2 Corinthians 11:5-16
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 11
5For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.
7Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?
8I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you;
9and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brothers came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.
10As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.
11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows that I do!
12But what I am doing I will also continue to do, so that I may eliminate the opportunity from those who want an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.
13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
King James Version
Chapter 11
5For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. 6But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
7Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
8I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
9And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargable 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.
10As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
12But 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.
13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 11
5Now I consider myself in no way inferior to those "super-apostles." 6Even if I am untrained in public speaking, I am certainly not untrained in knowledge. Indeed, we have in every way made that clear to you in everything. 7Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to minister to you. 9When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, since the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from burdening you in any way. 10As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia. 11Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows I do!
12But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to deny an opportunity to those who want to be regarded as our equals in what they boast about.
13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15So it is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.
New Living Translation
Chapter 11
5But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these 'super apostles' who teach such things. 6I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way.
7Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God’s Good News to you without expecting anything in return?
8I 'robbed' other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost.
9And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be.
10As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all of Greece will ever stop me from boasting about this.
11Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows that I do.
12But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours.
13These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.
14But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
English Standard Version
Chapter 11
5Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.
7Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God 's gospel to you free of charge?
8I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you.
9And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way.
10As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.
11And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
12And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.
13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
New International Version
Chapter 11
5I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." 6I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. 7Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 9And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. 11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
12And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.
13For such people 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 also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
New King James Version
Chapter 11
5For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.
7Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
8I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you.
9And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.
10As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
12But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.
13For such 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 his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.