2 Corinthians 11:20

Contextual Overview

¹⁶ I tell you again: No one should think that I am a fool. But if you think I am a fool, then accept me as you would accept a fool. Then I can boast a little too. ¹⁶ I repeat, let no one think me foolish; but even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. ¹⁶ I saye agayne lest eny man thynke yt I am folishe: or els eve now take me as a fole that I maye bost my silfe a lytell. ¹⁶ I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little. ¹⁶ Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little. ¹⁶ I tell you again: No one should think I am a fool. But if you think so, accept me as you would accept a fool. Then I can brag a little, too. ¹⁶ I say again, let no man think me foolish; but if [you do], yet receive me as foolish, that I also may glory a little. ¹⁶ I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. ¹⁶ I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. ¹⁶ I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

if a man bring: 2 Corinthians 1:24, Galatians 2:4, Galatians 4:3, Galatians 4:9, Galatians 4:25, Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:10, Galatians 6:12

take: Romans 16:17, Romans 16:18, Philippians 3:19, 1 Thessalonians 2:5

a man smite: Isaiah 50:6, Lamentations 3:30, Luke 6:29

Reciprocal: Job 16:10 - they have smitten Micah 5:1 - they Matthew 24:49 - to smite Matthew 26:67 - and others Luke 12:45 - to beat 1 Corinthians 9:12 - others 2 Corinthians 12:7 - lest Galatians 5:15 - General 1 Timothy 6:4 - words

Cross-References

Luke 3:35
Nahor was the son of Serug. Serug was the son of Reu. Reu was the son of Peleg. Peleg was the son of Eber. Eber was the son of Shelah.

Luke 3:35
which was the sonne of Saruch: which was the sonne of Ragau: which was the sonne of Phalec: which was the sonne of Heber: which was the sonne of Sala:

Luke 3:35
the son of Serug, the son of Re`u, the son of Peleg, the son of `Ever, the son of Shelach

Luke 3:35
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

Luke 3:35
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Heber, the son of Shelah,

Luke 3:35
Nahor was the son of Serug. Serug was the son of Reu. Reu was the son of Peleg. Peleg was the son of Eber. Eber was the son of Shelah.

Luke 3:35
the [son] of Serug, the [son] of Reu, the [son] of Peleg, the [son] of Eber, the [son] of Shelah,

Luke 3:35
Who was [the son] of Serug, who was [the son] of Reu, who was [the son] of Peleg, who was [the son] of Heber, who was [the son] of Sala,

Luke 3:35
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Heber, the son of Shelah,

Luke 3:35
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For ye suffer if a man bring you into bondage,.... They not only suffered and tolerated the foolish boasting of these men with pleasure, but patiently and stupidly bore their oppressions, injuries, and insults, things that were intolerable, which no man of any sense and wisdom would ever suffer; and yet they took all quietly from them, made no objection, but patiently submitted to them, and therefore might well bear a little with him; they were voluntarily led captive, and brought into bondage by them, to the yoke of the ceremonial law, to the observance of circumcision, meats and drinks, days, months, times and years; and to the yoke of human doctrines, traditions, tenets, laws, and rules: if a man devour or eat; though they devoured their houses, as the Pharisees did; ate up their substance, were insatiable in their covetousness; were greedy dogs that could never have enough, could not satisfy their voracious appetites, without devouring and consuming all they had, yet they took it patiently:

if a man take of you; not food and raiment, or a proper stipend, or wages which might be voluntarily raised, and cheerfully given; but they took away their goods from them by force, as the Arabic version reads it, whether they would or not, to which they quietly submitted:

if a man exalt himself; as these men did, extolling their nation, their descent and lineage, their parentage and education, and fleshly privileges; in suiting the Corinthians as persons of a mean and base extraction, as having been Heathens and sinners of the Gentiles, yet not a word was returned in answer thereunto:

if a man smite you on the face; though they gave them very opprobrious language, vilifying and reproaching them as uncircumcised persons, upbraiding and hitting them on the teeth with their former idolatries and manners of life; yet all was taken in good part, so much were they under the government and influence of these men.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For ye suffer ... - You bear patiently with people who impose on you in every way, and who are constantly defrauding you, though you profess to be so wise, and you may bear with me a little, though I have no such intention. Seriously, if you bear with boasters who intend to delude and deceive you in various ways, you may bear with one who comes to you with no such intention, but with an honest purpose to do good.

