II Corinthians 11
11
Concern for Their Faithfulness
1Oh, that you would bear with me in a little #Matt. 17:17; 2 Cor. 11:4, 16, 19folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2For I am #Gal. 4:17jealous for you with godly jealousy. For #Hos. 2:19; (Eph. 5:26)I have betrothed you to one husband, #Col. 1:28that I may present you #Lev. 21:13as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3But I fear, lest somehow, as #Gen. 3:4, 13; John 8:44; 1 Thess. 3:5; 1 Tim. 2:14; (Rev. 12:9, 15)the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds #Eph. 6:24may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a #Gal. 1:6–8different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
Paul and False Apostles
5For I consider that #(1 Cor. 15:10); 2 Cor. 12:11; Gal. 2:6I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6Even though #(1 Cor. 1:17)I am untrained in speech, yet I am not #(1 Cor. 12:8; Eph. 3:4)in knowledge. But #(2 Cor. 12:12)we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.
7Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you #Acts 18:3; 1 Cor. 9:18; 2 Cor. 12:13free of charge? 8I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. 9And when I was present with you, and in need, #Acts 20:33I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked #Phil. 4:10the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. 10#Rom. 1:9; 9:1; 2 Cor. 1:23; (Gal. 2:20)As the truth of Christ is in me, #1 Cor. 9:15no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11Why? #2 Cor. 6:11; 12:15Because I do not love you? God knows!
12But what I do, I will also continue to do, #1 Cor. 9:12that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13For such #Acts 15:24; Rom. 16:18; Gal. 1:7; Phil. 1:15; 2 Pet. 2:1; Rev. 2:2are false apostles, #Phil. 3:2; Titus 1:10deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into #Gal. 1:8an angel of light. 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, #(Phil. 3:19)whose end will be according to their works.
Reluctant Boasting
16I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. 17What I speak, #1 Cor. 7:6I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. 19For you put up with fools gladly, #1 Cor. 4:10since you yourselves are wise! 20For you put up with it #2 Cor. 1:24; (Gal. 2:4; 4:3, 9; 5:1)if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. 21To our shame #2 Cor. 10:10I say that we were too weak for that! But #Phil. 3:4in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.
Suffering for Christ
22Are they #Acts 22:3; Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:4–6Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: #1 Cor. 15:10in labors more abundant, #Acts 9:16in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, #1 Cor. 15:30in deaths often. 24From the Jews five times I received #Deut. 25:3forty #2 Cor. 6:5stripes minus one. 25Three times I was #Acts 16:22, 23; 21:32beaten with rods; #Acts 14:5, 19once I was stoned; three times I #Acts 27:1–44was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, #Acts 9:23, 24; 13:45, 50; 17:5, 13; 1 Thess. 2:15in perils of my own countrymen, #Acts 14:5, 19; 19:23; 27:42in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27in weariness and toil, #Acts 20:31in sleeplessness often, #1 Cor. 4:11; Phil. 4:12in hunger and thirst, in #Acts 9:9; 13:2, 3; 14:23fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: #Acts 20:18; (Rom. 1:14); 2 Cor. 7:12; 12:20; Gal. 4:11; 1 Thess. 3:10my deep concern for all the churches. 29#(1 Cor. 8:9, 13; 9:22)Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
30If I must boast, #(2 Cor. 12:5, 9, 10)I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. 31#Rom. 1:9; Gal. 1:20; 1 Thess. 2:5The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, #Rom. 9:5who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32#Acts 9:19–25In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; 33but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.
Currently Selected:
II Corinthians 11: NKJV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
2 Corinthians 11
11
The Virgin Bride of Christ
1Now, please bear with some of my “craziness” for a moment. Yes, please be patient with me.
2You need to know that God’s passion # 11:2 Or “godly jealousy.” is burning inside me for you, because, like a loving father, I have pledged your hand in marriage to Christ, your true bridegroom. I’ve also promised that I would present his fiancée to him as a pure virgin bride. # 11:2 Paul uses the imagery of a bride and bridegroom to describe our relationship to Christ. See Hos. 2:19–20; John 3:29–30; Eph. 5:25–27; Rev. 19:6–8; 21. 3But now I’m afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s clever lies, your thoughts may be corrupted and you may lose your single-hearted devotion and pure love for Christ. 4For you seem to gladly tolerate anyone # 11:4 Or possibly a reference to “the serpent.” who comes to you preaching a pseudo-Jesus, not the Jesus we have preached. You have accepted a spirit and gospel that is false, rather than the Spirit and gospel you once embraced. How tolerant you have become of these imposters!
Super-Apostles?
5Now, I believe that I am not inferior in any way to these special “super-apostles” # 11:5 Or “hyper-apostles.” you are attracted to. 6For although I may not be a polished or eloquent speaker, I’m certainly not an amateur in revelation knowledge. Indeed, we have demonstrated this to you time and again.
