2 Corinthians 10:15

THE MESSAGE

We're not barging in on the rightful work of others, interfering with their ministries, demanding a place in the sun with them. What we're hoping for is that as your lives grow in faith, you'll play a part within our expanding work. And we'll all still be within the limits God sets as we proclaim the Message in countries beyond Corinth. But we have no intention of moving in on what others have done and taking credit for it. "If you want to claim credit, claim it for God." What you say about yourself means nothing in God's work. It's what God says about you that makes the difference.

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you,

Legacy Standard Bible
not boasting beyond our measure in other men's labors, but having the hope—that as your faith grows—to be enlarged even more by you within our area of influence,

Simplified Cowboy Version
We don't include another cowboy's work in our tally book. We stand on what we've done. What we want is your faith to grow so our gathering will grow as well.

Bible in Basic English
Not taking credit to ourselves for what is not our business, that is, for the work of others; but having hope that, with the growth of your faith, we may get the credit for an increase which is the effect of our work,

Darby Translation
not boasting out of measure in other people's labours, but having hope, your faith increasing, to be enlarged amongst you, according to our rule, yet more abundantly

Christian Standard Bible®
We are not bragging beyond measure about other people's labors. But we have the hope that as your faith increases, our area of ministry will be greatly enlarged,

World English Bible
not boasting beyond proper limits in other men's labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be magnified in you according to our boundaries to abundance,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Not boastingly extending ourselves beyond our measure, in the labours of others; but having hope, now your faith is increased, to be inlarged by you,

Weymouth's New Testament
We do not exceed our due limits, and take credit for other men's labours; but we entertain the hope that, as your faith grows, we shall gain promotion among you--still keeping within our own sphere--promotion to a larger field of labour,

King James Version (1611)
Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other mens labours, but hauing hope, when your faith is increased, that wee shall bee enlarged by you, according to our rule abundantly.

Literal Translation
not boasting beyond measure in the labors of others, but having hope that the growing faith among you will be made larger according to our rule, to overflowing,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and boast not oure selues out of measure in other mens laboures: Yee and we hope whan youre faith is increased in you, that we wil come farther (acordinge to oure measure)

Mace New Testament (1729)
I don't assume to myself the credit of other men's labours in another province, but hope, that when your faith is increased, the bounds now prescribed will be enlarged by you yet farther;

Amplified Bible
We do not go beyond our proper limit, boasting in the work of other men, but we have the hope that as your faith [in Christ and His divine power] continues to grow, our field among you may be greatly expanded [but still within the limits of our commission],

American Standard Version
not glorying beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labors; but having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our province unto further abundance,

Revised Standard Version
We do not boast beyond limit, in other men's labors; but our hope is that as your faith increases, our field among you may be greatly enlarged,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and we bost not oure selves out of measure in other mens labours. Ye and we hope when youre fayth is increased amoge you to be magnified acordynge to oure measure more largely

Update Bible Version
not glorying beyond [our] measure, [that is,] in other men's labors; but having hope that, as your faith grows, we shall be magnified in you according to our province to [further] abundance,

Webster's Bible Translation
Not boasting of things without [our] measure, [that is], of other men's labors; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you, according to our rule abundantly,

Young's Literal Translation
not boasting of the things not measured, in other men's labours, and having hope -- your faith increasing -- in you to be enlarged, according to our line -- into abundance,

New Century Version
We limit our bragging to the work that is ours, not what others have done. We hope that as your faith continues to grow, you will help our work to grow much larger.

New English Translation
Nor do we boast beyond certain limits in the work done by others, but we hope that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded among you according to our limits,

Berean Standard Bible
Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. But we hope that, as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase as well,

Contemporary English Version
We don't brag about what others have done, as if we had done those things ourselves. But I hope that as you become stronger in your faith, we will be able to reach many more of the people around you. That has always been our goal.

Complete Jewish Bible
We do not boast about the area in which others labor; but our hope is that as your trust grows, we will be magnified in your midst in relation to our own area of work, so that we can go on to do even more,

English Standard Version
We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged,

Geneva Bible (1587)
Not boasting of things which are without our measure: that is, of other mens labours: and we hope, when your faith shall increase, to bee magnified by you according to our line aboundantly,

George Lamsa Translation
And we do not boast of things beyond our measure; that is, by other men''s labor, but we have the hope, that when your faith grows, our pride shall be justified according to our measure.

