II Corinthians 11:1 and 2:
11:1I wish you used-to hold-yourselves-up-with me (even if you thought I had) some small-amount of thoughtlessness, but also you must hold-yourselves-up-with me .2for I am zealous-towards you with God's zeal for I joined you to one adult-male, a pure (female) virgin to present to Christ,
Paul continues writing to the holy-people in Corinth and in the whole of Achaia:
I express my wish that in the past you were holding yourselves in an upright-position putting up with and enduring me – even if you thought that I had a small quantity of thoughtlessness (of not thinking in my mind, of being without-thoughts, of having senselessness, foolishness).
But contrary to that, during the present you must hold yourselves up relative-to me (in other words, it is imperative that you put up with and endure what I am teaching you now in this letter).
We who read this letter should understand that Paul was not thoughtless because he wrote to them by receiving the information of what to write from God and from the Lord Jesus Christ (refer to verse 16 below).
In truth, I am zealous towards you (in the good sense, I have a boiling or vehement passion for you) with God's zeal (with the zeal that God has for you), for I joined you to one adult-male (I fitted you together, betrothed you to a single grown-man promised to be your husband). You are as a pure female-virgin (figuratively you are as a female who has not yet had sexual relations with the opposite sex and is still unmarried being in a pure-state, chaste, not contaminated by any bad-thing which may be near-by), and it is my responsibility and duty to present you to Christ (cause you to stand beside, near-by the Anointed-one, the Messiah).
[Reference: Genesis 2:20(b)-24; Ephesians 5:27, 30-32.]
Verses 3 and 4:
.3but I am fearful lest-somehow, as the snake wholly-deceived Eve in his every-working, your mindful-devices may be corrupted away-from the singleness and the pureness, the (singleness and pureness) into Christ, .4for if indeed the (person) coming heralds-forth another Jesus whom we did not herald-forth, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or a different good-message which you did not accept – you hold-yourselves-up beautifully!
Paul writes that he is fearful (afraid), not 'scared to death' but there was fright within him and he was letting them know so that they would be aware of the situation that was developing, which he wanted to put a stop to, and for them to take precautions to avoid it and to protect themselves.
I am fearful (relative-to the walk/behavior category) lest in some manner (so that in no way):
Paul breaks it down further for them so that they could see how this was already in progress in the walk/behavior category:
For indeed…
…you hold yourselves up beautifully (you hold yourselves in an upright-position putting up with and enduring it with a manifested decorous, harmonious and acceptable goodness – as though it is a good thing to do)!
Is that what holy-people are supposed to do? No! But that is how satan was attempting to wholly deceive the Corinthian and Achaian holy-people. Now the readers of this letter should understand more-fully why Paul told them above in verse 1(b) that they must hold themselves up concerning him – they need to pay attention to what he is writing to them by revelation via his holy spirit-life!
[Reference: Genesis chapters 2 and 3; Luke 20:19-26; John 8:44; Romans 7:11, 16:18; Galatians 1:6-12; II Corinthians 2:11 and 3:14; Ephesians 4:14; II Thessalonians 2:3; I Timothy 2:13 and 14; I John 4:1-6. You may also like to read my study of Appendix to Romans regarding the serpent wholly-deceiving Eve in Paradise before the fall of Adam.]
Verses 5 and 6:
.5For I calculate to have lacked2 nothing of the superlative apostles, .6but even if (I am) an unlearned-person with word but (I am) not (unlearned) with knowledge;
In truth, I calculate (reckon, count, compute) that previously and still today I lack nothing (I am in want, deficient, fall sort, behind in not one thing) in comparison to the superlative apostles (the apostles who are over-and-above, surpassing to the greatest-degree, for an extreme distance or measure beyond others, the most-eminent people sent forth/away by Christ Jesus on a specific mission or assignment to others – such as Peter or John)!
Even if I am an unlearned-person with word (one who has not yet learned very much about how to express my inner-thoughts in words, a layman with speech in comparison to some people's speech, or compared to how you or others would like or want me to speak) – contrary to that, I am not unlearned with knowledge. I have personal knowledge (a truly active and relative knowing of God and the things of God); I know what I am talking about as I carry-out my apostleship.
There is no "better" or "worse" kind of apostleship among those apostled by God and/or by the Lord Jesus Christ. What Paul is referring to is the fact that those who had physically learned from Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry, were considered by some holy-people to be "superlative" both in the spirit and in the walk/behavior categories. But Paul is showing them that it is not who we are genealogy-wise, nor is it our educational background, nor is it who we know, nor is it who we have lunch with, that matters to God or to the Lord Jesus Christ – what matters is that we say and do what God and the Lord Jesus Christ tell us to say and do both in the spirit and in the walk/behavior categories.
[Reference: Acts 1:13, 26, and 4:13; I Corinthians chapter 2; II Corinthians 10:10, 11, and 12:11, 12; I Timothy 1:4; Titus 3:9.]
Verses 7-9:
.7or did I do a sin (by) humbling myself in order that you may be heightened because free-giftly I good-messaged the good-message of God to you? .8I robbed other churches having received a ration (from them) towards the ministry of you, .9and being present with you and having been caused-to-lack I did not numb not-one-person, for the brothers having come from Macedonia filled-up-towards my lack, and in every (manner) I kept and will keep myself not-weighty to you.
Did I perform or commit a sin (a particular aberration from God's Word, a single sinful action) due to the fact of my humbling myself (bringing myself to lowliness, causing myself to be in a position of humbleness with respect to what God says) for the purpose and result that you holy-people would be heightened (lifted high, elevated, brought into a higher position than you were previously relative-to God and the things of God)…
Was doing that a sin? Of course not, because he was doing what God and the Lord Jesus Christ asked him to do.
I robbed (not stealing or doing something wrong but I stripped, used or took something from) other assemblies of holy-people - in the sense of taking the ration (the earned-payment, the corresponding-ration, as hired Roman soldiers were paid for their service partly with rations of meat or fruit, etc) which they gave to me, and I received from them as provision towards the ministry pertaining-to you Corinthian and Achaian holy-people (the duty of service to benefit you, not 'being-subject' to you but doing work to bring profit to you, the day-by-day ministerial-duties, the functions of service for God and the Lord Jesus Christ towards you).
During the time while I was present with you (near-by, beside you in Corinth and Achaia) when I was caused to lack (made to fall-sort, be in want, caused to be behind, deficient, had a shortage in some area) I did not numb anyone (I did not cause anyone to become torpid, I zapped nobody of energetic motion, I did not cause anyone to cramp from overuse; emphasizing this point by using a double-negative) – the truth is that the brothers (people who have the same holy spirit-life within them) who came from Macedonia filled-up towards my lack (as filling-in a chasm or filling a measure upwards towards the goal of there not being a chasm or empty measure anymore in the area of that-which was wanting, deficient, fell-sort, being behind others on my part in the physical realm). They completely supplied what was needed by me when they came from Macedonia.
And, I have kept and I will in the future keep-an-eye-on (have in safekeeping, and therefore not neglecting or violating but able to watch-over, take-care-of, maintain, and be observant of) the fact that in all/every way or method I am not-weighty to you (not heavy with fullness and abundance of pressure and burdensome severity to/for you).
[Reference: Luke 3:14; Acts 18:5; Romans 3:24; I Corinthians 9:6-18, and 16:17; II Corinthians 9:12, 12:13 and 14; Philippians 4:15, 16.]
Verses 10 and 11:
.10It is (the) truth of Christ in me that this boasting will not be fenced-in for me in the regions of Achaia. .11Because-of-what? (Is it) that I do not love1 you? God knew2!
It is Christ's truth within me (as I write this by revelation via my holy spirit-life) that this boasting (reason to boast, the action of speaking justifiably loudly) will not be fenced-in for me (it will not be hedged-in or enclosed so as to inhibit me, cause me to stop, shut me up) in the regions of Achaia, which includes its capital city of Corinth.
