New King James Version
2 Corinthians 11:3
3But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
- New International Version (NIV)But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.
Context of 2 Corinthians 11:3
1Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! 5For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles.
Read all of 2 Corinthians 112 Corinthians 11:3 word by word
φοβοῦμαι δὲ μή πως ὡς ὁ ὄφις ἐξηπάτησεν Εὕαν ἐν τῇ πανουργίᾳ αὐτοῦ, φθαρῇ τὰ νοήματα ὑμῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἁπλότητος καὶ τῆς ἁγνότητος τῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστόν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- I fearφοβέωphobeō · to fearG5399
- lest by any meansμήπωςmēpōs mē pōs · so thatG3381
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- the serpentὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the serpentὄφιςophis · snakeG3789
- beguiledἐξαπατάωexapataō · to deceiveG1818
- EveΕὖαEua · EveG2096
- throughἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- subtiltyπανουργίαpanourgia · craftinessG3834
- soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- yourσύsu · youG4771
- mindsνόημαnoēma · mind/thoughtG3540
- should be corruptedφθείρωphtheirō · to destroyG5351
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the simplicityἁπλότηςhaplotēs · opennessG572
- inεἰςeis · towardG1519
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 11:3
- 2 Corinthians 11:29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
- 2 Corinthians 12:20For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults;
- Psalms 119:53Indignation has taken hold of me Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
- Galatians 1:6I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
- Galatians 3:1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?
- Galatians 4:11I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.
- Philippians 3:18For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
- Genesis 3:4Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
- John 8:44You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
- 1 Timothy 2:14And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
- Revelation 12:9So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
- Revelation 20:2He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
- 2 Corinthians 11:13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 2:17For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 4:2But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
- Matthew 24:24For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 11:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3As the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty - This is a strong reflection on the false apostle and his teaching: he was subtle, and by his subtlety (, from , all, and , work; his versatility of character and conduct, his capability of doing all work, and accommodating himself to the caprices, prejudices, and evil propensities of those to whom he ministered) he was enabled to corrupt the minds of the people from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3But I fear - Paul had just compared the church to a virgin, soon to be presented as a bride to the Redeemer. The mention of this seems to have suggested to him the fact that the first woman was deceived and led astray by the tempter, and that the same thing might occur in regard to the church which he was so desirous should be preserved pure. The grounds of his fear were: (1)That Satan had seduced the first woman, thus demonstrating that the most holy…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The false teachers were leading the Corinthian believers away from pure devotion to Christ. They were doing Satan's work, like the serpent did in Eden (11:14; see Genesis 3:4, 13).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. I fear--(2Co 12:20); not inconsistent with love. His source of fear was their yielding character. subtilty--the utter foe of the "simplicity" which is intent on ONE object, Jesus, and seeks none "other," and no "other" and different Spirit (2Co 11:4); but loves him with tender SINGLENESS OF AFFECTION. Where Eve first gave way, was in mentally harboring for a moment the possibility insinuated by the serpent, of God not having her truest interests at…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Corinthians 11:3
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries