< 2 Corinthians 11 >
1 [But now, because my opponents are saying that Christ sent them to you as his representatives and that he did not send me], please be patient with me, too, [while I say a] few things [that may sound as if] [IRO] [I am praising myself, like] a foolish person [would do. You have been] ([putting up with/tolerating]) [those who teach what is false; ] now then, (put up with/tolerate) me [too].
οφελον ανειχεσθε μου μικρον τη αφροσυνη αλλα και ανεχεσθε μου
2 I really do care about [what happens to] you, just as God cares about [what happens to you. Just like a father wants his daughter to be sexually pure when he presents her to the man she will marry] [MET], I [want you to belong] to Christ [alone and to no other]. I want to present you [to him] as people who remain faithful to him [only, and who have not believed the deceitful message of those who are teaching what is false].
ζηλω γαρ υμας θεου ζηλω ηρμοσαμην γαρ υμας ενι ανδρι παρθενον αγνην παραστησαι τω χριστω
3 However, just like [Satan, when he] cunningly [appeared as a] snake, deceived Eve [and caused her to disobey the Lord God], I am concerned that [those teachers] will cause you to think wrongly so that you will no longer [be faithful to] Christ alone.
φοβουμαι δε μηπως ως ο οφις ευαν εξηπατησεν εν τη πανουργια αυτου ουτως φθαρη τα νοηματα υμων απο της απλοτητος της εις τον χριστον
4 [I say that] because some people have come among you who are teaching [their own thoughts about] Jesus. They [are saying about him] things that are [entirely] different from what I taught you. [They are urging] you to receive a [powerful] spirit who [would come to live in you], but it is not the same [Spirit] that you received [from God when you believed in Christ]. They preach [what they call] a good message, and you accept [their message, even though it is not the same as the good message about Christ that you heard from me. And] you have gladly accepted them and their message!
ει μεν γαρ ο ερχομενος αλλον ιησουν κηρυσσει ον ουκ εκηρυξαμεν η πνευμα ετερον λαμβανετε ο ουκ ελαβετε η ευαγγελιον ετερον ο ουκ εδεξασθε καλως ανειχεσθε
5 I consider that [LIT] none of those [men, even though they think of themselves as being] [IRO] extra-special apostles, are in any way greater than I am.
λογιζομαι γαρ μηδεν υστερηκεναι των υπερλιαν αποστολων
6 [I admit that] I am not an eloquent speaker, but I do know [God’s message]. I have made that clear to you by everything [that I have done among you and by everything that I have taught you].
ει δε και ιδιωτης τω λογω αλλ ου τη γνωσει αλλ εν παντι φανερωθεντες εν πασιν εις υμας
7 [I refused to accept money] from you as pay for teaching you God’s message about Christ. (It is ridiculous for you to think that what I did was wrong!/Was that wrong?) [RHQ] [I know that by teaching you without pay], I made myself seem [IRO] unimportant to you. [But I did it] to honor you.
η αμαρτιαν εποιησα εμαυτον ταπεινων ινα υμεις υψωθητε οτι δωρεαν το του θεου ευαγγελιον ευηγγελισαμην υμιν
8 [Some people might say that it was as though] [IRO] I was robbing other congregations because I accepted money from them in order that I might work among you.
αλλας εκκλησιας εσυλησα λαβων οψωνιον προς την υμων διακονιαν
9 Furthermore, when I was [there] with you and had no [money to buy the things that I needed], I did not cause any [of you] ([to have difficulties by my depending on you/by asking you for money/support]), because our [(inc)] fellow believers who came from [here in] Macedonia [province] brought enough [money for me to buy everything] that I needed. So I have not caused you any difficulty at all [by asking you for money], and I never will [ask you for money] [EUP].
και παρων προς υμας και υστερηθεις ου κατεναρκησα ουδενος το γαρ υστερημα μου προσανεπληρωσαν οι αδελφοι ελθοντες απο μακεδονιας και εν παντι αβαρη υμιν εμαυτον ετηρησα και τηρησω
10 [And] as [sure as you know that] everything that Christ says is true, [you can be sure that what] I say [to you now is true. Wherever I go] there in Achaia [province], [I do not let you believers pay me for doing God’s work among you]. And no one will be able to prevent me from boasting [about that].