Why not (by means of what reason, on what account)? Would it be because I do not love you with God's love (is it because I do not manifest Godly-love towards you holy-people while I am carrying-out my ministry)? God knows the answer to this question. God knew me and my activities, and He continues to know (perceive, see) that it is true that I love1 you – even if you or others don't think so! The word "love1" or the verb "to love1" comes from the Greek word agape which is God's kind of love.
[Reference: Romans 3:19, and 9:1; I Corinthians 4:14, 10:14, chapter 13, 15:58, and 16:24; II Corinthians 2:4, 6:6, and 7:1.]
Verses 12-15:
.12But that-which I do also I will do in order that I may cut-off the starting-point of the (people) intending a starting-point in order that in that-which they boast they may be found according as also we (are), .13for the-people-of-this-kind (are) lying-apostles, deceitful workers, changing-their-outward-figure into apostles of Christ – .14and no marvel, for satan himself changes-his-outward-figure into an angel of light, .15therefore (it is) not a great-thing if also his ministers change-their-outward-figure as ministers of righteousness, whose completion will be according to their works.
What I do presently and actively, I will also do in the future for the purpose and result that I would cut-off (cut-out, as a cutting by a blow, a striking or beating out-from its current position) the starting-point (the base-of-operation or grounds) of the people who are intending (willing with active volition and desire) to have one.
They are intending this starting-point for the purpose and result that in what they boast (within the sphere of action of what they speak loudly claiming to be something to others) they would be found by those listening to them to be just as we are (as ministers and/or apostles of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ which we are)!
In truth, the people of this kind (this sort, such people) are:
These lying-apostles who are also deceitful workers are changing their outward figure into Christ's apostles (they are altering their external-figure, outward-shape, scheme, schema, outline, including their demeanor, deportment, their expressed personality, into Christ's apostles)! Looking at the outside, surface-level, they appear to be apostles of Christ, but the truth is that they most definitely are NOT sent-forth by Christ!
And, this is not a marvelous thing, there's no reason to be astonished or look-on this with wonder and amazement. Why not? For satan himself (emphatically satan, "satan" being the name emphasizing the devil's opposing and adversarial attributes) presently changes his outward figure (he alters his scheme, schema, outline, his demeanor, deportment, his expressed personality) into an angel of light! Into what? An angel of light.
An angel is a spirit-being whose office and character is one of a messenger in official service via words and/or actions. The word "angel" comes from the Greek word aggello which means to tell or deliver a message and therefore an angel could be called a "messenger." Those angels who have continued to take their instructions from the only true God are also now under the command of the Lord Jesus Christ. But those angels who have refused to take their instructions from God and have instead decided to follow the devil are known as devils (devil-spirits, demons, evil, unclean or unholy spirits). The devil (satan, the snake/serpent, etc) was once one of God's angels, but he rebelled against God wanting to take God's place and he continues attempting to do so. We should also note that the Bible shows us that no human-being was or is or will be a spirit-being angel!
Light. Who is true light? God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, is light. God is Light, which has been revealed by God and is written in the First Epistle of John:
I John 1:5:
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
The only true God is Light, and He is the originating source of all true light. Plus, the Lord Jesus Christ said:
John 12:46:
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Contrary to God and the Lord Jesus Christ, satan is darkness and he abides in darkness. Part of satan's deception is to change his outward figure to portray that he is an angel consisting of light! The truth is that he is complete darkness.
Let us re-read what Paul wrote in his letter of II Corinthians: .12But that-which I do also I will do in order that I may cut-off the starting-point of the (people) intending a starting-point in order that in that-which they boast they may be found according as also we (are), .13for the-people-of-this-kind (are) lying-apostles, deceitful workers, changing-their-outward-figure into apostles of Christ – .14and no marvel, for satan himself changes-his-outward-figure into an angel of light, .15therefore (it is) not a great-thing if also his ministers change-their-outward-figure as ministers of righteousness, whose completion will be according to their works.
It is not a great-thing (no big deal, nothing large in measure, magnitude or estimation) if/since also satan's ministers alter their outward-figure as though they are ministers of, consisting-of and pertaining-to righteousness (justness, justice, being and doing what is just/right before the only true God)!
