war after the flesh: every Christian's life is a warfare with Satan, and his principalities and powers, with the world, the men and lusts of it, and with the corruptions of their own hearts; and much more is the life of a minister of the Gospel, who is called forth to meet the adversary in the gate; to stand in the hottest place of the battle, and sustain the whole fire and artillery of the enemy; to fight the good fight of faith, endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ, and with the weapons he is furnished with to war a good warfare: which is not done "after the flesh"; in such a manner as the men of the world wage war with one another; or upon carnal principles; or with carnal selfish views; or in a weak way and manner; but in a spiritual way, with all simplicity and disinterested views, with great courage and intrepidity of mind.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For though we walk in the flesh - Though we are mortal like other people; though we dwell like them in mortal bodies, and necessarily must devote some care to our temporal needs; and though, being in the flesh, we are conscious of imperfections and frailties like others. The sense is, that he did not claim exemption from the common needs and frailties of nature. The best of people are subject to these needs and frailties; the best of people are liable to err.

We do not war after the flesh - The warfare in which he was engaged was with sin, idolatry, and all forms of evil. He means that in conducting this he was not actuated by worldly views or policy, or by such ambitious and interested aims as controlled the people of this world. This refers primarily to the warfare in which Paul was himself engaged as an apostle; and the idea is, that he went forth as a soldier under the great Captain of his salvation to fight his battles and to make conquests for him. A similar allusion occurs in 2 Timothy 2:3-4. It is true, however, that not only all ministers, but all Christians are engaged in a warfare; and it is equally true that they do not maintain their conflict “after the flesh,” or on the principles which govern the people of this world. The warfare of Christians relates to the following points:

(1) It is a warfare with the corrupt desires and sensual propensities of the heart; with eternal corruption and depravity, with the remaining unsubdued propensities of a fallen nature.

(2) With the powers of darkness; the mighty spirits of evil that seek to destroy us; see Ephesians 6:11-17.

(3) With sin in all forms; with idolatry, sensuality, corruption, intemperance, profaneness, wherever they may exist. The Christian is opposed to all these, and it is the aim and purpose of his life as far as he may be able to resist and subdue them. He is a soldier enlisted under the banner of the Redeemer to oppose and resist all forms of evil. But his warfare is not conducted on worldly principles. Muhammed propagated his religion with the sword; and the people of this world seek for victory by arms and violence; The Christian looks for his conquests only by the force and the power of truth, and by the agency of the Spirit of God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 10:3. Though we walk in the flesh — That is: Although I am in the common condition of human nature, and must live as a human being, yet I do not war after the flesh-I do not act the coward or the poltroon, as they insinuate. I have a good cause, a good captain, strength at will, and courage at hand. I neither fear them nor their master.