15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, awhose end will be according to their works.
Reluctant Boasting
16 I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little.
17 What I speak, aI speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.
19 For you put up with fools gladly, asince you yourselves are wise!
20 For you put up with it aif one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes fromyou, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.
21 To our shame aI say that we were too weak for that! But bin whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.
Suffering for Christ
22 Are they aHebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: ain labors more abundant, bin stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, cin deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times I received aforty bstripes minus one.
25 Three times I was abeaten with rods; bonce I was stoned; three times I cwas shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, ain perils of myown countrymen, bin perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 in weariness and toil, ain sleeplessness often, bin hunger and thirst, in cfastings often, in cold and nakedness—
28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: amy deep concern for all the churches.
29aWho is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn withindignation?
30 If I must boast, aI will boast in the things which concern my1 infirmity.
31aThe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, bwho is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
32aIn Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me;
33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.
not after the Lord—By inspired guidance he excepts this "glorying" or "boasting" from the inspired authoritativeness which belongs to all else that he wrote; even this boasting, though undesirable in itself, was permitted by the Spirit, taking into account its aim, namely, to draw off the Corinthians from their false teachers to the apostle. Therefore this passage gives no proof that any portion of Scripture is uninspired. It merely guards against his boasting being made a justification of boasting in general, which is not ordinarily "after the Lord," that is, consistent with Christian humility.
foolishly—Greek, "in foolishness."
confidence of boasting— (II Corinthians 9:4).
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing 2 Corinthians 11:17:
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