2 Corinthians 10:7 kjv
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
2 Corinthians 10:7 nkjv
Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ's, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ's, even so we are Christ's.
2 Corinthians 10:7 niv
You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.
2 Corinthians 10:7 esv
Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ's, so also are we.
2 Corinthians 10:7 nlt
Look at the obvious facts. Those who say they belong to Christ must recognize that we belong to Christ as much as they do.
2 Corinthians 10 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 7:24 | "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." | Imperative against superficial judgment. |
| 1 Sam 16:7 | "...For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward..." | God's internal perspective versus man's external. |
| Rom 2:11 | "For there is no partiality with God." | God's impartial judgment, not swayed by outward. |
| Gal 3:29 | "And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs..." | Affirmation of belonging to Christ for all believers. |
| Rom 8:9 | "...Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His." | Possession of the Spirit signifies belonging to Christ. |
| 1 Cor 3:23 | "and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s." | Believers are ultimately Christ's property. |
| Gal 5:24 | "And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh..." | Behavioral evidence of belonging to Christ. |
| 1 Cor 2:14-15 | "But the natural man does not receive... spiritually discerned..." | Spiritual matters require spiritual discernment. |
| Col 2:18 | "...puffed up by his fleshly mind," | Warning against judging by human, not spiritual, wisdom. |
| 1 Cor 9:1 | "Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ..." | Paul's direct defense of his apostleship. |
| 2 Cor 11:4 | "For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached..." | Paul warns against false claims and teaching. |
| 2 Cor 11:13-15 | "For such are false apostles... disguising themselves as apostles..." | Description of deceivers with outward pretense. |
| Phil 3:3 | "For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit... have no..." | True confidence in Christ, not human achievement. |
| Jer 9:23-24 | "...Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me..." | Right way to glory: in knowing God, not human things. |
| Matt 7:15-20 | "You will know them by their fruits." | True spiritual assessment is by spiritual fruit. |
| 1 Jn 4:1 | "test the spirits, whether they are of God..." | Discernment is necessary to evaluate spiritual claims. |
| Jn 8:42 | "...If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded and came.. " | Proof of relationship through response to Christ. |
| Titus 1:15-16 | "They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him..." | The contrast between verbal claim and actual conduct. |
| Eph 5:8-9 | "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord... fruit..." | Identity in Christ reflected in righteous living. |
| Heb 4:12 | "...discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." | The penetrating power of God's word for internal reality. |
| Jas 2:1 | "My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ... with... " | Prohibition against judging others by outward wealth or status. |
| Isa 53:2 | "He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty..." | Christ's own humble appearance was outwardly unimpressive. |
| Lk 16:15 | "...You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your..." | God sees the heart despite outward justification by man. |
2 Corinthians 10 verses
2 Corinthians 10 7 Meaning
Paul confronts the Corinthians' tendency to make judgments based on superficial outward appearances rather than true spiritual realities. He issues a challenge: if anyone among them holds a settled conviction that they belong to Christ, they ought to carefully re-evaluate that very premise in light of Paul's own identical claim. In essence, Paul asserts his full and legitimate identification with Christ, placing his spiritual standing and apostolic authority on equal ground with any other genuine believer in Corinth, directly refuting any claims of his spiritual inferiority.
2 Corinthians 10 7 Context
2 Corinthians 10 initiates a strong shift in Paul’s tone, moving into a fervent defense of his apostolic ministry against accusers in Corinth. This section (chapters 10-13) is often called Paul's "fool's speech" or "apostolic apology." The historical background reveals that Paul's authority was being challenged by certain "super-apostles" or influential individuals in the church who likely emphasized eloquent rhetoric, impressive physical presence, or perhaps Jewish credentials. They critiqued Paul's "weak bodily presence" and "contemptible speech" (2 Cor 10:10). The Corinthian church, still struggling with worldliness, was susceptible to these outward criteria for leadership, much as they valued human wisdom over divine power (1 Cor 1:17-2:5). Verse 7 directly addresses this flaw in their perception, confronting their superficial judgment and laying the groundwork for Paul's robust defense of his Spirit-empowered authority, not by worldly standards, but by the power of Christ.
2 Corinthians 10 7 Word analysis
- Do you look: (Βλέπετε - Blepéte) A present indicative, emphasizing a habitual or persistent mode of perception. It asks whether they are regularly discerning or perceiving in this way, indicating a characteristic flawed judgment.
