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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

2 Corinthians 11:7

Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

Have I - literally, 'OR have I?' 'Or will you make it an objection that I have preached to you gratuitously?' He leaves their good feeling to answer, that this, so far from being an objection, was a superiority in him above the false apostles (1 Corinthians 9:6).

Abasing myself - in my mode of living, earning my maintenance by manual labour-perhaps with slaves as his fellow-labourers (; ; ).

That ye might be exalted - spiritually: that ye might be edified, by my removing every handle of offence in not asking you for the maintenance which is my right.

Because - `in that.'

Gospel of God. "Of God" implies its divine glory.

Freely - `without charge.'

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See also 2 Corinthians 11:7 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 2 Corinthians 11:7. _HAVE I COMMITTED AN OFFENCE IN ABASING MYSELF_] Have I transgressed in _labouring with my hands_ that I might _not be_ _chargeable to you_? and getting my deficiencies supp...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    HAVE I COMMITTED AN OFFENCE - Have I done wrong. Greek, “Have I committed a sin.” There is here a somewhat abrupt transition from the previous verse; and the connection is not very apparent. Perhaps t...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. ANSWERING HIS ADVERSARIES. HIS BOASTINGS. CHAPTER 11 _ 1. The Danger Through False Teachers. (2 Corinthians 11:1)_ 2. Answering His Adversaries. (2 Corinthians 11:7) 3. His Boastings of Labors a...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    A TENDER APPEAL TO THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE. This appeal may sound like foolish sentiment. Let them bear with him. _Indeed_ he is sure that they do. What has happened under Paul's guidance and inspiratio...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you should be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you for nothing? I plundered other Churches and took pay from them in order to render se...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE PERIL OF SEDUCTION (2 Corinthians 11:1-6)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    OFFENCE. sin. Greek. _harnartia._ App-128. ABASING. Greek. _tapeinoo,_ Compare _tapeinosis,_ Acts 8:33. THAT. in order that. Greek. _hina._ EXALTED. Greek. _hubsoo._ See John 12:32, HAVE. Omit. PR...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Have I committed an offence_ Literally, COMMITTED SIN (_don sinne_, Wiclif. _Did I therein synne_? Tyndale, Cranmer and the Geneva version). This passage is ironical. The Corinthians had allowed St P...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    Ἤ ἉΜΑΡΤΊΑΝ ἘΠΟΊΗΣΑ Κ.Τ.Λ. _Or_ DID I COMMIT A SIN _in abasing myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you_ GOD’S GOSPEL FOR NOTHING? For ἤ introducing an emphatic question comp. 1 Cori...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    THE APOSTLE’S GLORYING ABOUT WORKING GRATUITOUSLY With this passage 1 Corinthians 9, especially 2 Corinthians 11:12; 2 Corinthians 11:15;...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _FALSE APOSTLES AND DECEITFUL WORKERS -- 2 CORINTHIANS 11:5-15:_ There was no way in which Paul was inferior to these false apostles. In fact he was not a whit behind the chiefest apostles. His speech...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    Ή (G2228) или. ΈΠΟΊΗΣΑ _aor. ind. act. от_ ΠΟΙΈΩ (G4160) делать, поступать, ΤΑΠΕΙΝΏΝ _praes. act. part. от_ ΤΑΠΕΙΝΌΩ (G5013) принижать, унижать, ΎΨΩΘΉΤΕ _aor. conj. pass. от_ ΎΨΌΩ (G5312) поднимать,...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    HAVE I COMMITTED AN OFFENCE— The adverse party made it an argument against St. Paul that he was no apostle, since he took nothing among the Corinthians for his maintenance, 1 Corinthians 9:1. Another...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTARY SECTION 2 Unassertative (2 Corinthians 11:7-15) 7 Did I commit a sin in abasing myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel without cost to you? 8I robbe...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    11 Even forbearance and gentleness have their limits. The apostle makes it clear that. when he came to them again he would act quite as severely as he wrote in dealing with those who still opposed him...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    AN OFFENCE] His very independence had been used against him. For his practice cp. 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    PARAPHRASE. 'Is it a fault in your eyes that I took nothing from you while labouring for your spiritual benefit, but gave you the gospel gratuitously? (8) I took more than their due from others to pro...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    _(B) 11:1-15. DEFENCE OF HIS GOSPEL AND OF HIS INDEPENDENCE_ St. Paul says that he also will now boast a little, for he is as much an Apostle as those whom they prefer. If he refuses monetary support...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD SHOWS HIS POWER WHEN WE ARE WEAK 2 CORINTHIANS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 11 V1 I will now write some words about myself, like those fools who recommend themselves. Be patient, and you will under...