2 Corinthians 11

(1)  Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
(2)  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
(3)  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.
(4)  For if he that cometh preacheth another 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 well bear with him.
(5)  For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
(6)  But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
(7)  Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
(8)  I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
(9)  And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
(10)  As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
(11)  Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
(12)  But 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 even as we.
(13)  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
(14)  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
(15)  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
(16)  I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
(17)  That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
(18)  Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
(19)  For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
(20)  For ye suffer, if 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 on the face.
(21)  I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
(22)  Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
(23)  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.
(24)  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
(25)  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
(26)  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
(27)  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
(28)  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
(29)  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
(30)  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
(31)  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
(32)  In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
(33)  And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

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Study Questions

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1. What is it that Paul refers to as his “folly”? Verse 1.

2. What is meant by “godly jealousy”? What is the obligation of the church at Corinth as “a chaste virgin” espoused to Christ? Verse 2.

3. Upon what narrative from the Old Testament does Paul put his stamp of approval? What is Paul’s fear concerning the church at Corinth and how would it come about? Verse 3.

4. Does Paul really mean that the Corinthians should bear with the one who comes preaching another Jesus, another spirit, or another gospel, or is there some other explanation? Verse 4.

5. By the term, “chiefest apostles,” does Paul refer to Peter, James, and John, or to the “false apostles” who had come to Corinth? If we take the definition of “rude” as “forceful or abrupt,” what does that do to the idea that Paul was a poor speaker? Verses 5-6.

6. What is the answer to Paul’s rhetorical question? How did Paul keep himself from being burdensome to those at Corinth? Verses 7-9.

7. If we consider that Paul gloried in the fact that he had not accepted funds from Achaia while the false apostles did, what did that do to the false apostles? Verses 10-12.

8. How does Paul characterize the false teachers at Corinth? Why is it that he is not surprised that they could transform “themselves into the apostles of Christ”? Verses 13-15.

9. When Paul used the phrase, “not after the Lord,” did that mean he didn’t speak by inspiration or that it was not the Lord’s usual method but permitted to save a church? Verses 16-17.

10. Who were those who were glorying “after the flesh”? Verse 18.

11. What is the meaning of Paul’s irony? Verse 19.

12. According to Paul, why should they bear with him even if he is speaking foolishly? Verse 20.

13. What is ironic in Paul’s comparison of himself with the self-described super apostles? Verse 21.

14. What is Paul’s reply to their “glorying after the flesh”? Verse 22.

15. What four things are mentioned in this verse as evidence that he is more of a minister of Christ? Verse 23.

16. How is this different from the stripes mentioned in the previous verse? Verse 24.

17. Can you think of a recorded instance of each of these incidents? Verse 25.

18. What nine things are mentioned in this verse? Verse 26.

19. Under what circumstances do you think these occurred? Verse 27.

20. What concern of Paul superseded all others? Verse 28.

21. How does Paul identify with those at Corinth? Verses 29-30.

22. Although it seems unreasonable that such a list of things could be given, what assurance does Paul give about it? Verse 31.

23. Where is this incident recorded in the New Testament? Verse 32.

24. Why do you think Paul recorded this incident here? Verse 33.