Yes, presently there are spirits and people who serve satan in a ministerial capacity. They have been given the duty of service to "benefit" others, the day-by-day ministerial-duties, the functions of service for satan. These ministers take their direction from the devil, so from his point of view it is a benefit/profit for him and for those who belong to him both in the spirit category and in the physical category. Included in satan's ministers are people who take their information and direction from him or from his devil-spirits, and the devil-spirits take their information and direction from him.
However, the completion (the ending-issue, complete-thing, the fulfillment) of satan and all of his ministers will in the future be in accordance with their works which are against God Who is Light!
[Reference: Isaiah 14:11-15; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Luke 10:18; Romans 2:5 and 6, 7:8 and 11; II Corinthians 2:11; I Timothy 5:14; Revelation chapter 20.]
II Corinthians 11:16-21:
.16Again I say, let not someone consider me to be thoughtless, but if indeed not and if-ever as thoughtless you must accept me in order that I also may boast some small-amount – .17that-which I utter-forth I utter-forth not according to (the) Lord but as in thoughtlessness in this substance of the boasting, .18since many-people boast according to flesh I also will boast, .19for delightedly you hold-yourselves-up-with the thoughtless-people (you) being thoughtful-people!, .20for you hold-yourselves-up if someone enslaves you, if someone devours (you), if someone takes (you), if someone lifts-himself-up, if someone skins you into (your) face! – .21according to dishonor I say (this) as that we were weak2, but in that-which ever someone may dare (to boast according to flesh), in thoughtlessness I say, "I also dare."
Again I am laying this collection of words to communicate to you (I repeat what I said above – see verse 1): someone of you should not suppose that I am thoughtless (that I do not think in my mind, that I am without thoughts, senseless, foolish). But even if someone definitely does not consider me to be thoughtless, or also if it should happen that someone considers me as being thoughtless – all of you holy-people must accept me (welcome me, subjectively receive me, willingly take me, who is presented to you, to yourselves) for the purpose and result that I also may boast (speak justifiably loudly) some small quantity.
What I utter-forth (speak) here now, I want to make sure that you realize that it is not in accordance with (the usual teachings of) the Lord, but on the contrary, I utter-forth in comparison to how a person would utter-forth within the sphere of action of thoughtlessness in this substance pertaining-to the boasting (the reason to boast, the action of speaking justifiably loudly).
The word translated “substance” means: that-which is standing-under, underlying, what is arranged underneath everything else, the substructure, subject, the essence of this matter in contrast to what manifestly appears.
I utter-forth as in thoughtlessness in this substance of the boasting – why? – because a lot of you boast in accordance with flesh. That is why I am writing this by revelation; it is from your perspective, which is according to flesh. I am writing this in order to help you learn and clearly see God's viewpoint on all of this – therefore I also will boast in accordance with flesh.
Let me explain further: in truth, you hold yourselves in an upright-position with-delight (sweetly, as though with relish of taste, a pleasurable sensation) putting up with and enduring the people who really are thoughtless (who do not think in their minds, who are without-thoughts, senseless, foolish), and the reason is because you are of the opinion that you are thoughtful-people (people who think in their minds, have thoughts, are sensible and intellectual)!
You hold yourselves in an upright-position putting up with and enduring…
Holy-people (Christians) are not "doormats" whereby you allow everybody and everything to walk all over you by not saying and doing what God and the Lord Jesus Christ tell you in these different situations! Is that how a person who is thoughtful regarding God and the things of God is supposed to behave?
According to dishonor I say this (I lay this out before you in accordance with lack of honor, without honor, not esteemed to have value or holding-worth) because that kind of behavior implies that emphatically we (myself and those with me) were weak and are still weak (without strength, feeble) in the category of teaching you the accuracy of God's Word!
Paul continues so as to give the holy-people reading this letter the opportunity to learn and change their attitudes and behavior to what is right with God.
Within the sphere of action of whatever somebody would dare to boast according to flesh (would venture, challenge or confront others boldly in accordance with flesh) – it is within thoughtlessness that I lay the following out before you: “Emphatically I also dare.”
