2 Corinthians 11:5-15

11:5 For I consider myself not at all inferior to those “super-apostles.” ¹  11:6 And even if I am unskilled ²  in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way. 11:7 Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself ³  so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimed ⁴  the gospel of God to you free of charge? 11:8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you! ⁵  11:9 When ⁶  I was with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia fully supplied my needs. ⁷  I ⁸  kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 11:10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine ⁹  will not be stopped ¹⁰  in the regions of Achaia. 11:11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! ¹¹  11:12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals ¹²  in the things they boast about. 11:13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful ¹³  workers, disguising themselves ¹⁴  as apostles of Christ. 11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself ¹⁵  as an angel of light. 11:15 Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves ¹⁶  as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions. ¹⁷ 

¹ tn The implicit irony in Paul’s remark is brought out well by the TEV: “I do not think that I am the least bit inferior to those very special so-called ‘apostles’ of yours!”

² sn Unskilled in speaking means not professionally trained as a rhetorician.

³ sn Paul is referring to humbling himself to the point of doing manual labor to support himself.

⁴ tn Or “preached.”

⁴ sn That is, serve them free of charge (cf. the end of v. 7).

⁵ tn Grk “you, and when.” A new sentence was started here in the translation.

⁶ tn If the participle ἐλθόντες (elqonte") is taken as temporal rather than adjectival, the translation would be, “for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, fully supplied my needs” (similar to NASB).

⁷ tn Grk “needs, and I kept.” A new sentence was started here in the translation.

⁶ tn That is, that Paul offers the gospel free of charge to the Corinthians (see 2 Cor 11:7).

⁷ tn Or “silenced.”

⁷ tn Grk “God knows!” The words “I do” are supplied for clarity. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

⁸ tn Grk “an opportunity, so that they may be found just like us.”

⁹ tn Or “dishonest.”

¹⁰ tn Or “workers, masquerading.”

¹⁰ tn Or “Satan himself masquerades.”

¹¹ tn Or “also masquerade.”

¹² tn Or “their works.”