Christian Standard Bible
2 Corinthians 11:23
23Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman — I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death.
2 Corinthians 11:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
- New International Version (NIV)Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
Context of 2 Corinthians 11:23
21I say this to our shame: We have been too weak for that! But in whatever anyone dares to boast — I am talking foolishly — I also dare: 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman — I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death. 24Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews. 25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea.
Read all of 2 Corinthians 112 Corinthians 11:23 word by word
διάκονοι Χριστοῦ εἰσιν; παραφρονῶν λαλῶ· ὑπὲρ ἐγώ. ἐν κόποις περισσοτέρως, ἐν φυλακαῖς περισσοτέρως, ἐν πληγαῖς ὑπερβαλλόντως, ἐν θανάτοις πολλάκις.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Are theyεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- ministersδιάκονοςdiakonos · servantG1249
- of ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- as a foolπαραφρονέωparaphroneō · be insaneG3912
- Iὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- laboursκόποςkopos · laborG2873
- more abundantπερισσῶςperissōs · excessivelyG4057
- stripesπληγήplēgē · plague/blow/woundG4127
- above measureὑπερβαλλόντωςhuperballontōs · severelyG5234
- prisonsφυλακήphulakē · prison/watch: prisonG5438
- deathsθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
- oftπολλάκιςpollakis · oftenG4178
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 11:23
- 2 Corinthians 3:6He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
- 2 Corinthians 6:4Instead, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties,
- 1 Corinthians 3:5What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given.
- 1 Corinthians 4:1A person should think of us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of the mysteries of God.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:2And we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you concerning your faith,
- 1 Timothy 4:6If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of the faith and the good teaching that you have followed.
- 2 Corinthians 11:5Now I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:11I have been a fool; you forced it on me. You ought to have commended me, since I am not in any way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
- 1 Corinthians 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
- Colossians 1:29I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.
- 2 Corinthians 11:24Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews.
- Acts 9:16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
- Acts 16:24Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.
- Acts 20:23except that in every town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me.
- Acts 21:11He came to us, took Paul’s belt, tied his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him over to the Gentiles.’”
- Acts 24:26At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would offer him money. So he sent for him quite often and conversed with him.
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 11:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Are they ministers of Christ - So we find that these were professors of Christianity; and that they were genuine Jews, and such as endeavored to incorporate both systems, and, no doubt, to oblige those who had believed to be circumcised; and this appears to have been the bondage into which they had brought many of the believing Corinthians. I am more - More of a minister of Christ than they are, and have given fuller proofs of it. I have suffered…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Are they ministers of Christ? - Though Jews by birth yet they claimed to be the ministers of the Messiah. I speak as a fool - As if he had said, “Bear in mind, in what I am now about to say, that he who speaks is accused of being a fool in boasting. Let it not be deemed improper that I should act in this character, and since you regard me as such, let me speak like a fool.” His frequent reminding them of this charge was eminently suited to humble them…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-33Verses 22-33 The apostle gives an account of his labours and sufferings; not out of pride or vain-glory, but to the honour of God, who enabled him to do and suffer so much for the cause of Christ; and shows wherein he excelled the false apostles, who tried to lessen his character and usefulness. It astonishes us to reflect on this account of his dangers, hardships, and sufferings, and to observe his patience, perseverance, diligence, cheerfulness, and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-24in more imprisonments: Paul was imprisoned many times. For example, see Acts 16:22–23. Clement of Rome states that Paul was imprisoned seven times. the forty lashes minus one: This punishment is described in Deuteronomy 25:1–3. The Jewish leaders punished Paul as a renegade Jew, and he repeatedly faced death.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. I speak as a fool--rather, as Greek, "I speak as if beside myself"; stronger than "as a fool." I am more--namely, in respect to the credentials and manifestations of my ministry, more faithful and self-denying; and richer in tokens of God's recognition of my ministry. Old authorities read the order thus, "In prisons above measures, in stripes more abundantly" (English Version, less accurately, "more frequent"). Ac 16:23-40 records one case of his…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Corinthians 11:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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