εστιν αληθεια χριστου εν εμοι οτι η καυχησις αυτη ου φραγησεται εις εμε εν τοις κλιμασιν της αχαιας
11 No one should wrongly [RHQ] think that it is because I do not love you that [I do not take pay from you]. God knows [that you truly/really are very dear to me].
διατι οτι ουκ αγαπω υμας ο θεος οιδεν
12 There are [some men there among you] who would like to be able to say boastfully that they [work among you] just as I do. So, in order to make it impossible [IDM] [for them to say that], I have [refused to accept pay from you], and I will continue doing that.
ο δε ποιω και ποιησω ινα εκκοψω την αφορμην των θελοντων αφορμην ινα εν ω καυχωνται ευρεθωσιν καθως και ημεις
13 Those men are lying [when they say that they are] apostles. They work deceitfully. [Even though they say that they work for God, they are working only for themselves]. They try to make people think that Christ [sent them] as his apostles, [but they do not truly represent him].
οι γαρ τοιουτοι ψευδαποστολοι εργαται δολιοι μετασχηματιζομενοι εις αποστολους χριστου
14 I am not surprised [that they act like that], because Satan himself causes people to think [that he has come] as a shining messenger [from God].
και ου θαυμαστον αυτος γαρ ο σατανας μετασχηματιζεται εις αγγελον φωτος
15 So it should not surprise [you] if these men, who [really] serve [Satan, do good things in order] to make you think they [serve God]. Some day God will [punish them] according to what they deserve because of the [evil] things that they do.
ου μεγα ουν ει και οι διακονοι αυτου μετασχηματιζονται ως διακονοι δικαιοσυνης ων το τελος εσται κατα τα εργα αυτων
16 I say again: I do not want any of you to think that my [boasting about myself] is like foolish [people] boast. But even if anyone [thinks that I am boasting about myself like a foolish person boasts, listen to] what I [have to say anyway, just like you listen to those false apostles]. They really [speak] foolishly! Listen to me while I also boast a little.
παλιν λεγω μη τις με δοξη αφρονα ειναι ει δε μη γε καν ως αφρονα δεξασθε με ινα καγω μικρον τι καυχησωμαι
17 About the things that I am [going to tell you], boasting confidently [about myself, surely you know that they are not the kind of things] that the Lord [Jesus] would say. Instead, [I will speak] as a foolish [person would speak].
ο λαλω ου λαλω κατα κυριον αλλ ως εν αφροσυνη εν ταυτη τη υποστασει της καυχησεως
18 Because many among you are boasting [about their own work], as unbelievers do, I will also boast [about myself and my work] [MTY, IRO].
επει πολλοι καυχωνται κατα την σαρκα καγω καυχησομαι
19 [I am sure that you, who think that you are so wise, will accept what I say] because you gladly [accept the] false teachers and the foolish things [that they say].
ηδεως γαρ ανεχεσθε των αφρονων φρονιμοι οντες
20 When people [treat] you as if they were your bosses, you gladly submit [to them. You think that it is all right when others] force you to provide for their needs. You think that it is all right [when people] take control over you, when they boast about themselves, [or when they insult you by] slapping you in the face.
ανεχεσθε γαρ ει τις υμας καταδουλοι ει τις κατεσθιει ει τις λαμβανει ει τις επαιρεται ει τις υμας εις προσωπον δερει
21 I agree that I was not bold enough to treat you in such ways. [Ha! Do you think that] [IRO] I should feel ashamed [because I did not do that?] So now, talking like a person who does not have any sense, I will boldly tell you [some things about myself, just like those false apostles tell you things about themselves].
κατα ατιμιαν λεγω ως οτι ημεις ησθενησαμεν εν ω δ αν τις τολμα εν αφροσυνη λεγω τολμω καγω
22 Do [they tell you] that they are Hebrews [and can speak the Hebrew language?] Well, I can say the same thing [about myself]. Do they [tell you that they] belong [to God’s people], the nation of Israel? Well, I can say the same thing [about myself]. [Do they tell you that] they are descendants of [our great] ancestor Abraham? Well, he is my ancestor, too.
