2 Corinthians 10:18

2 Corinthians 10:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
• New International Version (NIV)For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

Context of 2 Corinthians 10:18

16spreading the Good News in the regions far beyond you. We won’t brag about things already accomplished by someone else. 17“Whoever brags should brag about what the Lord has done.” It isn’t the person who makes his own recommendation who receives approval, but the person whom the Lord recommends.

2 Corinthians 10:18 word by word

οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἑαυτὸν συνιστάνων, ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν δόκιμος, ἀλλ᾽ ὃν ὁ κύριος συνίστησιν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• notοὐou · noG3756
• he thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• commendethσυνίστημι, συνιστάωsunistaō sunistanō sunistēmi · to commendG4921
• himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• approvedδόκιμοςdokimos · testedG1384
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 10:18

• 2 Corinthians 10:12We wouldn’t put ourselves in the same class with or compare ourselves to those who are bold enough to make their own recommendations. Certainly, when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves to themselves, they show how foolish they are.
• 2 Corinthians 3:1Do we have to show you our qualifications again? Do we, like some people, need letters that recommend us to you or letters from you that recommend us to others?
• 2 Corinthians 5:12We are not trying to show you our qualifications again, but we are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us. Then you can answer those who are proud of their appearance rather than their character.
• Proverbs 21:2A person thinks everything he does is right, but the Lord weighs hearts.
• Proverbs 27:2Praise should come from another person and not from your own mouth, from a stranger and not from your own lips.
• Luke 16:15So Jesus said to them, “You try to justify your actions in front of people. But God knows what’s in your hearts. What is important to humans is disgusting to God.
• Luke 18:10He said, “Two men went into the temple courtyard to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.
• 2 Corinthians 6:4Instead, our lives demonstrate that we are God’s servants. We have endured many things: suffering, distress, anxiety,
• 2 Corinthians 13:7We pray to God that you won’t do anything wrong. It’s not that we want to prove that we’ve passed the test. Rather, we want you to do whatever is right, even if we seem to have failed.
• Acts 2:22“Men of Israel, listen to what I say: Jesus from Nazareth was a man whom God brought to your attention. You know that through this man God worked miracles, did amazing things, and gave signs.
• Romans 14:18The person who serves Christ with this in mind is pleasing to God and respected by people.
• Romans 16:10Greet Apelles, a true Christian. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.
• 1 Corinthians 11:19Factions have to exist in order to make it clear who the genuine believers among you are.
• 2 Timothy 2:15Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker who isn’t ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly.
• Matthew 25:20The one who received ten thousand dollars brought the additional ten thousand. He said, ‘Sir, you gave me ten thousand dollars. I’ve doubled the amount.’
• John 5:42But I know what kind of people you are. You don’t have any love for God.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 10:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Not he that commendeth himself - Not the person who makes a parade of his own attainments; who preaches himself, and not Christ Jesus the Lord; and, far from being your servant for Christ's sake, affects to be your ruler; not such a one shall be approved of God, by an especial blessing on his labors; but he whom the Lord commendeth, by giving him the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, and converting the heathen by his ministry. These were…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18For not he that commendeth himself … - Not he who boasts of his talents and endowments. He is not to be judged by the estimate which he shall place on himself, but by the estimate which God shall form and express. Is approved - By God. It is no evidence that we shall be saved that we are prone to commend ourselves; see Romans 16:10. But whom the Lord commendeth - see the note on Romans 2:29. The idea here is, that people are to be approved or rejected by…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 If we would compare ourselves with others who excel us, this would be a good method to keep us humble. The apostle fixes a good rule for his conduct; namely, not to boast of things without his measure, which was the measure God had distributed to him. There is not a more fruitful source of error, than to judge of persons and opinions by our own prejudices. How common is it for persons to judge of their own religious character, by the opinions…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-18Paul quotes Jeremiah 9:24 to show that the Lord guides all missionaries. Boasting does not matter much. Success only matters when the Lord praises our service.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. (Pr 27:2). whom the Lord commendeth--to whom the Lord has given as His "Epistle of commendation," the believers whom he has been the instrument of converting: as was Paul's case (2Co 3:1-3). is approved--can stand the test of the final trial. A metaphor from testing metals (Ro 16:10; 1Co 11:19). So on the other hand those finally rejected by the Lord are termed "reprobate silver" (Jr 6:30).Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 10:18

• Boasting
• God
• Pride
• Self-Exaltation
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Approved
• Beseech
• Captivity
• Measure
• Walk
• Warfare
• Weapon
• Commend
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Galatians, Epistle to the

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 10

• 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
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings