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| 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. |
2 -
Espoused you "... I promised you to one husband,
to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him." (NIV).
Compare re1201.
3 - As the serpent ... corrupted Avoid deception as Eve should have ge0304. 4 - Could false teachings about the real Jesus make Him like "another"? 4 - Another Jesus The false teachers were turning the believers away from Christ – perhaps to Plato. 4 - Bear with him "put up with him easily enough." (NIV). |
| .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. |
5 -
Chiefest apostles He establishes his apostleship by his manner of
service – no doubt quite different from the false apostles he is warning
against v13. Also see the statement on the 2nd Corinthians home page
for a broad picture of the situation he faced.
8 - Robbed He "took from them [other churches] in order to spare you more than what was their fair share of contribution to my maintenance, for example, the Philippian Church (Php 4:15,16)." (JFB Commentary) 9 - Wanted That is "in need." |
| .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. |
10
- Truth of Christ is in me Paul is defending his reputation ro0901.
11 - Why? because I have no love for you? let God be judge (BBE, Bible in Basic English). "Love is often offended at its favors being not accepted, as though the party to whom they are offered wished to be under no obligation to the offerer." (JFB). 12 - I will do That is, he would continue to refuse physical help. 14 - Satan ... angel of light Paul compares those who expected money for their ministry, to Satan. The principle in this verse is very important. In the final crisis ahead, Satan will doubtless present himself as Christ. He has always wanted the worship belonging only to Him. |
| .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. |
16
- Think me a fool The apostle recognizes that boasting is not good
but considers it necessary under the circumstances.
17 - Not after the Lord That is, he is not claiming divine inspiration for his present statement as for others at 1co0706,12,25, 2co0808. 19 - "For you put up with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves." (BBE) It is well to be kind to those who do not understand or even those who have rejected God. Would not Jesus have done the same? And what do we have to boast about? 20 - Suffer Or "permit." See v19 above. |
| .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. |
22
- Are they Hebrews? The false teachers were Jewish. They no doubt
were teaching the same doctrines that Christ countered in the parable of
the rich man and Lazarus lu1619ff.
23 - I speak as a fool "... as a madman" (RSV). The tone of the whole letter is very strong. He may also be saying that he is a fool in the type of doctrine the false teachers are presenting. 25 - Beaten ... stoned ... "Love is often offended at its favors being not accepted, as though the party to whom they are offered wished to be under no obligation to the offerer." (JFB). Stoned ac1419, shipwreck ac2744, ac0930, ac1125. 26 - Waters The word should be "rivers." In his travels, he would have crossed rivers with no bridge. |
| .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. |
28
- Care From merimna. meaning "anxiety" or "concern."
29 - Weak Empathy is encouraged. Paul tried to be "all things to all men" 1co0922 a good example for us. 29 - Offended ... burn not "The ' I ' in the Greek is emphatic, which it is not in the former clause, 'I am not weak.' I not only enter into the feeling of the party offended, but I burn with indignation at the offender, I myself taking up his cause as my own. 'Who meets with a stumbling-block and I am not disturbed even more than himself'' ..." (JFB) 31 - God and Father Two names here, not two persons. Paul is placing himself under oath. 32 - In Damascus According to historical records, Syria which included Damascus had been a Roman province in 64 B.C. We do not know how Aretas would have then been on control. See Assyria map. or maybe better, the Northern Palestine map. |
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