2 Corinthians 11:16-33 Lesson 354

2 Corinthians 11:16-33
Lesson 354

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

The credentials of a true ministry (continued in lesson 355).
Paul's apology for "boasting" (defending himself).
Paul suffered (11:23-33).

An ancient Nabatean coin showing King Aretas IV and his second wife, Shaqilath.

Counterfeits in Scripture

1. False worship Matt. 15:8,9
2. False Christ's   Matt. 24:4, 5, 24
3. False witnesses   1 Cor. 15:15
4. False apostles 2 Cor. 11:13; Rev. 2:2
5. False ministers   2 Cor. 11:14, 15
6. False gospels Gal. 1:6-9
7. False brethren Gal. 2:3, 4; 2 Cor. 11:26
8. False miracle workers 2 Thess. 2:7-12
9. False knowledge 1 Tim. 6:20
10. False commandments of men       Titus 1:13, 14
11. False doctrines   Heb. 13:9
12. False religion James 1:26
13. False teachers   2 Pet. 2:1
14. False prophets Matt. 24:24, 2 Pet. 2:1, 1 John 4:1

From "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee Page 1647.

Study Tip:

Find the truth in each passage.
Then apply it to your life.

The Second Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Corinthians

The King James Bible

2 Corinthians 11:16-33
Paul's trials

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.

Margin notes:

"Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little." (11:16) - "Don't think of me as a fool, but if you do, bear with me while I brag about myself a little." Paul is repeating himself from verse 11:1.

"I speak it not after the Lord." (11:17) - "I'm not speaking (bragging) as the Lord would." Paul's boasting didn't show humility, but he bragged to silence his critics.

"Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also." (11:18) - "Seeing how many (false teachers) brag about themselves, I will also."

"Ye suffer fools gladly." (11:19) - Means the people of Corinth happily put up with false teachers.

"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." (11:20) - "You allow men to enslave you (Galatians 2:4; 4:9; 5:1), take advantage of you, steal from you, and consider themselves better than you."

"Are they Hebrews? so am I." (11:22) - Paul is telling his Jewish audience that he is one of them. Paul's opponents were probably Judaizers. That is, they were Jews who converted to Christianity and then told Gentiles they had to become Jews and follow the Mosaic laws, rites, and ceremonies before becoming Christians. This passage is not the only time Paul spoke of his Jewish background (Acts 22:3; Romans 11:1; Philippians 3:5).

"I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft." (11:23) - "I (Paul) am serving Him more. I have labored (1 Corinthians 15:10; Colossians 1:29), been beaten (1 Corinthians 4:11). imprisoned (Acts 16:23-24), and often almost killed (Acts 9:29; 16:22-24; 21:30-32; 23:12; 24:7; 28:16; 2 Corinthians 1:9)."

"Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one." (11:24) - Mosaic law allowed a defendant to receive a maximum of forty lashes (Deuteronomy 25:2-3). However, the actual punishment was usually limited to thirty-nine lashes so as not to accidentally exceed forty in a miscount.

"Thrice was I beaten with rods." (11:25) - "Three times I was beaten with rods." Being beaten by rods was a common Roman punishment.

"Once was I stoned." (11:25) - Paul was stoned In Lystra and left for dead (Acts 14:19).

"I suffered shipwreck." (11:25) - To see how Paul survived, read Acts 27:14-44.

"In journeyings often." (11:26) - "Often travelled."

"In perils by mine own countrymen." (11:26) - Even his fellow Jews plotted against Paul (Acts 9:23).

"In watchings." (11:27) - "In sleeplessness."

"Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches." (11:28) - "Despite the things happening every day, I care for all the churches."

"Who is offended." (11:29) - "Who is turned away, goes astray?"

"I burn not?" (11:29) - "I am not angry."

"I lie not." (11:31) - "I'm not lying."

"Damascus." (11:32) - The capital of Syria (Isaiah 7:8) located 133 miles north of Jerusalem. First mentioned in Genesis 14:15, Damascus is believed to have been founded in 2000 BC, making it the oldest city in the world. Around 750 BC, Damascus was destroyed, and its citizens were carried off to Assyria (Amos 1:5). Years later, the city was rebuilt.  By Paul's day, Damascus was a Roman city and an important business center that sat on a major trade route. It was on the road to Damascus that Paul met Jesus (Acts 9:1-18).

"Aretas." (11:32) -  Aretas was the king of the Nabateans (Edomites) from 9 BC to AD 40.  His daughter Phasaelis was married to King Herod Antipas but left him after learning he had an affair with his brother's wife, Herodias (Matthew 14:3-4; Mark 6:17-18; Luke 3:19-20). Enraged at his daughter's treatment, Aretas went to war against Herod, destroyed his army, and took control of Damascus.  Herod complained to the Roman emperor Tiberius, who sent an army to punish Aretas. But Tiberius died, and his successor called the army back.

"Kept the city." (11:32) - "Guarded the city."

"Desirous to apprehend me." (11:32) - "In order to arrest me."

"Through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall." (11:33) - Paul had to sneak out of Damascus to escape a murder plot against him (Acts 9:23-25).

New Living Translation

2 Corinthians 11:16-33
Paul's Many Trials

16 Again I say, don't think that I am a fool to talk like this. But even if you do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little.

17 Such boasting is not from the Lord, but I am acting like a fool.

18 And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too.

19 After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools!

20 You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.

21 I'm ashamed to say that we've been too "weak" to do that!

But whatever they dare to boast about-I'm talking like a fool again-I dare to boast about it, too.

22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.

24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.

25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.

26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.

27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.

29 Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?

30 If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.

31 God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying.

32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me.

33 I had to be lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall to escape from him.

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's question:

1. What is the difference between Paul's and his critics boasting?

Have questions? I'll do my best to answer them.

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. Paul's critics bragged about themselves to promote and enhance their reputations.  Paul listed his credentials and how he suffered teaching the word of God, not to benefit himself but others.  For decades, Paul endured beatings, prison, hunger, poverty, danger, and disease to spread the word of God. Not one of the false teachers could say the same.

Paul also outlines his background and credentials in Philippians 3:4-8.

An old Jesuit prayer for humility;

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,
From the desire of being extolled,
From the desire of being honored,
From the desire of being praised,
From the desire of being preferred to others,
From the desire of being consulted,
From the desire of being approved,

From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised,
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
From the fear of being calumniated,
From the fear of being forgotten,
From the fear of being ridiculed,
From the fear of being wronged,
From the fear of being suspected,

That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
That in the opinion of the world,
others may increase, and I may decrease,
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
That others may become holier than I,
provided that I may become as holy as I should.

by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930),

Application thought for the day:

What spiritual applications can you find in this segment?

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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