2 Corinthians 11:5

King James Version

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”

King James Version (1611)
For, I suppose, I was not a whit behinde the very chiefest Apostles.

English Standard Version
Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.

New American Standard Bible
For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.

New Century Version
I do not think that those "great apostles" are any better than I am.

Amplified Bible
Yet I consider myself in no way inferior to the [so-called] super-apostles.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.

Legacy Standard Bible
For I consider myself in no way inferior to the most-eminent apostles.

Berean Standard Bible
I consider myself in no way inferior to those "super-apostles."

Contemporary English Version
I think I am as good as any of those super apostles.

Complete Jewish Bible
For I don't consider myself in any way inferior to these "super-emissaries."

Darby Translation
For I reckon that in nothing I am behind those who are in surpassing degree apostles.

Easy-to-Read Version
I don't think that those "super apostles" are any better than I am.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Verely I suppose that I was not inferior to the very chiefe Apostles.

George Lamsa Translation
For I think that I am not in the least inferior to the most distinguished apostles.

Good News Translation
I do not think that I am the least bit inferior to those very special so-called "apostles" of yours!

Lexham English Bible
For I consider myself in no way to be inferior to the preeminent apostles.

Literal Translation
For I judge myself to have come behind the highest apostles in nothing.

American Standard Version
For I reckon that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

Bible in Basic English
For in my opinion, I am in no way less than the most important of the Apostles.

Hebrew Names Version
For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

International Standard Version
I do not think I'm inferior in any way to those "super-apostles."1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 12:11; Galatians 2:6;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For I consider that I am nothing inferior to those apostles who are most excellent.

Murdock Translation
For, I suppose, I came not short of those legates who most excel.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ueryly I suppose that I was not behynde the chiefe Apostles.

English Revised Version
For I reckon that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

World English Bible
For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But I suppose that I fall nothing short of the very chief apostles.

Weymouth's New Testament
Why, I reckon myself in no respect inferior to those superlatively great Apostles.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For Y wene that Y haue don no thing lesse than the grete apostlis.

Update Bible Version
For I reckon that I am not a bit behind the very chiefest apostles.

Webster's Bible Translation
For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very greatest apostles.

New English Translation
For I consider myself not at all inferior to those "super-apostles."

New King James Version
For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles.

New Living Translation
But I don't consider myself inferior in any way to these "super apostles" who teach such things.

New Life Bible
I do not think I am less than those special missionaries who are coming to you.

New Revised Standard
I think that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For I reckon not to have come a whit behind the exceeding overmuch apostles;

Douay-Rheims Bible
For I suppose that I have done nothing less than the great apostles.

Revised Standard Version
I think that I am not in the least inferior to these superlative apostles.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I suppose that I was not behynde ye chefe apostles.

Young's Literal Translation
for I reckon that I have been nothing behind the very chiefest apostles,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For I suppose that I am no lesse the the hye Apostles are.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for I think I am not at all inferior to the chiefest of the apostles.

Simplified Cowboy Version
But I don't think I'm any less of a cowboy than those other "top hands."

Contextual Overview

⁵ For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. ⁶ But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things. ⁷ Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? ⁸ I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. ⁹ And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. ¹⁰ As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹ Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. ¹² But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. ¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I was not: 2 Corinthians 12:11, 2 Corinthians 12:12, 1 Corinthians 15:10, Galatians 2:6-9

Reciprocal: Numbers 12:3 - above Job 12:3 - But I have Job 13:2 - General Job 15:9 - knowest Matthew 20:27 - whosoever Acts 15:2 - the apostles Romans 1:1 - called 1 Corinthians 1:1 - an 1 Corinthians 9:1 - I not an 1 Corinthians 15:9 - the least 2 Corinthians 11:23 - I am Galatians 2:8 - the same Galatians 2:11 - I withstood

Cross-References

Genesis 11:13
And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:14
And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:

Genesis 11:23
And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:24
And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:

Genesis 18:21
I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

Exodus 3:8
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Exodus 19:11
And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

Exodus 19:18
And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

Exodus 19:20
And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

Psalms 11:4
The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord 's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For I suppose I was not a whit behind,.... This is very modestly expressed by the apostle; for he does not assert, and in a haughty and confident way affirm, but only supposes, or thinks that this might be admitted, that he was not inferior to, or did not come short of, in gifts, grace, and usefulness,

the very chiefest of the apostles: such as Peter, James, and John; who seemed to be pillars, were eminent apostles, of great note among them, and such as Christ, in the days of his flesh, took particular notice of. This he says, not to exalt himself, but to show, how weakly and injudiciously the Corinthians acted in setting up the false apostle above him; or else these words are spoken ironically, and design the false teachers, who vaunted so much of their gifts, learning, eloquence, and usefulness; and extolled themselves at such a rate, as if they were υπερ λιαν αποστολων, "greatly above the apostles"; and therefore he jeeringly calls them

the very chiefest of them; and yet thinks fit to put himself at least, upon an equality with them: one manuscript reads, "the chiefest of the apostles among you"; and the Ethiopic version seems to have read you.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For I suppose ... - I think that I gave as good evidence that I was commissioned by God as the most eminent of the apostles. In the miracles which I performed; in the abundance of my labors, and in my success, I suppose that I did not fall behind any of them. If so, I ought to be regarded and treated as an apostle; and if so, then the false teachers should not be allowed to supplant me in your affections, or to seduce you from the doctrines which I have taught. On the evidence that Paul was equal to others in the proper proof of a commission from God; see notes on 2 Corinthians 11:21-30.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 11:5. I was not - behind the very chiefest apostles. — That is: The most eminent of the apostles have not preached Christ, ministered the spirit, explained and enforced the doctrines of the Gospel in a more powerful and effectual manner than I have done.