2 Corinthians 11:23

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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.

Context of 2 Corinthians 11:23

21To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that! Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 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. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,

2 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 made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
• 2 Corinthians 6:4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;
• 1 Corinthians 3:5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
• 1 Corinthians 4:1This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.
• 1 Thessalonians 3:2We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
• 1 Timothy 4:6If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.
• 2 Corinthians 11:5I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”
• 2 Corinthians 12:11I 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.
• 1 Corinthians 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
• Colossians 1:29To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
• 2 Corinthians 11:24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
• Acts 9:16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
• Acts 16:24When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
• Acts 20:23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.
• Acts 21:11Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ”
• Acts 24:26At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked 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

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Persecution
• Prisoners
• Stripes
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Abase
• Above
• Corrupt
• Fear
• Jealous
• Peril
• Receive
• Save

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