1Paul unwillingly entereth upon a commendation of himself, out of jealousy lest the Corinthians should be perverted by false apostles from the pure doctrine of Christ. 5He sheweth that he was in all respects equal to the chiefest apostles; 7that he declined being chargeable to them not for want of love toward them, but to cut off occasion from those deceitful workers of taking shelter under his example: 16that he was not inferior to those, whom they so patiently submitted to, in any of their boasted prerogatives, 23but as a minister of Christ, in labours and sufferings for the gospel's sake, was abundantly their superior.
1WOULD to God ye could bear with me a little 1in my folly: and 2indeed bear with me.
1 This the apostle says, not because he would do unwisely, but because he would do as the unwise sometimes use to do, who willingly spread abroad their own praise. But the apostle was constrained to do it here to stop the mouths of the false apostles, who lifted themselves up above Paul, in order that they might make his Gospel suspect, and commend their own, and might the better gain audience with the Corinthians.
2 Or, but ye also bear with me.
2For I am 3jealous over you with 4godly jealousy: for I have 5espoused you to one husband, that I may present youa as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 Or, zealous.
4 Or, zeal.
5 Or, adorned, prepared, that is, by the preaching of the Gospel brought you to faith, and by faith to Christ, and as it were betrothed you to Him, whereupon the spiritual marriage must follow. See Psalm 45:9; Ezek. 16:8; Hosea 2:18: Eph. 5:23, etc.
a Lev. 21:13.
3But I fear, lest by any means, asb6the serpent beguiled Eve 7through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted 8from the simplicity that is in Christ.
b Gen. 3:4; John 8:44.
6 That is, Satan, by the serpent.
7 Gr. in, that is, under show of friendship, and that he would bring them to greater honor and esteem.
8 That is, uprightness; without ostentation of human eloquence, or adjoining of human wisdom, wherewith these false apostles sought little by little to deceive them, and to draw them away from Christ.
4Forc if he 9that cometh preacheth 10another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might 11well bear with him.
c Gal. 1:8.
9 Hereby some think that he signifies the principal among them; yet it may also be understood in general for anyone whosoever it be.
10 Namely, of whom ye would see the power and fruits greater than those of the true Jesus, Whom I have preached to you; and so in what follows. Otherwise the apostle curses even an angel from heaven, who would preach any other thing, Gal. 1:8. Therefore he speaks this by way of concession of a thing, which nevertheless cannot be, to bring them to greater consideration.
11 Or, justly.
5For I suppose I was not a whitd behind 12the very chiefest apostles.
d (not a) whit: not in anything*
12 Some take this as spoken by the false apostles, who accounted themselves more excellent than the apostles themselves. But it may also well be understood of the true apostles, who excelled amongst the rest, whose authority and imitation they falsely pretended at Corinth, wherefore the apostle compares himself with these. See the like Gal. 2:6, 9.
6But though I be 13rudee in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest 14among you in all things.
13 Gr. idiotes. See of this word, 1 Cor. 14:16. Namely, as these boasters slander me of their eloquence and human wisdom. For otherwise the simple style of the apostle in power and divineness goes far beyond all human eloquence and writings. See 1 Cor. 1:25; 2:4, 5.
e inexpert, untrained.
14 Or, to you, in you, namely, by the virtues, gifts and operations which you have received by our Gospel.
7Have I committed an offence in 15abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have 16preached to you the gospel of God freelyf?
15 Namely, to maintain myself with mine own hands, without burdening you, Acts 18:3. And it seems that these false apostles raised an ill report thence of Paul, as if thereby he had carried himself contemptibly among them, or had not enough esteemed the Corinthians that he would not receive his maintenance from them; unto both which he afterward answers distinctly.
16 Gr. evangelized.
f 1 Cor. 9:12.
8 I 17robbed other churches, taking wages of them, 18to do you service.
17 That is, received from them what ye ought to have given.
18 Gr. into your ministry.
9And when I was present with you, and wanted, Ig was 19chargeable to no man: forh that which was lacking to me 20the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, 21and so will I keep myself.
g Acts 20:33; 2 Cor. 12:13; 1 Thes. 2:9; 2 Thes. 3:8.
19 The Greek word properly signifies so to oppress anyone that he loses his feeling, as a member that sleeps or is benumbed. Others translate it, to be idle to anyone’s disadvantage. See of the same word, 2 Cor. 12:13, 14.
h Philip. 4:15.
20 Namely, who were fellow ministers with Paul, 2 Cor. 8:16, 18; 9:3. See also Philip. 4:15.
21 Namely, so also henceforward, as the following words declare.
10As 22the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall 23stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
22 That is, as true as the truth of Christ is in me. A form of swearing an oath. See Rom. 9:1.
23 Gr. stopped, obstructed, or stopped up, as a way is stopped up with a mound or hedge, that is, hindered, or taken away, or suspended. The reason why Paul would do the same in Achaia in no other way, whereof Corinth is the capital city, is declared in the twelfth verse following.
11Wherefore? because I 24love you not? 25God knoweth.
24 Namely, as if I despised you thereby, as these men would make you believe.
25 Namely, that I love you.
12But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found 26even as we.