Hebrew Names Version
not boasting beyond proper limits in other men's labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be magnified in you according to our boundaries to abundance,

International Standard Version
We are not boasting about the work done by others that cannot be evaluated. On the contrary, we cherish the hope that your faith may continue to grow and enlarge our sphere of action among you until it overflows.Romans 15:20;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Neither boast we beyond our measure in the labour of others; but we have hope, that with the increase of your faith, we shall be enlarged according to our measure;

Murdock Translation
15 And we do not glory beyond our measure, in the toil of others: but we have the hope, that when your faith shall mature, we shall be magnified by you, as [fn] our measure;

New King James Version
not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men's labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere,

New Living Translation
Nor do we boast and claim credit for the work someone else has done. Instead, we hope that your faith will grow so that the boundaries of our work among you will be extended.

New Life Bible
We take no pride in the work others have done there. But we hope your faith will keep growing because of help from others. Then we will grow because of you.

English Revised Version
not glorying beyond [our] measure, [that is], in other men’s labours; but having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our province unto [further] abundance,

New Revised Standard
We do not boast beyond limits, that is, in the labors of others; but our hope is that, as your faith increases, our sphere of action among you may be greatly enlarged,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Not, as to the things without measure, boasting ourselves in other men's toils, but having, hope - your faith, growing - among you, to be enlarged, according to our limit for something beyond, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
Not glorying beyond measure in other men’s labours: but having hope of your increasing faith, to be magnified in you according to our rule abundantly.

King James Version
Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

Lexham English Bible
not boasting beyond limits in the labors of others, but having hope that as your faith is growing to be enlarged greatly by you according to our assignment,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And we boast not our selues out of measure in other mens labours: Yea, and we hope, when your fayth is increased among you, to be magnified accordyng to our measure aboundauntly,

Easy-to-Read Version
We limit our boasting to the work that is ours. We don't boast about the work other people have done. We hope that your faith will continue to grow. We hope that you will help our work to grow much larger.

New American Standard Bible
not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other people's labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our domain, enlarged even more by you,

Good News Translation
So we do not boast about the work that others have done beyond the limits God set for us. Instead, we hope that your faith may grow and that we may be able to do a much greater work among you, always within the limits that God has set.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
not gloriynge ouer mesure in othere mennus trauelis. For we `han hope of youre feith that wexith in you to be magnefied bi oure reule in abundaunce,

Contextual Overview

¹² We're not, understand, putting ourselves in a league with those who boast that they're our superiors. We wouldn't dare do that. But in all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point. ¹³We aren't making outrageous claims here. We're sticking to the limits of what God has set for us. But there can be no question that those limits reach to and include you. We're not moving into someone else's "territory." We were already there with you, weren't we? We were the first ones to get there with the Message of Christ, right? So how can there be any question of overstepping our bounds by writing or visiting you? ¹⁵We're not barging in on the rightful work of others, interfering with their ministries, demanding a place in the sun with them. What we're hoping for is that as your lives grow in faith, you'll play a part within our expanding work. And we'll all still be within the limits God sets as we proclaim the Message in countries beyond Corinth. But we have no intention of moving in on what others have done and taking credit for it. "If you want to claim credit, claim it for God." What you say about yourself means nothing in God's work. It's what God says about you that makes the difference.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

boasting: 2 Corinthians 10:13, Romans 15:20

enlarged by you: or, magnified in you

Reciprocal: Isaiah 60:5 - be enlarged Romans 1:15 - I Romans 1:30 - boasters 1 Corinthians 3:6 - I 1 Corinthians 3:10 - and another 1 Corinthians 4:6 - these 2 Corinthians 11:10 - no man shall stop me of this boasting Revelation 2:3 - hast laboured

Cross-References

Genesis 10:2
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, Tiras.

Genesis 10:3
The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, Togarmah.

Genesis 10:8
Cush also had Nimrod. He was the first great warrior on Earth. He was a great hunter before God . There was a saying, "Like Nimrod, a great hunter before God ." His kingdom got its start with Babel; then Erech, Akkad, and Calneh in the country of Shinar. From there he went up to Asshur and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and the great city Calah.

Genesis 10:15
Canaan had Sidon his firstborn, Heth, the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Later the Canaanites spread out, going from Sidon toward Gerar, as far south as Gaza, and then east all the way over to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and on to Lasha.

Genesis 10:20
These are the descendants of Ham by family, language, country, and nation.

Genesis 10:21
Shem, the older brother of Japheth, also had sons. Shem was ancestor to all the children of Eber.

Genesis 10:24
Arphaxad had Shelah and Shelah had Eber. Eber had two sons, Peleg (so named because in his days the human race divided) and Joktan.

Genesis 23:3
Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites: "I know I'm only an outsider here among you, but sell me a burial plot so that I can bury my dead decently."

Genesis 49:13
Zebulun settles down on the seashore; he's a safe harbor for ships, right alongside Sidon.

