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
- 2 Corinthians 11:1 Or, something.
- 2 Corinthians 11:1 Or, you-are-bearing-with.
- 2 Corinthians 11:2 Or, zealous-for.
- 2 Corinthians 11:2 Or, zeal.
- 2 Corinthians 11:2 That is, from God; or, a godly jealousy.
- 2 Corinthians 11:2 Or, promised you in marriage, like a bride’s father.
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 Or, thoughts.
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 Or, ruined, spoiled.
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 Or, simplicity.
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 Or, with regard to, towards.
- 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or, been-inferior-to.
- 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.
- 2 Corinthians 11:7 Paul brings up one way in which his opponents would have regarded him as inferior.
- 2 Corinthians 11:7 Paul did not earn his living from his teaching. He supported himself, taking no money from them.
- 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.
- 2 Corinthians 11:8 Or, wages.
- 2 Corinthians 11:10 Same type of oath as in 1:18.
- 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.
- 2 Corinthians 11:12 By not accepting money, Paul cuts off the opportunity for his opponents to be regarded as equal to him.
- 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.
- 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.
- 2 Corinthians 11:19 Or, foolish, as in v 16.
- 2 Corinthians 11:20 Or, reduces you to bondage.
- 2 Corinthians 11:20 Or, consumes. Compare Mk 12:40.
- 2 Corinthians 11:20 Or, lifts his hand (in a threat); raises his voice (in anger).
- 2 Corinthians 11:20 Paul may mean this literally (as in Jn 18:22; Act 23:2) or figuratively (insults you).
- 2 Corinthians 11:21 That is, my weakness by comparison with my opponents, as they regard it.
- 2 Corinthians 11:23 Or, deranged, mad, irrational.
- 2 Corinthians 11:23 That is, perils of death.
- 2 Corinthians 11:26 Or, people, kind; that is, Jews.
- 2 Corinthians 11:27 That is, sleepless nights.
- 2 Corinthians 11:28 Or, the things outside these; that is, the other things of this nature.
- 2 Corinthians 11:28 Or, onset (of people).
- 2 Corinthians 11:29 That is, with concern or anger.
- 2 Corinthians 11:30 Or, If I have to, If I must.
- 2 Corinthians 11:31 Or, the One Who is blessed. This phrase refers back to the God and Father.
- 2 Corinthians 11:32 That is, governor.
- 2 Corinthians 11:32 It was this king’s daughter whom Herod (Mt 14:1) divorced to marry Herodias.