[Reference: I Corinthians 2:3-5, 4:10; Galatians 2:4, 5:15, 6:13; Philippians 3:4-9.]
Verse 22:
.22Are they Hebrews? I also. Are they Israelites? I also. Are they seed of Abraham? I also.
Are those who dare to boast according to flesh basing their boast on the fact that they are Hebrew people? I am Hebrew also.
The word "Hebrew" was first used in the old covenant writings referring to Abraham, recorded in Genesis 14:13. He was a descendant of a man named Eber (Genesis 10:21) who was descended from Noah via Shem; plus, Abraham had passed-over or crossed-beyond the river Euphrates on his travels into the promised land believing what God told him. Therefore, the name "Hebrew" distinguished or separated Abraham from the other people both genealogy-wise and belief-wise, and his posterity was called "Hebrew." In Paul's day the term "Hebrew" was the name by which the descendants of Abraham via Isaac and Jacob were known to foreigners. Paul says that he too was Hebrew.
Are those who dare to boast according to flesh basing their boast on the fact that they are Israelites? I am Israeli also.
The name Israel was given by God via one of His angels to Jacob, the biological father of the twelve men forming the twelve tribes of Israel. “Jacob” means: supplanter, contender, organizer, the one who strives or wrestles to get goals accomplished via the natural realm. “Israel” means: the one who is strong with God, the one who strives or wrestles to receive God’s blessings, and who accomplishes God’s goals by doing God’s intention, allowing God to be his guide via God’s spirit realm – God commands, rules, and has authority over Israel. Refer to Genesis 32:27, 28, 35:10, and Hosea 12:3 and 4. The title “Israelites” (referring to the physical descendants of Jacob/Israel) may also include those who call themselves “Judeans.” The record in I Kings chapter 12 details the division of the nation of Israel into the 10 northern tribes (then referred to as Israel) and the 2 southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin (then referred to as Judah).
Are those who dare to boast according to flesh basing their boast on the fact that they are Abraham's seed? I am seed of Abraham also.
God made a covenant with Abraham and part of that covenant was regarding his seed and that he would be the father of many nations (Genesis 15:3-6 and 17:3-6), and ultimately that the Christ would be his seed (Galatians 3:16). Paul was both physically/naturally and spiritually Abraham's seed.
[Reference: Romans chapter 4, 9:3-9, and 11:1; Galatians 3:28 and 29; Philippians 3:5 and 6; Colossians 1:27.]
Verses 23-28:
.23Are they ministers of Christ? I utter-forth being aside-from-thought: superbly I (am a minister of Christ) – in labors more-exceedingly, in prisons more-exceedingly, in strokes super-throwingly, in deaths often, .24I received five-times forty aside-from one (lashes) by (the) Judeans, .25three-times I was beaten-with-a-rod, once I was stoned, three-times I shipwrecked, I have done2 a night-and-a-day in the deep, .26journeys-on-the-way often, dangers of rivers, dangers of robbers, dangers from genus, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in a city, dangers in a desert-place, dangers in (the) sea, dangers among lying-brothers, .27labor and travail, in sleeplessnesses often, in famine and thirst, in fastings often, in coldness and nakedness; .28without the things-from-outside (I have and continue to do) the thing-standing-upon me, the daily (thing-standing-upon me which is) the anxiety of all the churches.
Are those who dare to boast - Christ's ministers (people who serve to bring benefit or profit to other people as Christ directs them)?
Even if they have been given an assignment by the resurrected Christ, does it guarantee that they are carrying-out their ministry in accordance with the instructions Christ has given to them just because they boast of all their accomplishments and/or troubles in the flesh category, as if this is what qualified them, or proved it to be true?
Paul answers this question: I utter-forth being aside from thought. This is not what qualifies a person to be a minister of Christ nor does it prove that it is true.
