the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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Read the Bible
New King James Version
2 Corinthians 11:7
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- CondensedParallel Translations
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you without charge?
I brought y'all the good news like a neighbor at branding time. I came to serve and did so without pay. I did the hard work and never complained or demanded to rope. Do you think I should have done something different?
Or did I do wrong in making myself low so that you might be lifted up, because I gave you the good news of God without reward?
Have I committed sin, abasing myself in order that *ye* might be exalted, because I gratuitously announced to you the glad tidings of God?
Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God's gospel for nothing?
Have I committed an offence in humbling myself, that ye might be exalted, because I have preached the gospel of God to you at free cost?
Is it a sin that I abased myself in order for you to be exalted, in that I proclaimed God's Good News to you without fee or reward?
Haue I committed an offence in abasing my selfe, that you might be exalted, because I haue preached to you the Gospel of God freely?
Or did I commit sin, humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?
Or dyd I synne therin because I submytted my selfe, that ye mighte be exalted?For I preached vnto you the Gospell of God frely,
If I have degraded myself for your advantage by preaching the holy gospel to you gratis, is that such a trespass?
I wonder, did I make a bad mistake in proclaiming God's Message to you without asking for something in return, serving you free of charge so that you wouldn't be inconvenienced by me? It turns out that the other churches paid my way so that you could have a free ride. Not once during the time I lived among you did anyone have to lift a finger to help me out. My needs were always supplied by the believers from Macedonia province. I was careful never to be a burden to you, and I never will be, you can count on it. With Christ as my witness, it's a point of honor with me, and I'm not going to keep it quiet just to protect you from what the neighbors will think. It's not that I don't love you; God knows I do. I'm just trying to keep things open and honest between us. And I'm not changing my position on this. I'd die before taking your money. I'm giving nobody grounds for lumping me in with those money-grubbing "preachers," vaunting themselves as something special. They're a sorry bunch—pseudo-apostles, lying preachers, crooked workers—posing as Christ's agents but sham to the core. And no wonder! Satan does it all the time, dressing up as a beautiful angel of light. So it shouldn't surprise us when his servants masquerade as servants of God. But they're not getting by with anything. They'll pay for it in the end. Let me come back to where I started—and don't hold it against me if I continue to sound a little foolish. Or if you'd rather, just accept that I am a fool and let me rant on a little. I didn't learn this kind of talk from Christ. Oh, no, it's a bad habit I picked up from the three-ring preachers that are so popular these days. Since you sit there in the judgment seat observing all these shenanigans, you can afford to humor an occasional fool who happens along. You have such admirable tolerance for impostors who rob your freedom, rip you off, steal you blind, put you down—even slap your face! I shouldn't admit it to you, but our stomachs aren't strong enough to tolerate that kind of stuff. Since you admire the egomaniacs of the pulpit so much (remember, this is your old friend, the fool, talking), let me try my hand at it. Do they brag of being Hebrews, Israelites, the pure race of Abraham? I'm their match. Are they servants of Christ? I can go them one better. (I can't believe I'm saying these things. It's crazy to talk this way! But I started, and I'm going to finish.) I've worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death's door time after time. I've been flogged five times with the Jews' thirty-nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I've been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day. In hard traveling year in and year out, I've had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I've been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I've known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather. And that's not the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches. When someone gets to the end of his rope, I feel the desperation in my bones. When someone is duped into sin, an angry fire burns in my gut. If I have to "brag" about myself, I'll brag about the humiliations that make me like Jesus. The eternal and blessed God and Father of our Master Jesus knows I'm not lying. Remember the time I was in Damascus and the governor of King Aretas posted guards at the city gates to arrest me? I crawled through a window in the wall, was let down in a basket, and had to run for my life.
Or did I [perhaps] sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted and honored, because I preached God's gospel to you free of charge?
Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought?
Did I commit a sin in abasing myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel without cost to you?
Did I therin synne be cause I submitted my silfe that ye myght be exalted and because I preached to you the gospell of God fre?
Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nothing?
Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God without reward?
The sin did I do -- myself humbling that ye might be exalted, because freely the good news of God I did proclaim to you?
I preached God's Good News to you without pay. I made myself unimportant to make you important. Do you think that was wrong?
Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you free of charge?
Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
Was it wrong for me to lower myself and honor you by preaching God's message free of charge?
Or did I sin in humbling myself so that you could be exalted, in proclaiming God's Good News to you free of charge?
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel to you free of charge?
Haue I committed an offence, because I abased my selfe, that ye might be exalted, and because I preached to you ye Gospell of God freely?
Probably I have acted foolishly in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God freely.
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God's Good News for nothing?
Did I commit a sin when I humbled myself by proclaiming to you the gospel of God free of charge, so that you could be exalted?Acts 18:3; 1 Corinthians 9:6,12; 2 Corinthians 10:1;">[xr]
Or, offending have I offended in humbling myself that you may be exalted, and have gratuitously preached to you the gospel of Aloha ?
Did I indeed commit an offence, by humbling myself that ye might be exalted? and by proclaiming the gospel of God to you gratis?
Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God's Good News to you without expecting anything in return?
Did I do wrong? I did not ask you for anything when I preached the Good News to you. I made myself poor so you would be made rich.
Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought?
Did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I proclaimed God's good news to you free of charge?
Or, a sin, did I commit - abasing, myself, that, ye, might be exalted, - in that, free of charge, God's glad-message, I announced unto you?
Or did I commit a fault, humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached unto you the Gospel of God freely?
Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself in order that you may be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you without payment?
Dyd I sinne because I submitted my selfe, that ye myght be exalted, & because I preached to you the Gospell of God freely?
I did the work of telling God's Good News to you without pay. I humbled myself to make you important. Do you think that was wrong?
Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?
I did not charge you a thing when I preached the Good News of God to you; I humbled myself in order to make you important. Was that wrong of me?
Or whether Y haue don synne, mekynge my silf, that ye be enhaunsid, for freli Y prechide to you the gospel of God?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
in: 2 Corinthians 10:1, 2 Corinthians 12:13, Acts 18:1-3, Acts 20:34, 1 Corinthians 4:10-12, 1 Corinthians 9:6, 1 Corinthians 9:12, 1 Corinthians 9:14-18, 1 Thessalonians 2:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:8
Reciprocal: John 15:25 - without 1 Corinthians 9:18 - when Philippians 2:25 - and he Philippians 4:12 - how to be 1 Thessalonians 4:12 - nothing 3 John 1:7 - taking
Cross-References
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all [fn] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"--
From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.
These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations.
These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood.
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.
And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."
But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.
After he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Salah.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Have I committed an offence in abasing myself,.... Either by behaving among them, when he was first with them, in a very modest and humble manner, in much fear and trembling, without pride and haughtiness, or affectation of power and authority over them; or by using a popular style, suited to the capacity of the common people; or by labouring with his own hands, exercising his trade of tent making among them, that he might provide food for himself, and not be chargeable to them; and which he suggests was so far from being criminal in him, that he ought rather to be commended for it; since it could not be thought to be with any view to himself, and his own advantage, but purely for their good:
that you might be exalted; that nothing might lie in their way of receiving the Gospel of Christ, or prejudice them against it; that they might the more easily be brought to listen to it, come to the knowledge of it, and embrace it, and so be exalted, as they were, to a participation of the grace of Christ; to fellowship with him; to the honour and dignity of being a church of Christ; to an enjoyment of the privileges of God's house; to have a name better than that of sons and daughters, and to have a right and title to the heavenly glory: "because", or is it
because I have preached to you the Gospel of God freely? The Gospel he preached was not his own, but God's; of which he was the author; his grace was the subject of it, and his glory the end of its ministration; which he had given to the apostle to preach; to which he had separated him, for which he had abundantly qualified him, and in which he was greatly succeeded by him. This he preached "freely" to the Corinthians at his first coming among them, without putting them to any expense, or receiving anything from them; which though he might lawfully have done, yet he judged it most advisable, at that time, to minister to his own necessities, by working with his hands, lest he should be burdensome to them; and this be an objection to the Gospel he preached, that he sought rather theirs than them; and for so doing he was not to be blamed, but to be praised: and yet such was the weakness of many at least in this church, that they highly valued the false apostles, who made merchandise of them, and treated with contempt this excellent servant of Christ, who had freely imparted the Gospel to them.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Have I committed an offence - Have I done wrong. Greek, “Have I committed a sin.” There is here a somewhat abrupt transition from the previous verse; and the connection is not very apparent. Perhaps the connection is this. “I admit my inferiority in regard to my manner of speaking. But this does not interfere with my full understanding of the doctrines which I preach, nor does it interfere with the numerous evidences which I have furnished that I am called to the office of an apostle. What then is the ground of offence? In what have I erred? Wherein have I shown that I was not qualified to be an apostle? Is it in the fact that I have not chosen to press my claim to a support, but have preached the gospel without charge?” There can be no doubt that they urged this as an objection to him, and as a proof that he was conscious that he had no claim to the office of an apostle; see the notes on 1 Corinthians 9:3-18. Paul here answers this charge; and the sum of his reply is, that he had received a support, but that it had come from others, a support which they had furnished because the Corinthians had neglected to do it.
In abasing myself - By laboring with my own hands; by submitting to voluntary poverty, and by neglecting to urge my reasonable claims for a support.
That ye might be exalted - In spiritual blessings and comforts. I did it because I could thus better promote religion among you. I could thus avoid the charge of aiming at the acquisition of wealth; could shut the mouths of gainsayers, and could more easily secure access to you. Is it now to be seriously urged as a fault that I have sought your welfare, and that in doing it I have submitted to great self-denial and to many hardships? See notes on 1 Corinthians 9:18 ff.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 2 Corinthians 11:7. Have I committed an offence in abasing myself — Have I transgressed in labouring with my hands that I might not be chargeable to you? and getting my deficiencies supplied by contributions from other Churches, while I was employed in labouring for your salvation? Does your false apostle insinuate that I have disgraced the apostolic office by thus descending to servile labour for my support? Well; I have done this that you might be exalted-that you might receive the pure doctrines of the Gospel, and be exalted to the highest pitch of intellectual light and blessedness. And will you complain that I preached the Gospel gratis to you? Surely not. The whole passage is truly ironical.