If a man bring you into bondage - (καταδουλοῖ katadouloi). If a man, or if anyone (εἴ τις ei tis) “make a slave of you,” or reduce you to servitude. The idea is, doubtless, that the false teachers set up a lordship over their consciences; destroyed their freedom of opinion; and made them subservient to their will. They really took away their Christian freedom as much as if they had been slaves. In what way this was done is unknown. It may be that they imposed on them rites and forms, commanded expensive and inconvenient ceremonies, and required arduous services merely at their own will. A false religion always makes slaves. It is only true Christianity that leaves perfect freedom. All pagans are slaves to their priests; all fanatics are slaves to some fanatical leader; all those who embrace error are slaves to those who claim to be their guides. The papist everywhere is the slave of the priest, and the despotism there is as great as in any region of servitude whatever.

If a man devour you - This is exceedingly sarcastic. The idea is, “Though you are so wise, yet you in fact tolerate people who impose on you - no matter though they eat you up, or consume all that you have. By their exorbitant demands they would consume all you have - or, as we would say, eat you out of house and home.” All this they took patiently; and freely gave all that they demanded. False teachers are always rapacious. They seek the property, not the souls of those to whom they minister. Not satisfied with a maintenance, they aim to obtain all, and their plans are formed to secure as much as possible of those to whom they minister.

If a man take of you - If he take and seize upon your possessions. If he comes and takes what he pleases and bears it away as his own.

If a man exalt himself - If he set himself up as a ruler and claim submission. No matter how arrogant his claims, yet you are ready to bear with him. You might then bear with me in the very moderate demands which I make on your obedience and confidence.

If a man smite you on the face - The word rendered here as “smite” (δέρω derō) means properly “to skin, to flay”; but in the New Testament it means “to beat, to scourge” - especially so as “to take off the skin”; Matthew 21:35; Mark 12:3, Mark 12:5. The idea here is, if anyone treats you with contumely and scorn - since there can be no higher expression of it than to strike a man on the face; Matthew 26:67. It is not to be supposed that this occurred literally among the Corinthians; but the idea is, that the false teachers really treated them with as little respect as if they smote them on the face. In what way this was done is unknown; but probably it was by their domineering manners, and the little respect which they showed for the opinions and feelings of the Corinthian Christians. Paul says that as they bore this very patiently, they might allow him to make some remarks about himself in self-commendation.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. For ye suffer — As you are so meek and gentle as to submit to be brought into bondage, to have your property devoured, your goods taken away, yourselves laid in the dust, so that others may exalt themselves over you, yea, and will bear from those the most degrading indignity; then of course, you will bear with one who has never insulted, defrauded, devoured, taken of you, exalted himself against you, or offered you any kind of indignity; and who only wishes you to bear his confident boasting, concerning matters which he can substantiate.

The expressions in this verse are some evidence that the false apostle was a Judaizing teacher. You suffer, says the apostle, if a man, καταδουλοι, bring you into bondage, probably meaning to the Jewish rites and ceremonies, Galatians 4:9; Galatians 5:1. If he devour you; as the Pharisees did the patrimony of the widows, and for a pretence made long prayers; if a man take of you, exact different contributions, pretendedly for the temple at Jerusalem, c. If he exalt himself, pretending to be of the seed of Abraham, infinitely higher in honour and dignity than all the families of the Gentiles if he smite you on the face-treat you with indignity, as the Jews did the Gentiles, considering them only as dogs, and not fit to be ranked with any of the descendants of Jacob.