But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will: and will know, not the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
ALFORD translates, "But come I will"; an emphatical negation of their supposition (Co1 4:18). shortly--after Pentecost (Co1 16:8). if the Lord will--a wise proviso (Jam 4:15). He does not seem to have been able to go as soon as he intended. and will know--take cognizance of. but the power--I care not for their high-sounding "speech," "but" what I desire to know is "their power," whether they be really powerful in the Spirit, or not. The predominant feature of Grecian character, a love for power of discourse, rather than that of godliness, showed itself at Corinth.
Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.