2 Corinthians 10:5
New International Version
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

New Living Translation
We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

English Standard Version
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Berean Standard Bible
We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Berean Literal Bible
overthrowing arguments, and every high thing lifting itself up against the knowledge of God, and taking captive every thought into the obedience of Christ,

King James Bible
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

New King James Version
casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

New American Standard Bible
We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

NASB 1995
We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

NASB 1977
We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

Legacy Standard Bible
as we tear down speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

Amplified Bible
We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,

Christian Standard Bible
and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ.

American Standard Version
casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And we pull down reasonings and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and we take all minds prisoner to the obedience of The Messiah.

Contemporary English Version
and every bit of pride that keeps anyone from knowing God. We capture people's thoughts and make them obey Christ.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And every height that exhalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ;

English Revised Version
casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
and all their intellectual arrogance that oppose the knowledge of God. We take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ.

Good News Translation
we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ.

International Standard Version
and every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive in order to obey the Messiah.

Literal Standard Version
bringing down reasonings, and every high thing lifted up against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Christ,

Majority Standard Bible
We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

New American Bible
and every pretension raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ,

NET Bible
and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.

New Revised Standard Version
and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.

New Heart English Bible
throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;

Webster's Bible Translation
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Weymouth New Testament
For we overthrow arrogant 'reckonings,' and every stronghold that towers high in defiance of the knowledge of God, and we carry off every thought as if into slavery--into subjection to Christ;

World English Bible
throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Young's Literal Translation
reasonings bringing down, and every high thing lifted up against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Christ,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Apostolic Authority
4The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.…

Cross References
Isaiah 2:11
The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

Jeremiah 23:29
"Is not My word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that smashes a rock?"

2 Corinthians 9:13
Because of the proof this ministry provides, the saints will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all the others.

2 Corinthians 11:20
In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or exalts himself or strikes you in the face.

Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


Treasury of Scripture

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

down.

Luke 1:51
He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

Acts 4:25,26
Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? …

Romans 1:21
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

imaginations.

Exodus 5:2
And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

Exodus 9:16,17
And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth…

2 Kings 19:22,28
Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel…

bringing.

Matthew 11:29,30
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls…

Romans 7:23
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

every thought.

Genesis 8:21
And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

Deuteronomy 15:9
Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

Psalm 139:2
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

the obedience.

Psalm 18:44
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.

Psalm 110:2,3
The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies…

Romans 1:5
By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Jump to Previous
Arguments Arrogant Authority Captive Captivity Carry Casting Causing Christ Defiance Demolish Destroy Destroying End Exalted Exalteth High Imaginations Itself Lifted Obedience Obey Obstacle Overthrow Proud Putting Reasonings Slavery Speculations Stronghold Subjection Thought Throwing Towers
Jump to Next
Arguments Arrogant Authority Captive Captivity Carry Casting Causing Christ Defiance Demolish Destroy Destroying End Exalted Exalteth High Imaginations Itself Lifted Obedience Obey Obstacle Overthrow Proud Putting Reasonings Slavery Speculations Stronghold Subjection Thought Throwing Towers
2 Corinthians 10
1. Against the false apostles, who disgraced the weakness of his person and bodily presence,
4. he shows the spiritual might and authority with which he was armed against all adverse powers;
7. assuring those who at his coming he will be found as mighty in word as he is now in writing;
12. and encouraging them to reach out themselves beyond their compass.














(5) Casting down imaginations.--The participle is in agreement with the "we war not" of 2Corinthians 10:3. In the Greek word rendered "imaginations," we have the noun derived from the verb rendered "think," or reckon, in 2Corinthians 10:2. It would be better, perhaps, to carry on the continuity by rendering it thoughts, or even reckonings.

Every high thing that exalteth itself.--The noun probably belongs, like "stronghold," to the language of military writers, and indicates one of the rock fortresses, the

"Tot congesta manu praeruptis oppida saxis,"

["Towns piled high on rocks precipitous,"]

--Virgil, Georg. i. 156.

which were so conspicuous in all ancient systems of defence.

Against the knowledge of God.--The parable and the interpretation are here obviously blended. The thoughts of men resist the knowledge of God as the stronghold of rebels resists the armies of the rightful king.

Bringing into captivity every thought.--The verb is used by St. Paul again in Romans 7:23; 2Timothy 3:6. There can be no doubt that "the obedience of Christ "means "obedience to Christ," and it had better, therefore, be so translated. . . .

Verse 5. - Casting down. This agrees with "we" understood, not with "weapons." Imaginations; rather, disputations, or reasonings. Every high thing that exalteth itself; rather, every height that is exalted. Against the knowledge of God (see 1 Corinthians 15:34). There, however, we have passive ignorance, here active opposition. Bringing into captivity. When the fortresses are razed, their defenders will be taken prisoners, but for a beneficent end. Every thought. Even intellectual result. The word (noema) is not common in the New Testament. It occurs five times in this Epistle (2 Corinthians 2:11; 2 Corinthians 3:14; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 2 Corinthians 11:3), but elsewhere only in Philippians 4:7.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
We tear down
καθαιροῦντες (kathairountes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2507: (a) I take down, pull down, depose, destroy. From kata and haireomai; to lower demolish.

arguments,
λογισμοὺς (logismous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3053: Reasoning, thinking; a conception, device. From logizomai; computation, i.e. reasoning.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

every
πᾶν (pan)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

presumption
ὕψωμα (hypsōma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5313: Height, barrier, bulwark; presumption. From hupsoo; an elevated place or thing, i.e. altitude, or a barrier.

set up
ἐπαιρόμενον (epairomenon)
Verb - Present Participle Middle - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1869: To raise, lift up. From epi and airo; to raise up.

against
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

knowledge
γνώσεως (gnōseōs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1108: Knowledge, doctrine, wisdom. From ginosko; knowing, i.e. knowledge.

of God;
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

we take captive
αἰχμαλωτίζοντες (aichmalōtizontes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 163: To take captive (in war); I subdue, ensnare. From aichmalotos; to make captive.

every
πᾶν (pan)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

thought
νόημα (noēma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3540: From noieo; a perception, i.e. Purpose, or the intellect, disposition, itself.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

make it obedient
ὑπακοὴν (hypakoēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5218: Obedience, submissiveness, compliance. From hupakouo; attentive hearkening, i.e. compliance or submission.

to Christ.
Χριστοῦ (Christou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.


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NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 10:5 Throwing down imaginations and every high thing (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)
2 Corinthians 10:4
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