2 Corinthians 11:15

2 Corinthians 11:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Context of 2 Corinthians 11:15

13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. 16Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little. 17What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

2 Corinthians 11:15 word by word

οὐ μέγα οὖν εἰ καὶ οἱ διάκονοι αὐτοῦ μετασχηματίζονται ὡς διάκονοι δικαιοσύνης ὧν τὸ τέλος ἔσται κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν.¶Read the interlinear

• Thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• it is not surprisingμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• ifεἰei · if: even thoughG1487
• his servantsδιάκονοςdiakonos · servantG1249
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• disguiseμετασχηματίζωmetaschēmatizō · to transformG3345
• of righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• whoseὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• endτέλοςtelos · goal/taxG5056
• will be accordingκατάkata · according toG2596
• to their deedsἔργονergon · workG2041

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 11:15

• 2 Kings 5:13Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
• 1 Corinthians 9:11If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
• 2 Corinthians 11:13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
• Acts 13:10and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?
• Ephesians 6:12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
• Revelation 9:11They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.
• Revelation 13:2And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.
• Revelation 19:19And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.
• Revelation 20:2And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
• 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they servants of Christ?--I speak as if insane--I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.
• 2 Corinthians 3:9For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.
• Isaiah 9:14So the Lord cuts off head and tail from Israel, Both palm branch and bulrush in a single day.
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?
• Jeremiah 23:14Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: The committing of adultery and walking in falsehood; And they strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one has turned back from his wickedness. All of them have become to Me like Sodom, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.
• Jeremiah 28:15Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie.
• Jeremiah 29:32therefore thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants; he will not have anyone living among this people, and he will not see the good that I am about to do to My people,” declares the Lord, “because he has preached rebellion against the Lord.”’”

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 11:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Whose end shall be according to their works - A bad way leads to a bad end. The way of sin is the way to hell.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Therefore it is no great thing … - It is not to be deemed surprising. You are not to wonder if people of the basest, blackest character put on the appearance of the greatest sanctity, and even become eminent as professed preachers of righteousness. Whose end shall be … - Whose final destiny. Their doom in eternity shall not be according to their fair professions and plausible pretences, for they cannot deceive God; but shall be according to their real…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-15Verses 5-15 It is far better to be plain in speech, yet walking openly and consistently with the gospel, than to be admired by thousands, and be lifted up in pride, so as to disgrace the gospel by evil tempers and unholy lives. The apostle would not give room for any to accuse him of worldly designs in preaching the gospel, that others who opposed him at Corinth, might not in this respect gain advantage against him. Hypocrisy may be looked for, especially…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-15Paul strongly criticizes the false teachers in Corinth (compare Galatians 1:6–9). Although these teachers wanted to claim their work was like Paul's (2 Corinthians 11:12), they were actually false apostles and deceitful workers (compare Philippians 3:2). Just as Satan transformed himself into an angel of light to deceive Eve (as described in the Jewish apocryphal book The Life of Adam and Eve), his servants also pretend to be servants of righteousness…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. no great thing--no difficult matter. if his ministers also--as well as himself. righteousness--answering to "light" (2Co 11:14); the manifestation wherewith God reveals Himself in Christ (Mt 6:33; Ro 1:17). end--The test of things is the end which strips off every specious form into which Satan's agents may now "transform" themselves (compare Php 3:19, 21). according to their works--not according to their pretensions.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 11:15

• Judgment
• Minister, Christian
• Satan
• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Abase
• Above
• Corrupt
• Fear
• Jealous
• Peril
• Receive
• Save
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Galatians, Epistle to the

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