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    HAVE I COMMITTED AN OFFENCE (literally, _a sin_) IN ABASING MYSELF...? — The rival teachers apparently boasted of their disinterestedness. “They didn’t come for what they could get.” St. Paul, we know...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 25 FOOLISH BOASTING. 2 Corinthians 11:7 (R.V) THE connection of 2 Corinthians 11:7 with what precedes is not at once clear. The Apostle has expressed his conviction that he is in nothing inf...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἢ ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησα κ. τ. λ.: _or did I commit a sin_ (note the irony) _in abasing myself_ (_cf._ Philippians 4:12), _that ye might be exalted, sc._, in spiritual privileges (_cf._ 1 Corinthians 9:11),...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    HE IS NOT INFERIOR TO HIS ADVERSARIES ALTHOUGH (_a_) HE IS NOT A TRAINED ORATOR (2 Corinthians 11:6), AND ALTHOUGH (_b_) HE DID NOT CLAIM MAINTENANCE FROM THE CHURCH (2 Corinthians 11:7). THIS WAS NOT...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “A GODLY JEALOUSY” 2 Corinthians 11:1 As the Bridegroom's friend, Paul was eager to bring the Corinthian church to the Bridegroom of souls. But false teachers disturbed the purity and simplicity of t...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Having thus stated the true grounds of glorying, and being about to make his boast (such action having been made necessary by the opposition), the apostle has so little love for it that he commences w...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    VERSE 7 Paul had not accepted payment for his work among them so that no one would be hindered from obeying the gospel. Ironically, some were saying he refused the pay of an apostle because he knew he...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (4) Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? (4) Another slander, that is, that he was a rascal, and lived by th...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Did I commit a fault? &c. It is a kind of reproach to them, and by the figure, called irony, with a reflection on the false preachers, who some way or other, got themselves handsomely maintained, whil...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (11) 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...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    illing them to overflowing, though surely not to cease in the ages to come. "Unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    7._Have I committed an offense? _His humility was cast up to him by way of reproach, while it was an excellence that was deserving of no ordinary commendation. _Humility _here means — voluntary abasem...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In Chapter 11, jealous with regard to his beloved Corinthians with a godly jealousy, he carries yet further his arguments relating to false teachers. He asks the faithful in Corinth to bear with him a...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    HAVE I COMMITTED AN OFFENCE IN ABASING MYSELF,.... Either by behaving among them, when he was first with them, in a very modest and humble manner, in much fear and trembling, without pride and haughti...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? Ver. 7. _I have preached to you freely_] Because he get his living wit...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Have I committed an offence_ Will any turn this into an objection; _in abasing myself_ Stooping to work at my trade; _that ye might be exalted_ To the dignity of being the children of God; _because I...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    ABASING MYSELF; in laboring for his support, not receiving it from them. Acts 18:3....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Paul is not inferior to the "great apostles":...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    HAVE I COMMITTED AN OFFENSE IN ABASING MYSELF THAT YE MIGHT BE EXALTED, BECAUSE I HAVE PREACHED TO YOU THE GOSPEL OF GOD FREELY?...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    If it seems strange that Paul asks the Corinthians to bear with a little folly in him, yet let us still remember that it is God who inspires him to write as he does. Paul considered it folly to speak...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    5-15 It is far better to be plain in speech, yet walking openly and consistently with the gospel, than to be admired by thousands, and be lifted up in pride, so as to disgrace the gospel by evil temp...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    What is it that hath made you take such offence at me; seeing you cannot say, that either in my call, or in my gifts and graces, or in my labours, or in the success of my labours, I have been inferior...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought? [A second accusation which his enemies never wearied in presenting was that he...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 Corinthians 11:7 G2228 commit G4160 (G5656) sin G266 humbling G5013 (G5723) myself G1683 that G2443 you