1 Chronicles 1:13
Canaan had Sidon (his firstborn) and Heth, and was ancestor to the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Not boasting of things without our measure,.... The apostle here asserts what he had done before, 2 Corinthians 10:13 with a view to explain it, as he does, saying,

that is of other men's labours; when they boasted of the Corinthians as their converts and children, whom they had begotten through the Gospel of Christ, they did not boast of other men's labours, as did the false apostles; who when they came to Corinth, found a church already planted by the apostle, and a multitude of believers, of whose conversion and faith he had been an instrument; and yet these men claimed them as their own, and an authority over them, when they were the fruit of the apostle's labours:

but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly; the sense is, that the apostle hoped, for he could not be sure, this lying in the secret will of God, that when the faith of the Corinthians was grown stronger, and more settled and established, and so would not stand in so much need of their care and instruction, they should be enlarged through their means; and that they should not stop here, but that the line, measure, or rule of their ministry, should be drawn to a greater length, and the bounds of it extended and carried abundantly further. The apostle intimates, that the weakness of their faith, and the disorders and divisions that were among them, were a hinderance to the spread of the Gospel; and that if their church state were in a better and a more settled condition, as it would give the apostles more leisure to preach the Gospel elsewhere, so it would serve to recommend it to other places beyond them; which would be an enlargement of the bounds of their ministry, and a means of magnifying of Christ and his Gospel, and of them also.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Not boasting of things without our measure - There is here probably an allusion to the false teachers at Corinth. They had come after Paul had been there, and had entered into his labors. When he had founded the church; when he had endured trials and persecutions in order to reach Corinth; when he had labored there for a year and a half Acts 18:11, they came and entered the quiet and easy field, formed parties. and claimed the field as their own. Paul says that he had not courage to do that; see note, 2 Corinthians 10:12. That required a species of boldness to which he could lay no claim; and he did not assume honor to himself like that.

That is, of other men’s labors - Not intruding into churches which we did not establish, and claiming the right to direct their affairs, and to exclude the founders from all proper honors and all influence, and endeavoring to alienate the affections of Christians from their spiritual father and guide.

But having hope ... - So far from this; so far from a desire to enter into the labors of others and quietly enjoying the avails of their industry; and so far even from a desire to sit down ourselves and enjoy the fruit of our own labors, I desire to penetrate other untrodden regions; to encounter new dangers; to go where the gospel has not been planted, and to rear other churches there. I do not, therefore, make these remarks as if I wished even to dispossess the teachers that have entered into my labors. I make them because I wish to be aided by you in extending the gospel further; and I look to your assistance in order that I may have the means of going into the regions where I have not made known the name of the Redeemer.

When your faith is increased - When you become so strong as not to need my presence and my constant care; and when you shall be able to speed me on my way and to aid me on my journey. He expected to be assisted by them in his efforts to carry the gospel to other countries.

That we shall be enlarged - Margin, “Magnified by you.” Bloomfield supposes that this means. “to gain fame and glory by you;” that is, as the teacher may justly by his pupils. So Robinson renders it. “to make great, to praise.” But to me the idea seems to be that he wished them to enlarge or magnify him by introducing him to larger fields of action; by giving him a wider sphere of labor. It was not that he wished to be magnified by obtaining a wider reputation, not as a matter of praise or ambition, but he wished to have his work and success greatly enlarged. This he hoped to be enabled to do partly by the aid of the church at Corinth. When they became able to manage their own affairs; when his time was not demanded to superintend them; when their faith became so strong that his presence was not needed; and when they should assist him in his preparations for travel, then he would enter on his wider field of labor. He had no intention of sitting down in ease as the false teachers in Corinth seem disposed to have done.

According to our rule - Greek, “According our canon;” see on 2 Corinthians 10:13. The sense is, according to the rule by which the sphere of his labors had been marked out. His rule was to carry the gospel as far as possible to the pagan world. He regarded the regions lying far beyond Corinth as coming properly within his limits; and he desired to occupy that field.

Abundantly - Greek, Unto abundance. So as to abound; that is, to occupy the field assigned as far as possible.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 15. Not boasting of things without our measure — We speak only of the work which God has done by us; for we have never attempted to enter into other men's labours, and we study to convert those regions assigned to us by the Holy Spirit. We enter the course lawfully, and run according to rule. See above.

When your faith is increased — When you receive more of the life and power of godliness, and when you can better spare me to go to other places.

We shall be enlarged by you — μεγαλυνθηναι probably signifies here to be praised or commended; and the sense would be this; We hope that shortly, on your gaining an increase of true religion, after your long distractions and divisions, you will plainly see that we are the true messengers of God to you, and that in all your intercourse with your neighbours, or foreign parts, you will speak of this Gospel preached by us as a glorious system of saving truth; and that, in consequence, the heathen countries around you will be the better prepared to receive our message; and thus our rule or district will be abundantly extended. This interpretation agrees well with the following verse.