εβραιοι εισιν καγω ισραηλιται εισιν καγω σπερμα αβρααμ εισιν καγω
23 [Do they tell you how much] work they have done for Christ? Now I am talking like a crazy person talks [EUP]. Well, I work for Christ much more [than they do. I have been] in prison many more times [than they have. Many times I] have been beaten {[people] have beaten me} very severely [because I believe in and obey Christ]. Many times I almost died [because of serving Christ].
διακονοι χριστου εισιν παραφρονων λαλω υπερ εγω εν κοποις περισσοτερως εν πληγαις υπερβαλλοντως εν φυλακαις περισσοτερως εν θανατοις πολλακις
24 On five occasions Jewish [religious leaders] beat me 39 times with a whip.
υπο ιουδαιων πεντακις τεσσαρακοντα παρα μιαν ελαβον
25 On three occasions I was beaten {[Roman] officials beat me} with wooden sticks. On one occasion [a large crowd of people] threw stones at me [to kill me]. On three occasions the ship [that I was traveling on] was wrecked [and sank. On one of those occasions] I was [floating] in the water a night and a day [before I was rescued].
τρις ερραβδισθην απαξ ελιθασθην τρις εναυαγησα νυχθημερον εν τω βυθω πεποιηκα
26 As I have often traveled to other places, [I have often risked losing my life. For example], sometimes I have been in danger [crossing] rivers. [I have been] in danger [traveling in places] where there were bandits. [At times I have been in] danger among people of my own nation, [the Jews], and [at other times I been in] danger among those who are not Jews. [I have been] in danger in cities, and I have been in dangerous situations in barren areas. I have been in dangerous situations [when I was traveling in ships]. [I have been in] danger among people who falsely [claim to be] fellow believers.
οδοιποριαις πολλακις κινδυνοις ποταμων κινδυνοις ληστων κινδυνοις εκ γενους κινδυνοις εξ εθνων κινδυνοις εν πολει κινδυνοις εν ερημια κινδυνοις εν θαλασση κινδυνοις εν ψευδαδελφοις
27 I have worked very hard [DOU] [to earn] ([a living/what I need]), and often I did not sleep. At times I was hungry and thirsty, and at times I did not have enough time to eat. Sometimes I was cold [because] I did not have enough clothes [to wear].
εν κοπω και μοχθω εν αγρυπνιαις πολλακις εν λιμω και διψει εν νηστειαις πολλακις εν ψυχει και γυμνοτητι
28 In addition to all that, I am constantly and deeply concerned about all the congregations [that I have helped to begin].
χωρις των παρεκτος η επισυστασις μου η καθ ημεραν η μεριμνα πασων των εκκλησιων
29 [Every time that I hear about fellow believers] [RHQ] who are not strong [spiritually], I sympathize with them [and try to help them. Every time that I learn about a fellow believer] [RHQ] who causes [another believer] to do something wrong, that makes me very angry.
τις ασθενει και ουκ ασθενω τις σκανδαλιζεται και ουκ εγω πυρουμαι
30 Because [it seems that] it is necessary for me to [continue] boasting [about myself], I will boast about things that [caused some people to think of me] as being weak.
ει καυχασθαι δει τα της ασθενειας μου καυχησομαι
31 God, who is the Father of our [(inc)] Lord Jesus, and who is the one [whom we should] praise forever, knows that I am not lying [about this]. (aiōn )
ο θεος και πατηρ του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου οιδεν ο ων ευλογητος εις τους αιωνας οτι ου ψευδομαι (aiōn )
32 [One time when I was] in Damascus [city], the governor whom King Aretas [had appointed] to rule [part of his area, told his soldiers] to guard [the gates of] the city so that they could seize me [if I tried to leave the city].
εν δαμασκω ο εθναρχης αρετα του βασιλεως εφρουρει την δαμασκηνων πολιν πιασαι με θελων
33 But [my friends] helped me to escape [by] putting me in a large basket and lowering me [to the ground by a rope] through an opening in the [city] wall. [That was really humiliating]!
και δια θυριδος εν σαργανη εχαλασθην δια του τειχους και εξεφυγον τας χειρας αυτου