Note 15 at 2 Cor. 10:10: This would be equivalent of someone today saying, "they are all talk," or "they are all blow and no show." Paul's enemies had taken Paul's meekness as an opportunity to say, "he just talks big but he can't deliver." Paul is serving them warning that if they don't repent, he will be just as strong in person as he is in his writings (v. 11).

Note 16 at 2 Cor. 10:10: It is hard to imagine a man who changed the world through his words being contemptible in his speech. It must be kept in mind that Paul was quoting his critics. It is possible that this was not an accurate evaluation.

Paul did say in 2 Corinthians 11:6 that he was rude (Gk.-"idiotes"- ignorant; from which we get the word "idiot") in speech, but he made it clear in 1 Corinthians 2:1-4 that it was by choice that he didn't use "excellency of speech or of wisdom." Paul chose to speak so plainly that one would need help misunderstanding him.

It is most probable that Paul's speech was just plain by design, not inferior, as the word "contemptible" would suggest. Some "pseudo-intellectuals" of Paul's day were just trying to discredit Paul's message by criticizing his lack of big words.