2CO 11:1-15

Paul and the False Apostles

1Would that you were bearing with me in a little foolishness — but indeed bear with me!

2For I am jealous as to you with God's jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

3But I fear lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted away from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ.

4For if indeed the one coming proclaims another Jesus whom we did not proclaim, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or a different gospel which you did not accept, you bear with it well.

5For I reckon to have come behind in nothing of the most eminent apostles.

6But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in every way having made it manifest in all things to you.

7Or did I commit a sin, humbling myself that you might be exalted, because freely I proclaimed to you the gospel of God?

8Other assemblies I robbed, having received wages for the service to you;

9and being present with you and being in need, I did not burden anyone; for my lack the brothers, having come from Macedonia, supplied; and in everything I kept myself unburdensome to you, and I will keep so.

10The truth of Christ is in me, that this boasting will not be silenced unto me in the regions of Achaia.

11On account of what? Because I do not love you? God knows.

12But what I do, I will also do, that I may cut off the opportunity of those wanting an opportunity, that in what they boast, they may be found just as also we.

13For such ones are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

14And no wonder; for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

15Therefore it is no great thing if also his servants transform themselves as servants of righteousness — whose end will be according to their works.

In the world it was spoken into

In the Greco-Roman world, itinerant teachers and philosophers were common, often competing for followers and patronage. Paul’s concern in this passage reflects this cultural backdrop, where rival teachers could easily sway communities with persuasive rhetoric or novel teachings. The term (zeal/jealousy) carries a dual sense of divine protection and human rivalry, echoing both God’s covenantal care and Paul’s personal investment in the Corinthians. The metaphor of betrothing them as a pure virgin to Christ draws on Jewish marital imagery, emphasizing exclusivity and fidelity in their relationship with Christ. The reference to Eve’s deception by the serpent (, craftiness) taps into a shared Jewish narrative of vulnerability to deceit, warning against false apostles who distort the gospel. Paul’s sarcastic use of (super-eminent) to describe these rivals underscores their inflated self-presentation, a common tactic among sophists. The Corinthians, familiar with such rhetorical strategies, would recognize Paul’s critique of these figures as both a theological and cultural warning.

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How other translations render this

2CO 11:1

KJV: Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
BSB: I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that.
Koinōnos: Would that you were bearing with me in a little foolishness — but indeed bear with me!

2CO 11:2

KJV: 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.
BSB: I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
Koinōnos: For I am jealous as to you with God's jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

2CO 11:3

KJV: 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.
BSB: I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpentʼs cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.
Koinōnos: But I fear lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted away from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ.

2CO 11:4

KJV: 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.
BSB: For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it very easily.
Koinōnos: For if indeed the one coming proclaims another Jesus whom we did not proclaim, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or a different gospel which you did not accept, you bear with it well.

2CO 11:5

KJV: For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
BSB: I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”
Koinōnos: For I reckon to have come behind in nothing of the most eminent apostles.

2CO 11:6

KJV: But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
BSB: Although I am not a polished speaker, I am certainly not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every way possible.
Koinōnos: But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in every way having made it manifest in all things to you.

2CO 11:7

KJV: Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
BSB: Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
Koinōnos: Or did I commit a sin, humbling myself that you might be exalted, because freely I proclaimed to you the gospel of God?

2CO 11:8

KJV: I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
BSB: I robbed other churches by accepting their support in order to serve you.
Koinōnos: Other assemblies I robbed, having received wages for the service to you;

2CO 11:9

KJV: 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.
BSB: And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.
Koinōnos: and being present with you and being in need, I did not burden anyone; for my lack the brothers, having come from Macedonia, supplied; and in everything I kept myself unburdensome to you, and I will keep so.

2CO 11:10

KJV: As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
BSB: As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.
Koinōnos: The truth of Christ is in me, that this boasting will not be silenced unto me in the regions of Achaia.

2CO 11:11

KJV: Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
BSB: Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
Koinōnos: On account of what? Because I do not love you? God knows.

2CO 11:12

KJV: 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.
BSB: But I will keep on doing what I am doing, in order to undercut those who want an opportunity to be regarded as our equals in the things of which they boast.
Koinōnos: But what I do, I will also do, that I may cut off the opportunity of those wanting an opportunity, that in what they boast, they may be found just as also we.

2CO 11:13

KJV: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
BSB: For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
Koinōnos: For such ones are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

2CO 11:14

KJV: And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
BSB: And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
Koinōnos: And no wonder; for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

2CO 11:15

KJV: 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.
BSB: It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.
Koinōnos: Therefore it is no great thing if also his servants transform themselves as servants of righteousness — whose end will be according to their works.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

2CO 11:2

I am jealous as to:The word translated 'I am jealous as to' carries a strong sense of passionate zeal or intense rivalry, which could be positive or negative depending on the context. Here, it implies a fervent, protective concern.
a virgin:The term 'a virgin' in this context emphasizes purity and exclusivity, referring to a young, unmarried woman, often implying an untouched state.

2CO 11:3

craftiness:The word translated 'craftiness' suggests a cunning and deceptive cleverness, often used in a negative sense to describe trickery or unscrupulous behavior.

2CO 11:5

most eminent:The phrase 'most eminent' here is used ironically, as the underlying word often described someone arrogant or excessively proud, rather than genuinely superior.