7Have I committed a sin by degrading myself to dignify you? Was I wrong to preach the gospel of God to you free of charge? # 11:7 Paul received financial support for preaching the gospel and could have asked the Corinthians to support him (Matt. 10:10). But while among them, he refused to receive their gifts and relied on other churches to support him. He did this to set himself apart from the “super-apostles” in Corinth and to demonstrate that his ministry would not be bought. 8I received ample financial support from other churches just so that I could freely serve you. 9Remember, when I was with you I didn’t bother anyone when I needed money, for my needs were always supplied by my Macedonian friends. # 11:9 Or “the brothers.” This was most likely from the church of Philippi. See Phil. 4:15–16. So I was careful, and will continue to be careful, that I never become a burden to you in any way.
10As the reality of Christ lives within me, my glad boast of offering the gospel free of charge will not be silenced throughout the region of Achaia. # 11:10 That is, the region where Corinth was located. 11Why? Is it because I have no love for you? God knows how much I love you! 12But in order to eliminate the opportunity for those “super-apostles” to boast that their ministry is on the same level as ours I will continue this practice. 13For they are not true apostles but deceitful # 11:13 Or “dishonest.” ministers who masquerade as “special apostles” # 11:13 Or “who change their form into super-apostles.” of the Anointed One. 14That doesn’t surprise us, for even Satan transforms himself to appear as an angel of light! # 11:14 In the Jewish pseudepigraphical book, Apocalypse of Moses, the temptation of Eve is given, and it includes Satan masquerading himself as an angel of light. In the same way, these false apostles were claiming to be sent from Christ but were peddling another gospel. 15So it’s no wonder his servants also go about pretending to be ministers of righteousness. But in the end they will be exposed and get exactly what they deserve.
Paul Speaks as a “Fool”
16So I repeat. Let no one think that I’m a fool. But if you do, at least show me the patience you would show a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17Of course, what I’m about to tell you is not with the Lord’s authority, but as a “fool.” 18For since many love to boast about their worldly achievements, # 11:18 Or “after the flesh” (according to earthly distinctions). allow me the opportunity to join them. 19And since you are so smart and so wise to gladly put up with the foolishness of others, now put up with mine. 20You actually allow these imposters to put you into bondage, take complete advantage of you, and rob you blind! How easily you endure those who, in their arrogance, destroy your dignity or even slap you in the face. 21I must admit, to our shame that we were too “weak” to relate to you the way they do. But now let me dare to boast like a “fool.”
Paul Boasts in His Sufferings for Christ
22Are these “super-apostles” of yours Hebrews? I am too. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? Me too! 23Are they servants of the Anointed One? I’m beside myself when I speak this way, but I am much more of a servant than they. I have worked much harder for God, taken more beatings, and been dragged to more prisons than they. I’ve been flogged excessively, multiple times, even to the point of death. # 11:23 See 1 Cor. 15:31; 2 Cor. 4:11.
24Five times I’ve received thirty-nine lashes from the Jewish leaders. # 11:24 Or “forty lashes minus one.” Paul received a total of 195 lashings in his lifetime. It was the custom that if anyone was sentenced to lashings, the punishers must ensure that they did not exceed forty, so they only struck the victim thirty-nine times. See Deut. 25:3. 25Three times I experienced being beaten with rods. # 11:25 See Acts 16:22–23. Once they stoned me. # 11:25 See Acts 14:19. Three times I’ve been shipwrecked; # 11:25 Since the shipwreck mentioned in Acts 27:39–44 happened after Paul wrote to the Corinthians, his total shipwrecks were four. Apparently the three he mentions here took place during his earlier missionary journeys. Some have calculated that Paul had made eight or nine voyages at the time of this writing. for an entire night and a day I was adrift in the open sea. 26In my difficult travels I’ve faced many dangerous situations: perilous rivers, robbers, foreigners, and even my own people. I’ve survived deadly peril in the city, in the wilderness, with storms at sea, and with spies posing as believers. 27I’ve toiled to the point of exhaustion and gone through many sleepless nights. I’ve frequently been deprived of food and water, left hungry and shivering out in the cold, lacking proper clothing. # 11:27 In vv. 23–27 Paul uses his experiences of enduring suffering and hardships as the validation of his apostolic ministry. He would one day sacrifice his life for the gospel while in Rome. In ch. 12 Paul will use visions and spiritual encounters from God to further validate his role as an apostle of Christ.
28And besides these painful circumstances, I have the daily pressure of my responsibility for all the churches, with a deep concern weighing heavily on my heart for their welfare. 29I am not aloof, for who is desperate and weak and I do not feel their weakness? Who is led astray into sin and I do not burn with zeal to restore him? # 11:29 Or “ablaze with anger.”
30If boasting is necessary, I will boast about examples of my weakness. 31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is eternally praised, knows that I am speaking the truth. 32Once, when I was in Damascus, the governor # 11:32 Or “ethnarch,” a politically appointed leader over a specific ethnic group, who represents the king. under King Aretas # 11:32 He was the father-in-law of Herod Antipas. had his troops searching for me to have me arrested, 33but I was stuffed in a basket # 11:33 This was a large, braided wicker basket. Humiliated by this ordeal, one could say that Paul was a “basket case.” and lowered down through a window and managed to escape.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Learn More About The Passion Translation