- at things according to the outward appearance?: (κατὰ πρόσωπον - kata prosopon) Kata denotes "according to" or "on the basis of." Prosopon means "face" or "countenance," metaphorically referring to external form or surface impressions. This highlights superficial judgment, where one evaluates based on external, observable qualities (e.g., physical stature, rhetorical skill, social standing) rather than internal character, spiritual anointing, or truth.
- If anyone is convinced in himself: (Εἴ τις πέποιθεν ἑαυτῷ - Ei tis pepoithen heautō) Ei tis means "If anyone," signaling a hypothetical but pointed address to individuals. Pepoithan, a perfect active indicative of peitho (to persuade), implies a settled, firm conviction or confidence. Heautō ("in himself") underscores this as a personal, internal assurance or self-reliance, potentially reflecting a proud assertion by Paul's opponents or misled Corinthians regarding their spiritual status.
- that he is Christ's,: (Χριστοῦ εἶναι - Christou einai) Christou is in the genitive case, signifying possession or belonging ("of Christ"). Einai means "to be." This is a foundational theological statement: an identity deeply rooted in belonging to Christ, a spiritual reality essential to Christian faith.
- let him again consider this,: (λογιζέσθω πάλιν τοῦτο - logizesthō palin touto) Logizesthō is a present imperative, a strong command to calculate, reckon, or re-evaluate with careful thought. Palin ("again") suggests a call for a renewed or fresh assessment, implying their previous judgment was inadequate or incorrect. Touto ("this") directs their attention to the subsequent clause.
- that just as he is Christ's, so also are we Christ's.: (ὅτι καθὼς αὐτὸς Χριστοῦ, οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς Χριστοῦ - hoti kathōs autos Christou, houtōs kai hēmeis Christou)
- that: (ὅτι - hoti) introduces the content of what should be reconsidered.
- just as: (καθὼς - kathōs) A comparative particle, drawing a direct parallel between the subject's claim and Paul's.
- he is Christ's: (αὐτὸς Χριστοῦ - autos Christou) reiterates the premise of belonging to Christ for the challenging party.
- so also: (οὕτως καὶ - houtōs kai) strengthens the comparative connection, affirming the equivalency.
- are we Christ's: (ἡμεῖς Χριστοῦ - hēmeis Christou) This is Paul's powerful counter-assertion. The "we" refers to Paul and his fellow apostolic workers, validating their spiritual standing, legitimacy, and apostolic authority on the very same grounds claimed by his detractors or the self-assured Corinthians. It means: whatever claim you make to be Christ's, the very same applies to us.
2 Corinthians 10 7 Bonus section
- Rhetorical Device: Paul employs a potent rhetorical question ("Do you look at things according to the outward appearance?") immediately followed by a reductio ad absurdum argument. He takes their premise (claiming to be Christ's) and turns it back on them to establish his own legitimate authority, compelling them to acknowledge the consistency of his claim with their own.
- The "We": While often taken personally by Paul, "we" consistently refers to Paul and his apostolic partners (e.g., Timothy, Silvanus), indicating a collective, shared ministry and authority within the Spirit.
- Contrast of Values: This verse starkly contrasts two sets of values: the worldly criteria for status and authority (outward appearance, charisma, human wisdom) versus God's criteria (true belonging to Christ, spiritual fruit, reliance on divine power). This is a pervasive theme throughout Paul's Corinthian correspondence.
2 Corinthians 10 7 Commentary
In 2 Corinthians 10:7, Paul launches a decisive rebuttal against those who judged him by human standards. He calls the Corinthians to question their own method of spiritual discernment, which focused on superficial qualities like oratorical prowess or an imposing physical presence, traits Paul consciously disavowed in favor of relying on Christ's power. Paul confronts their self-assured conviction of being "Christ's" by asserting his equal, divinely ordained status. If they indeed belong to Christ, then the same spiritual reality extends to Paul and his team, nullifying any notion that his less impressive outward demeanor implies spiritual inferiority or lack of apostolic legitimacy. This verse functions as a pivotal point, challenging carnal judgment and setting the stage for Paul's defense of his ministry based on true spiritual authority and the power of Christ, not human merits. It urges a shift from external perception to discerning genuine spiritual identity and divine commission.