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought?' Or are they blaming him for not accepting payment from them for what they h...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    PAUL DEFENDS HIS APOSTLESHIP AND COMPARES HIMSELF WITH HIS OPPONENTS (2 CORINTHIANS 11:1). An exact determination of who the visiting preachers were who constituted the new grave threat to Paul's mini...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    2 Corinthians 11:7. Or changing their ground of complaint DID I COMMIT AN OFFENCE (_Gr._ ‘sin') IN ABASING MYSELF THAT YE MIGHT BE EXALTED, BECAUSE I PREACHED THE GOSPEL OF GOD FOR NOUGHT? He had clai...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    IN ABASING MYSELF (εμαυτον ταπεινων). Humbling myself by making tents for a living while preaching in Corinth. He is ironical still about "doing a sin" (αμαρτιαν εποιησα).FOR NOUGHT (δωρεαν). _Gr...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    OFFENCE SIN (_ See Scofield) - (Romans 3:23). _...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Paul's godly jealousy for Christ's cause. Warning against false teachers. Paul's enforced boasting. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Paul, Satan, Eve, Abraham, Aretas, governor of Damascus. CONCLUS...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    2 Corinthians 11:1. _Bear with me a little in my folly;_ for I must glory a little when the advocate of self-applause. I know it is folly for a man to applaud himself; and I doubt not but you will bea...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    CHARGE YOU A THING. Paul would accept no pay from the Corinthians when he planted the church there. The false apostles said this proved he was not an apostle. Paul says that he humbled himself to make...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 2 CORINTHIANS 11:7 Paul supported himself in Corinth. Thus he PREACHED GOD’S GOSPEL... FREE OF CHARGE for the sake of the Corinthians. This EXALTED the Corinthian believers but w...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 11 SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER i. After declaring his love for the Corinthians, he proceeds (ver. 4) to defend his apostleship against the false apostles, pointing out that they had bestowed no...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ 2 Corinthians 11:7. OR.—Turning to another topic. OFFENCE.—Lit. “_Sin_.” FREELY.—_I.e. “without charge_.” Cf. Philippians 4:12. 2 Corinthians 11:8

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    AN APOSTLE DRIVEN AGAINST HIS WILL INTO A SEMBLANCE OF BOASTING. EXPOSITION An apology for the "foolishness" of boasting (2 Corinthians 11:1). He is not afraid of comparisons ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let's turn to II Corinthians, chapter eleven. Paul's authority as an apostle has been challenged in the Corinthian church by certain Jewish teachers who had come in behind Paul, as they so often did,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 4:10; 1 Corinthians 9:12; 1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Corinthians 9:6;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Abasing myself. By working at his trade. Preached the Gospel - freely [δ ω ρ ε α ν] gratuitously. Rev., for nought, is not an improvement, but is quite as ambiguous as freely. Without charge would be...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Have I committed an offence — Will any turn this into an objection? In humbling myself — To work at my trade. That ye might be exalted — To be children of God....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Observe here, 1. That St. Paul, in his former epistle to the Corinthians, abundantly proved the lawfulness of his taking maintenance from those to whom he preached the gospel: Yet here he tells the Co...

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