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.
• 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 say that we’ve been too “weak” to do that! But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 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. 24Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at 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 enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.
• 2 Corinthians 6:4In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind.
• 1 Corinthians 3:5After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.
• 1 Corinthians 4:1So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries.
• 1 Thessalonians 3:2and we sent Timothy to visit you. He is our brother and God’s co-worker in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith,
• 1 Timothy 4:6If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed.
• 2 Corinthians 11:5But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these “super apostles” who teach such things.
• 2 Corinthians 12:11You have made me act like a fool. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these “super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all.
• 1 Corinthians 15:10But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.
• Colossians 1:29That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
• 2 Corinthians 11:24Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.
• Acts 9:16And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
• Acts 16:24So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
• Acts 20:23except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.
• Acts 21:11He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’”
• Acts 24:26He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often 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