2 Corinthians 12:11

2 Corinthians 12:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
• New International Version (NIV)I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing.

Context of 2 Corinthians 12:11

9But he said to me, ‘I will be kind to you and I will help you. That will be enough for you. When you are weak, I will show that I am completely powerful to help you.’ So I am happy to be proud about my weakness. Then I know that Christ's power will be with me. 10That is why I am happy even when I am weak. People may insult me. They may bring me trouble. They may want to hurt me. I may have many kinds of trouble. But I am still happy because I am serving Christ. Yes, whenever I am weak, then I am strong. I am speaking like a proud fool, but you have made me do it. You yourselves should be saying good things about me. I may not be important. But I am as good as those very special apostles. 12When I was there with you, I showed that I was a true apostle. I worked patiently among you. I did many miracles and great things that showed God's power. 13I worked among you in the same way as I did with the other churches. You were never less important to me than they are. The only difference is that I did not ask you to help me with money. So perhaps I should ask you to forgive me for that!

2 Corinthians 12:11 word by word

Γέγονα ἄφρων ὑμεῖς με ἠναγκάσατε. ἐγὼ γὰρ ὤφειλον ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν συνίστασθαι· οὐδὲν γὰρ ὑστέρησα τῶν ὑπερλίαν ἀποστόλων, εἰ καὶ οὐδέν εἰμι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• I am becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• a foolἄφρωνaphrōn · foolishG878
• in gloryingκαυχάομαιkauchaomai · to boastG2744
• yeσύsu · youG4771
• have compelledἀναγκάζωanagkazō · to compelG315
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• oughtὀφείλωopheilō opheileō · to oweG3784
• to have been commendedσυνίστημι, συνιστάωsunistaō sunistanō sunistēmi · to commendG4921
• ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
• in nothingοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• am I behindὑστερέωhustereō · to lackG5302
• the veryὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• chiefestλίανlian · greatlyG3029
• apostlesἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652
• thoughεἰei · if: even thoughG1487
• ·καίkai · andG2532
• I beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 12:11

• 2 Corinthians 1:6So, when we receive trouble, the result is that we can comfort you. And then also, God saves you. When God comforts us, that helps us to comfort you too. As a result, when you receive the same kinds of trouble that we receive, you learn to be patient and strong.
• 2 Corinthians 11:1Please be patient with me! I am speaking like a fool. I know that you are being patient with me already!
• 2 Corinthians 12:12When I was there with you, I showed that I was a true apostle. I worked patiently among you. I did many miracles and great things that showed God's power.
• 2 Corinthians 11:5Those teachers call themselves very special apostles. But I think that I am as special as they are!
• 1 Corinthians 3:4Some of you say, ‘Paul is my leader.’ And other people say, ‘Apollos is my leader.’ When you speak like that, you are talking like people who belong to this world.
• Galatians 2:6The church leaders in Jerusalem did not argue with me. (They were the people who seemed to be the leaders. It does not matter to me whether they were really important people or not. God does not respect some people more than others.) Those leaders did not tell me to change the message that I teach.
• Luke 17:10It is the same with you. The Master tells you what you should do. So when you have done all of it, you should say, “We are not special servants. We have only done what we should do.” ’
• 1 Corinthians 3:7The person who plants the seeds is not important. The person who gives water to the plants is not important. The important person is God, because he causes everything to grow.
• 1 Corinthians 15:8After all these people had seen him, Christ also appeared to me. I was like someone who was born at the wrong time.
• Ephesians 3:8I am the least important of all God's people. But God has given this special work to me because he is so kind. He has sent me to tell his good news to the Gentiles. Then they know about the many valuable things that Christ has prepared for us.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 12:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11I am become a fool in glorying - It is not the part of a wise or gracious man to boast; but ye have compelled me - I have been obliged to do it, in order to vindicate the cause of God. I ought to have been commended of you - You should have vindicated both myself and my ministry against the detractors that are among you. The very chiefest apostles - See 2 Corinthians 11:1. Though I be nothing - Though I have been thus set at nought by your false apostle…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11I am become a fool in glorying - The meaning of this expression I take to be this. “I have been led along in speaking of myself until I admit I appear foolish in this kind of boasting. It is folly to do it, and I would not have entered on it unless I had been driven to it by my circumstances and the necessity which was imposed on me of speaking of myself.” Paul doubtless desired that what he had said of himself should not be regarded as an example for…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-21Verses 11-21 We owe it to good men, to stand up in the defence of their reputation; and we are under special obligations to those from whom we have received benefit, especially spiritual benefit, to own them as instruments in God's hand of good to us. Here is an account of the apostle's behaviour and kind intentions; in which see the character of a faithful minister of the gospel. This was his great aim and design, to do good. Here are noticed several…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11"super apostles": See 11:5.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. in glorying--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. "I am become a fool." He sounds a retreat [Bengel]. ye--emphatic. "It is YE who have compelled me; for I ought to have been commended by you," instead of having to commend myself. am I behind--rather as Greek, "was I behind" when I was with you? the very chiefest--rather, as in 2Co 11:5, "those overmuch apostles." though I be nothing--in myself (1Co 15:9, 10).Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 12:11

• Humility
• Minister, Christian
• Paradox

In the dictionaries

• Backbiting
• Crafty
• Excuse
• Gain
• Grace
• Perfect
• Revelation
• Sufficient
• Thorn
• Unspeakable

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 12

• 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