26 Some interpret this thus, as if these false apostles served the congregations for nought, also as Paul did; but this is contrary to what is testified of them in verse 20. The opinion is then as such that Paul therefore wanted also to serve in the congregations of Achaia without recompense, in order, if he changed his action and received wages of them, that these men would not boast that they therein did even as Paul and his (companions) who indeed at the first seemed to have served for nought, when as yet they were simple and small among them, but when they were become bolder and of greater esteem, took their wages also as well as they; to which boasting he would give them no occasion.
13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves 27into the apostles of Christ.
27 That is, taking upon them the show and appearance of apostles of Christ, as if they would imitate them.
14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed 28into an angel of light.
28 That is, into the form of an holy angel, which dwells with God in eternal light; as on the contrary the kingdom of Satan is called a kingdom of darkness, and his habitation darkness, Col. 1:13; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude verse 6.
15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose 29end shall be according to their works.
29 That is, the final recompense or reward. See Mat. 25:41. Thus this word is also taken, 2 Peter 1:9.
16I say again, Let no man think me a 30fool; 31if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
30 Namely, if I compare myself with these men, seeing by their boasting they compel me thereunto.
31 That is, if you judge that I do not wisely herein, hear me at least in my folly, even as you hear others. A phrase taken by concession.
17That which I speak, I speak it 32not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in 33this confidence of boasting.
32 That is, not as is worthy of the Lord or His ministers. Namely, if you look upon the external words only, and do not mark the scope or end why I do such, which is to vindicate my apostleship among you against these boasters, which I am also bound to do for the Lord’s sake.
33 Gr. substantialness of boasting, or confidence, boldness. See 2 Cor. 9:4.
18Seeingi that many glory 34after the flesh, I will glory also.
i 2 Cor. 10:13; 12:5, 6.
34 That is, of things which concern the outward state of man.
19For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves 35are wise.
35 That is, think yourselves to be wise. A manner of speaking when one says one thing and understands the contrary, for the reproof and amendment of such.
20For ye suffer, 36if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you 37on the face.
36 This the apostle says, as also what follows, of the false apostles, who spoke high, and carried themselves as lords among them with a great train and pomp; and in the meantime despised and exhausted the congregation.
37 That is, inflicting the greatest dishonor, scorn and contempt; spoken by similitude.
21I speak as 38concerning reproach, 39as though we had been weak. Howbeitj whereinsoever any is 40bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
38 That is, as concerning dishonor, or because of dishonor, or unto dishonor.
39 That is, as if it were true which these say, that we had been weak and contemptible among you. Others translate it, even as we were weak, that is, we were contemptible among you, which they also slander us to our dishonor.
j Philip. 3:4.
40 That is, deals or speaks boldly.
22Are they Hebrews? sokam I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
k Acts 22:3.
23Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) 41Ilam more; inm labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, 42in deaths oft.
41 That is, I have, in the service of Christ, done, suffered and endured more than they, which he proves by the following examples.
l 1 Cor. 15:10.
m Acts 9:16; 21:11; 2 Cor. 6:4.
42 Or, in danger of death, that is, notable dangers of death. See the like phrase, 1 Cor. 15:31; 2 Cor. 1:10.
24Of the Jews five times received I 43fortynstripes save one.
43 Paul here alludes to the law, Deut. 25:3, where it is commanded that the judges should not cause more than forty stripes to be given in punishing, which number the Jews, that they might not exceed, they gave one less.
n Deut. 25:3.
25Thriceo was I beaten 44with rods, oncep was I stoned, thriceq I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
o Acts 16:22.
44 Or, scourged with staves. Namely, of the pagan authorities, besides the five times that I was so beaten by the Jews, whereof he spoke in the previous verse.
p Acts 14:19.
q Acts 27:9, 41.
26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of 45robbers, in perils 46by mine own countrymen, in perils 47by the heathen, in perils 48in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
45 Or, hooligans.
46 Gr. out of my kindred, namely, of the Jews, as appears by the opposition of the Gentiles.
47 Gr. out of.
48 That is, in the cities; except they would hereby understand the city of Jerusalem, which for its excellence may be so called here.
27In weariness and painfulness,r in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
r toil, labor.
28Beside those things 49that are without, that which cometh 50upon me daily, thes care of all the churches.
49 That is, which are done to me by those who are outside of the congregations. Or, which are done to me according to the outward man.
50 Gr. my falling upon, which is daily.
s Acts 20:18.
29Whot51is weak, and I am not 52weak? who is offended, and I 53burn not?
t 1 Cor. 83.
51 Or, who is distressed, or hath trouble procured to him.
52 He speaks not here of weakness in the mind or in the faith, seeing he must comfort and strengthen them all, but of the anguish and compassion which he had with them.
53 Namely, with a burning zeal for the glory of God, and the salvation of those who are offended.
30If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern 54mine infirmities.
54 That is, of mine adversities and distresses; namely, because thereby I am brought to the feeling and experience of God’s grace, which more and more strengthens me therein.
31Theu God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, 55knoweth that I lie not.
u Rom. 1:9; 9:1; 2 Cor. 1:23; Gal. 1:20; Philip. 1:8; 1 Thes. 2:5.
55 A manner of taking an oath, or calling upon God for a Witness of that which he says; as 2 Cor. 1:23.
32In Damascus 56the governor underv Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
56 Gr. the ruler of the people. Namely, being stirred up against me by the Jews. See Acts 9:24, 25.
v Acts 9:24.
33And through a window in a basket was I let down 57by the wall, and escaped his hands.
57 Or, over.