But I am afraid that, as the (A)serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if [a]one comes and preaches (B)another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a (C)different spirit which you have not received, or a (D)different gospel which you have not accepted, this you (E)tolerate (F)very well! For I consider myself (G)not in the least inferior to the [b]most eminent apostles. But even if I am (H)unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in (I)knowledge; in fact, in every way we have (J)made this evident to you in all things.

Or (K)did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the (L)gospel of God to you (M)without charge? I robbed other churches by (N)taking wages from them to serve you; and when I was present with you and was in need, I was (O)not a burden to anyone; for when (P)the brothers came from (Q)Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from (R)being a burden to you, [c]and will continue to do so. 10 (S)As the truth of Christ is in me, (T)this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of (U)Achaia. 11 Why? (V)Because I do not love you? (W)God knows that I do!

12 But what I am doing I will also continue to do, (X)so that I may eliminate the opportunity from those who want an opportunity to be [d]regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. 13 For such men are (Y)false apostles, (Z)deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even (AA)Satan disguises himself as an (AB)angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, (AC)whose end will be according to their deeds.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:4 Lit the one who comes preaches
  2. 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or super-apostles
  3. 2 Corinthians 11:9 Lit and I will keep
  4. 2 Corinthians 11:12 Lit found

But I fear, lest somehow, as (A)the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds (B)may be corrupted from the [a]simplicity that is in Christ. For 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 (C)different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

Paul and False Apostles

For I consider that (D)I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. Even though (E)I am untrained in speech, yet I am not (F)in knowledge. But (G)we have [b]been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

Did I commit sin in [c]humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you (H)free of charge? I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. And when I was present with you, and in need, (I)I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked (J)the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. 10 (K)As the truth of Christ is in me, (L)no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? (M)Because I do not love you? God knows!

12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, (N)that 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. 13 For such (O)are false apostles, (P)deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into (Q)an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, (R)whose end will be according to their works.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:3 NU adds and purity
  2. 2 Corinthians 11:6 NU omits been
  3. 2 Corinthians 11:7 putting myself down

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your [a]minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different [b]gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear with him. For I reckon that I am not a whit behind [c]the very chiefest apostles. But though I be rude in speech, yet am I not in knowledge; [d]nay, in every way have we made this manifest unto you in all things. Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I [e]preached to you the gospel of God for nought? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you; and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I 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 glorying 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 [f]occasion from them that desire an occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. 15 It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:3 Greek thoughts. See 3:14.
  2. 2 Corinthians 11:4 Greek good tidings. Compare 2:12.
  3. 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or, those preeminent apostles
  4. 2 Corinthians 11:6 Or, nay, in everything we have made it manifest among all men to you-ward
  5. 2 Corinthians 11:7 Greek brought good tidings. See 10:16.
  6. 2 Corinthians 11:12 Greek the occasion of them.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. 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. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

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But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,(A) your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,(B) or if you receive a different spirit(C) from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel(D) from the one you accepted, you put up with it(E) easily enough.

I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”[a](F) I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,(G) but I do have knowledge.(H) We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. Was it a sin(I) for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God(J) to you free of charge?(K) I robbed other churches by receiving support from them(L) so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.(M) I have kept myself from being a burden to you(N) in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me,(O) nobody in the regions of Achaia(P) will stop this boasting(Q) of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows(R) I do!(S)

12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles,(T) deceitful(U) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.(V) 14 And no wonder, for Satan(W) himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.(X)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or to the most eminent apostles