2 Corinthians 11 - Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)

I Am Jealous For You, For I Fear That You Are Being Corrupted By False Messengers

11 O-that you would bear-with me as to a little bit^[a] of foolishness— but indeed, keep-bearing-with^[b] me! ² For I am jealous-for^[c] you with a jealousy^[d] of ^[e] God. For I betrothed^[f] you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. ³ But I am fearing that as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds^[g] should somehow be corrupted^[h] from sincerity^[i] and purity for^[j] Christ. ⁴ For indeed if the one coming proclaims another Jesus whom we did not proclaim, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or a different good-news which you did not accept— you bear-with him nicely!

For I Come Short of No Other Apostle, Especially In Knowledge

⁵ For I think that I have in no way come-short-of ^[k] the superlative^[l] apostles. ⁶ But even though I am untrained in speech, nevertheless I am not in knowledge. But in every way we made this evident in all things to you.

Or Did I Sin By Not Letting You Pay Me?

⁷ Or^[m] did I commit a sin [by] humbling myself in order that you might be exalted— because I freely^[n] announced-as-good-news to you the good-news of God? ⁸ I robbed^[o] other churches, having taken rations^[p] from them for your ministry! ⁹ And while being present with you and having been in-need, I did not burden anyone— for the brothers having come from Macedonia supplied my need. And in every way I kept and will keep myself unburdensome to you.

I Won’t Stop This Boast, For It Cuts Off The Opportunity For False Apostles

¹⁰ As the truth of Christ is^[q] in me, this boasting^[r] will not be stopped for me in the regions of Achaia! ¹¹ For what reason? Because I do not love you? God knows I do. ¹² But what I am doing, I indeed will do in order that I may cut-off the opportunity^[s] of the ones wanting an opportunity that they might be found to be just as also we in what they are boasting. ¹³ For such ones are false-apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if also his ministers are disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness— whose end shall be according to their works.

Don’t Think Me Foolish, But I Too Can Boast

¹⁶ Again I say, let no one think me to be foolish. Otherwise indeed, receive me even if as foolish, in order that I also may boast a little bit! ¹⁷ In this confidence^[t] of boasting^[u], what I am speaking, I am not speaking according-to the Lord, but as in foolishness.

I Also Can Boast In My Heritage And My Service For Christ

¹⁸ Since many are boasting according-to the flesh, I also will boast! ¹⁹ For with-pleasure you bear-with the unwise^[v], being wise. ²⁰ For you bear-with it if anyone enslaves^[w] you, if anyone devours^[x] you, if anyone takes you, if anyone lifts-up^[y] himself, if anyone beats^[z] you in the face. ²¹ I speak in-accordance-with my dishonor^[aa]— how that we have been weak! But in whatever anyone may dare to boast— I am speaking in foolishness— I also dare. ²² Are they Hebrews? I also. Are they Israelites? I also. Are they seed of Abraham? I also. ²³ Are they servants of Christ? I speak being distraught^[ab], I more— in far-more labors, in far-more prisons, in many-more beatings, in deaths^[ac] often.

But I Will Boast In The Things Pertaining To My Weakness

²⁴ By Jews five-times I received forty lashes less one. ²⁵ Three-times I was beaten-with-rods. Once I was stoned. Three-times I was shipwrecked. I have done a night-and-day in the deep. ²⁶ On journeys often— in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my nation^[ad], in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false-brothers. ²⁷ In labor and hardship, in watchings^[ae] often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. ²⁸ Apart from the external^[af] things, there is the daily pressure^[ag] on me, the concern for all the churches— ²⁹ who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused-to-fall, and I do not burn^[ah]? ³⁰ If it-is-necessary^[ai] to boast, I will boast the things of my weakness! ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, the One being blessed^[aj] forever, knows that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus, the ethnarch^[ak] of Aretas^[al] the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes to seize me. ³³ And I was lowered in a basket through a window through the wall and escaped his hands.

Footnotes

1. 2 Corinthians 11:1 Or, something.
2. 2 Corinthians 11:1 Or, you-are-bearing-with.
3. 2 Corinthians 11:2 Or, zealous-for.
4. 2 Corinthians 11:2 Or, zeal.
5. 2 Corinthians 11:2 That is, from God; or, a godly jealousy.
6. 2 Corinthians 11:2 Or, promised you in marriage, like a bride’s father.
7. 2 Corinthians 11:3 Or, thoughts.
8. 2 Corinthians 11:3 Or, ruined, spoiled.
9. 2 Corinthians 11:3 Or, simplicity.
10. 2 Corinthians 11:3 Or, with regard to, towards.
11. 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or, been-inferior-to.
12. 2 Corinthians 11:5 That is, these ‘super’ apostles, as they think of themselves (who are false apostles, v 13); or, the chief, most-eminent apostles, such as Peter, James, and John.
13. 2 Corinthians 11:7 Paul brings up one way in which his opponents would have regarded him as inferior.
14. 2 Corinthians 11:7 Paul did not earn his living from his teaching. He supported himself, taking no money from them.
15. 2 Corinthians 11:8 Or, plundered, sacked. Paul is sarcastically referring to the fact that he accepted money from other churches to support his work among the Corinthians.
16. 2 Corinthians 11:8 Or, wages.
17. 2 Corinthians 11:10 Same type of oath as in 1:18.
18. 2 Corinthians 11:10 That is, the boast in supporting himself as he serves Christ. Paul would rather die than give it up, 1 Cor 9:15.
19. 2 Corinthians 11:12 By not accepting money, Paul cuts off the opportunity for his opponents to be regarded as equal to him.
20. 2 Corinthians 11:17 Or, subject, undertaking. That is, this confidence in my status as apostle about which I am boasting; or, this subject of boasting forced upon me; or, this undertaking of boasting I will begin in v 21.
21. 2 Corinthians 11:17 Like his opponents, Paul will next boast in himself, in the flesh, rather than in the Lord; but Paul will boast in his weaknesses rather than his accomplishments.
22. 2 Corinthians 11:19 Or, foolish, as in v 16.
23. 2 Corinthians 11:20 Or, reduces you to bondage.
24. 2 Corinthians 11:20 Or, consumes. Compare Mk 12:40.
25. 2 Corinthians 11:20 Or, lifts his hand (in a threat); raises his voice (in anger).
26. 2 Corinthians 11:20 Paul may mean this literally (as in Jn 18:22; Act 23:2) or figuratively (insults you).
27. 2 Corinthians 11:21 That is, my weakness by comparison with my opponents, as they regard it.
28. 2 Corinthians 11:23 Or, deranged, mad, irrational.
29. 2 Corinthians 11:23 That is, perils of death.
30. 2 Corinthians 11:26 Or, people, kind; that is, Jews.
31. 2 Corinthians 11:27 That is, sleepless nights.
32. 2 Corinthians 11:28 Or, the things outside these; that is, the other things of this nature.
33. 2 Corinthians 11:28 Or, onset (of people).
34. 2 Corinthians 11:29 That is, with concern or anger.
35. 2 Corinthians 11:30 Or, If I have to, If I must.
36. 2 Corinthians 11:31 Or, the One Who is blessed. This phrase refers back to the God and Father.
37. 2 Corinthians 11:32 That is, governor.
38. 2 Corinthians 11:32 It was this king’s daughter whom Herod (Mt 14:1) divorced to marry Herodias.