Parallel Verses

New American Standard Bible

For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.”

King James Version

For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

Holman Bible

For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable.”

International Standard Version

For someone is saying, "His letters are impressive and forceful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible."

A Conservative Version

Because, The letters, he says, are indeed weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is disdained.

American Standard Version

For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.

Amplified

for they say, “His letters are weighty and forceful and impressive, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible [of no account].”

An Understandable Version

For some people are saying, "Paul's letters are heavy and severe, but in person he is [physically?] weak and his speaking ability is unimpressive."

Anderson New Testament

For his letters, says one, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his style of speech contemptible.

Bible in Basic English

For his letters, they say, have weight and are strong; but in body he is feeble, and his way of talking has little force.

Common New Testament

For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is weak, and his speech of no account."

Daniel Mace New Testament

(for 'tis objected that my letters are weighty and powerful, but my bodily presence weak, and my preaching

Darby Translation

because his letters, he says, are weighty and strong, but his presence in the body weak, and his speech naught.

Godbey New Testament

Because they say, His letters are indeed weighty and powerful; but the presence of his body is weak, and his speech contemptible.

Goodspeed New Testament

For they say, "His letters are impressive and telling, but his personal appearance is insignificant and as a speaker he amounts to nothing."

John Wesley New Testament

For his letters indeed, say they, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

Julia Smith Translation

(For truly the epistles, he says, weighty and strong; but the presence of the body weak, and the word counted as nothing.)

King James 2000

For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

Lexham Expanded Bible

because it is said, "His letters [are] severe and powerful, but his bodily presence [is] weak and his speech is of no account."

Modern King James verseion

For indeed they say, the letters are weighty and powerful, but the bodily presence is weak, and his speech is contemptible.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

"For the epistles," saith he, "are sore and strong: but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech homely."

Moffatt New Testament

My opponent says, 'Paul's letters are weighty and telling, but his personality is weak and his delivery is beneath contempt.'

Montgomery New Testament

"His letters indeed," says one, "are mighty and forcible, but his personality is weak, and his speech contemptible."

NET Bible

because some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak and his speech is of no account."

New Heart English Bible

For, "His letters," they say, "are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised."

Noyes New Testament

For his letters, saith one, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

Sawyer New Testament

For the epistles, say they, are weighty and powerful, but the bodily presence is weak and speech contemptible.

The Emphasized Bible

Because, The letters, it is true (saith one), are weighty and strong, but, the presence of the body, is weak, and, the discourse, contemptible; -

Thomas Haweis New Testament

For his letters indeed, say they, are weighty and forcible, but his bodily presence is feeble, and his speech contemptible.

Twentieth Century New Testament

For people say "His letters are impressive and vigorous, but his personal appearance is insignificant and his speaking contemptible."

Webster

For his letters (say they) are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

Weymouth New Testament

For they say "His letters are authoritative and forcible, but his personal presence is unimpressive, and as for eloquence, he has none."

Williams New Testament

For they say, "His letters are impressive and forceful, but his physical personality is unimpressive, and his delivery is perfectly contemptible."

World English Bible

For, "His letters," they say, "are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised."

Worrell New Testament

because, "His letters, indeed," says one, "are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible."

Worsley New Testament

for his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

Youngs Literal Translation

because the letters indeed -- saith one -- are weighty and strong, and the bodily presence weak, and the speech despicable.'

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
For
ὅτι 
Hoti 
Usage: 764

ἐπιστολή 
Epistole 
Usage: 24

φημί 
Phemi 
Usage: 54

βαρύς 
Barus 
Usage: 4

and



and, also, even, both, then, so, likewise, not tr., , vr and
and, also, even, both, then, so, likewise, not tr., , vr and
Usage: 0
Usage: 0

ἰσχυρός 
Ischuros 
Usage: 20

but
δέ 
De 
but, and, now, then, also, yet, yea, so, moreover, nevertheless, for, even, , not tr
Usage: 2184

σῶμα 
Soma 
Usage: 123

παρουσία 
Parousia 
Usage: 21

is weak
ἀσθενής 
Asthenes 
Usage: 19

λόγος 
Logos 
word, saying, account, speech, Word , thing, not tr,
Usage: 256

Context Readings

Paul's Ministry Defended

9 for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. 10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.” 11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.

Cross References

1 Corinthians 1:17

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.

2 Corinthians 11:6

But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.

Galatians 4:13-14

but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time;

Exodus 4:10

Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

Jeremiah 1:6

Then I said, “Alas, Lord God!
Behold, I do not know how to speak,
Because I am a youth.”

1 Corinthians 1:21

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

1 Corinthians 2:1-4

And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.

2 Corinthians 10:1

Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!

2 Corinthians 12:5-9

On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain