God’s Word Translation
2 Corinthians 11:23
23Are they Christ’s servants? It’s insane to say it, but I’m a far better one. I’ve done much more work, been in prison many more times, been beaten more severely, and have faced death more often.
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’m ashamed to admit it, but Timothy and I don’t have the strength to do those things to you. Whatever other people dare to brag about, I, like a fool, can also brag about. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. Are they Christ’s servants? It’s insane to say it, but I’m a far better one. I’ve done much more work, been in prison many more times, been beaten more severely, and have faced death more often. 24Five times the Jewish leaders had me beaten with 39 lashes; 25three times Roman officials had me beaten with clubs. Once people tried to stone me to death; three times I was shipwrecked, and I drifted on the sea for a night and a day.
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 also qualified us to be ministers of a new promise, a spiritual promise, not a written one. Clearly, what was written brings death, but the Spirit brings life.
- 2 Corinthians 6:4Instead, our lives demonstrate that we are God’s servants. We have endured many things: suffering, distress, anxiety,
- 1 Corinthians 3:5Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? They are servants who helped you come to faith. Each did what the Lord gave him to do.
- 1 Corinthians 4:1People should think of us as servants of Christ and managers who are entrusted with God’s mysteries.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:2we sent our brother Timothy to you. He serves God by spreading the Good News about Christ. His mission was to strengthen and encourage you in your faith
- 1 Timothy 4:6You are a good servant of Christ Jesus when you point these things out to our brothers and sisters. Then you will be nourished by the words of the Christian faith and the excellent teachings which you have followed closely.
- 2 Corinthians 11:5I don’t think I’m inferior in any way to your super-apostles.
- 2 Corinthians 12:11I have become a fool. You forced me to be one. You should have recommended me to others. Even if I’m nothing, I wasn’t inferior in any way to your super-apostles.
- 1 Corinthians 15:10But God’s kindness made me what I am, and that kindness was not wasted on me. Instead, I worked harder than all the others. It was not I who did it, but God’s kindness was with me.
- Colossians 1:29I work hard and struggle to do this while his mighty power works in me.
- 2 Corinthians 11:24Five times the Jewish leaders had me beaten with 39 lashes;
- Acts 9:16I’ll show him how much he has to suffer for the sake of my name.”
- Acts 16:24So the jailer followed these orders and put Paul and Silas into solitary confinement with their feet in leg irons.
- Acts 20:23However, the Holy Spirit warns me in every city that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me.
- Acts 21:11During his visit he took Paul’s belt and tied his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘This is how the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. Then they will hand him over to people who are not Jewish.’ ”
- Acts 24:26At the same time, Felix was hoping that Paul would give him some money. For that reason, Felix would send for Paul rather often to have friendly conversations 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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