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 people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions. 16I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17What I am saying with this boastful confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• noοὐou · noG3756
• great thingμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• ifεἰei · if: even thoughG1487
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• ministersὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ministersδιάκονοςdiakonos · servantG1249
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• be transformedμετασχηματίζωmetaschēmatizō · to transformG3345
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• of righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• whoseὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• endτέλοςtelos · goal/taxG5056
• shall beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• according toκατάkata · according toG2596
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 11:15

• 2 Kings 5:13His servants approached and said to him, “O master, if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task, you would have been willing to do it. It seems you should be happy that he simply said, “Wash and you will be healed.”
• 1 Corinthians 9:11If we sowed spiritual blessings among you, is it too much to reap material things from you?
• 2 Corinthians 11:13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
• Acts 13:10and said, “You who are full of all deceit and all wrongdoing, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness – will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?
• Ephesians 6:12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.
• Revelation 9:11They have as king over them the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon.
• Revelation 13:2Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority to rule.
• Revelation 19:19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army.
• Revelation 20:2He seized the dragon – the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan – and tied him up for a thousand years.
• 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times.
• 2 Corinthians 3:9For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation, how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness excel in glory!
• Isaiah 9:14So the Lord cut off Israel’s head and tail, both the shoots and stalk in one day.
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy lies. The priests exercise power by their own authority. And my people love to have it this way. But they will not be able to help you when the time of judgment comes!
• Jeremiah 23:14But I see the prophets of Jerusalem doing something just as shocking. They are unfaithful to me and continually prophesy lies. So they give encouragement to people who are doing evil, with the result that they do not stop their evildoing. I consider all of them as bad as the people of Sodom, and the citizens of Jerusalem as bad as the people of Gomorrah.
• Jeremiah 28:15Then the prophet Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord did not send you! You are making these people trust in a lie!
• Jeremiah 29:32Because he has done this,” the Lord says, “I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his whole family. There will not be any of them left to experience the good things that I will do for my people. I, the Lord, affirm it! For he counseled 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