2 Corinthians 11

Devotionals, Articles, and Bible Study Resources on 2 Corinthians 11

1I hope you will bear with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that.
2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
3I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.
4For 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 way too easily.
5I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”
6Although I am not a polished speaker, I am certainly not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every way possible.
7Was 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?
8I robbed other churches by accepting their support in order to serve you.
9And 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.
10As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.
11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
12But 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.
13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.
16I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.
17In this confident boasting of mine, I am not speaking as the Lord would, but as a fool.
18Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I too will boast.
19For you gladly tolerate fools, since you are so wise.
20In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or exalts himself or strikes you in the face.
21To my shame I concede that we were too weak for that! Speaking as a fool, however, I can match what anyone else dares to boast about.
22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
23Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.
24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.
26In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers,
27in labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure.
28Apart from these external trials, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with grief?
30If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is forever worthy of praise, knows that I am not lying.
32In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.
33But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his grasp.
— 2 Corinthians 11

Related Resources from Heartlight

Holy, Please Hold the Adventure
Article by Sarah Stirman

Can we have the holy without the adventure? We can't have the holy life without the adventure life because God uses the adventures to mold us and make us holy.

Pure and Simple
Article by Tom Norvell

How pure is your faith? We must return to the pure and simple faith of trusting in Christ.

Jesus, Be Born in Me
Article by Phil Ware

Like Mary, we don't know fully what we are committing to do, but we know that our ultimate destination is Jesus. Phil Ware reminds us of the gritty reality of Jesus' birth and Mary choosing to accept the challenge of being Jesus' mother and reminds us of our need to commit to have Jesus born in our lives.

Clutter
Article by Larry Davies

What am I supposed to do with all this mess? Larry Davies shares with us his struggle with a cluttered office and how it's been embarrassingly displayed on the Internet.

Remember Your Worth
Article by Max Lucado

You have been chosen by Christ for an eternity-long relationship! Max Lucado reminds us that we are the precious bride of Christ and we need to keep our focus on our wedding day.

Credentials
Article by Phil Ware

What are the achievements that validate your credibility at doing the things you are called to do? Phil Ware looks at the way we chase and give credibility in our world and reminds how Paul showed credibility in his own: becoming a servant, in weakness, and letting God's glory and power be seen in him.

Desensitized
Article by Russ Lawson

Have you seen your own values slipping a little lately? The price of gasoline kicks off some creative questioning by Russ as he wrestles with the serious desensitization that has occurred in many lives.

Burden, Vision, and Passion
Article by Mike Barres

What are you living for this next year? We must live our burden, passion, and vision if we are to honor God.

Cross References for 2 Corinthians 11

Cross References Provided by Open Bible

The Berean Standard Bible

The Berean Standard Bible (BSB) is a modern, clear, and faithful translation based on the best available Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. Ideal for reading, study, and sharing, it entered the public domain in 2023. For more information, visit berean.bible.