But since this is what was needed in order to help them to learn and have the opportunity to change their attitudes and thinking, Paul continues: superbly (surpassingly to a greater-degree, for an extreme distance or measure beyond those people) I am a minister of Christ. How am I superior at my being a minister of Christ? Looking at things from this point of view:
I have done and continue to do the following at various times:
…apart-from all of what I have described above which are exterior influences but which are near-by and so do affect me physically and mentally – I have done and continue to perform, according to each day (throughout the day, day-by-day activities), that-which stands-on me (that-which comes up and stops on me, my duty, my responsibility) which is:
[Reference: Deuteronomy 25:3; John 18:40; Acts 14:19, 16:19-24, 20:3 (plus many other references in the Book of Acts/Practices of Apostles); Romans 8:35-39; I Corinthians 4:11-13, 7:17; II Corinthians 6:5, 11:5, 12:7; Galatians 1:14 and 17, 2:4; I Thessalonians 2:9; II Thessalonians 3:8; II Peter 2:16.]
Verse 29:
.29Who is weak, and I am weak, am I not? Who is caused-offense, and I am set-on-fire, am I not?
Following all of this, Paul asks: who within the church of holy-people is weak (without-strength, feeble), and I am weak, isn't this true? Yes. The truth is that I am also weak in the physical sense because of the limitations of the fleshy body, which all of us have as we await Christ's coming to gather us all together with him and then we will receive our new spiritual bodies. I am not different to you holy-people in my physical make-up.
Who within the church is caused offense (where someone or something else is placing a trap-stick for one of us, a cause for stumbling as bait fastened to a stick whereby if a holy-person did not take heed to it but struck against it then he would get himself caught in the trap), and I am set-on-fire, isn't this true? Yes. The truth is that during the everyday living of life I am set-on-fire with passion regarding your situation. I allow myself to be figuratively burned, inflamed and glowing with heat as a furnace, fired-up by/with my Godly-love and zeal for each one of you holy-people, and by/with grief, indignation, etc, because I understand completely what it is to be caused offense.
[Reference: I Corinthians 8:13.]
Verses 30-33:
.30Since it is necessary to boast, I will boast the-things of my weakness – .31the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, the (One) being blessed into the ages, knew2 that I do not lie – .32in Damascus, the governor of Aretas the king used-to-guard the city of (the) Damascenes to apprehend me, .33and I was let-go in a rope-basket by means of a window through the city-wall and I escaped his hands.
Since it is necessary to boast (it is binding, it's a 'must,' an obligation, I ought to speak justifiably loudly in this letter to you Corinthian and Achaian holy-people in order to help you to learn and believe and obey what God says), I will boast the things pertaining-to my own weakness (the fact that in the physical realm I am without-strength, even though some people boast based on flesh and their physical achievements).
And regarding what I write here, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus (not any other Jesus, but the Jesus who has become our Master today and who is the son of God his Father)…
…the One being blessed into the ages (God is in the continuing and lasting standing and state of blessedness, which does not change; He is good-worded; He is well-spoken; the spoken-account of God's inner-thoughts is good/well; God is the One Who bestows His blessings to others, and of course, we are to speak-well of Him also – how long? – for or throughout the durations of lifetimes which is forever, for all eternity)…
…knew and continues to know (God perceives, sees) that I do not lie (I do not tell you a falsehood, I am not making a false statement; in other words: I am writing the truth).
Here is an example of a time of physical weakness on my part and how I was delivered: in the city of Damascus, King Aretas' governor (Aretas was the father in law of Herod Antipas; the ethnarch, prefect under his direction) was guarding the city of the Damascenes with powerful military authority because he was intending to apprehend me (to catch and arrest me in a hostile or violent manner). But I was lowered within a basket (made of twisted rope or twigs as a wicker basket, large and strong enough to hold me) through a window through the city-wall (a little door or aperture that was cut through the fortification). As a result I escaped (fled out from) his hands, from the grasp of his armed forces.
This shows how God and the Lord Jesus Christ protected Paul during difficult situations, sometimes working within other Christians so that they would help him in the physical category because he could not physically do it all by himself!
[Reference: Acts 9:23-25; Romans 1:25(b), 9:5(b); II Corinthians 1:3, 12:5; Galatians 1:17; Ephesians 1:3; I Peter 1:3. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (2) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]
