2 Corinthians 11:23

WNT

2 Corinthians 11:23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

Ministers

I am

2 Corinthians 11:5

2 Corinthians 12:11

In labours

1 Corinthians 15:10

Colossians 1:29

In stripes

2 Corinthians 11:24

2 Corinthians 6:4

Acts 9:16

In prisons

In deaths

Colossians 1:24

General references

Matthew 23:11

Acts 5:18

1 Corinthians 15:30

Bible References

Ministers

It is He also who has made us competent to serve Him in connexion with a new Covenant, which is not a written code but a Spirit; for the written code inflicts death, but the Spirit gives Life.

On the contrary, as God's servants, we seek their full approval--by unwearied endurance, by afflictions, by distress, by helplessness;

What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are just God's servants, through whose efforts, and as the Lord granted power to each, you accepted the faith.

As for us Apostles, let any one take this view of us--we are Christ's officers, and stewards of God's secret truths.

and sent Timothy our brother and God's minister in the service of Christ's Good News, that he might help you spiritually and encourage you in your faith;

If you warn the brethren of these dangers you will be a good and faithful servant of Christ Jesus, inwardly feeding on the lessons of the faith and of the sound teaching of which you have been, and are, so close a follower.

I am

Why, I reckon myself in no respect inferior to those superlatively great Apostles.

It is foolish of me to write all this, but you have compelled me to do so. Why, you ought to have been my vindicators; for in no respect have I been inferior to these superlatively great Apostles, even though in myself I am nothing.

In labours

But what I am I am by the grace of God, and His grace bestowed upon me did not prove ineffectual. But I labored more strenuously than all the rest--yet it was not I, but God's grace working with me.

To this end, like an earnest wrestler, I exert all my strength in reliance upon the power of Him who is mightily at work within me.

In stripes

From the Jews I five times have received forty lashes all but one.

On the contrary, as God's servants, we seek their full approval--by unwearied endurance, by afflictions, by distress, by helplessness;

For I will let him know the great sufferings which he must pass through for My sake."

In prisons

For I will let him know the great sufferings which he must pass through for My sake."

He, having received an order like that, lodged them in the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.

except that the Holy Spirit, at town after town, testifies to me that imprisonment and suffering are awaiting me.

When he arrived he took Paul's loincloth, and bound his own feet and arms with it, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the owner of this loincloth, and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"

At the same time he hoped that Paul would give him money; and for this reason he sent for him the oftener to converse with him.

and, during their rather long stay, Festus laid Paul's case before the king. "There is a man here," he said, "whom Felix left a prisoner,

Now when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they handed over Paul and a few other prisoners into the custody of Julius, a Captain of the Augustan battalion;

Upon our arrival in Rome, Paul received permission to live by himself, guarded by a soldier.

For this reason I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles--

I, then, the prisoner for the Master's sake, entreat you to live and act as becomes those who have received the call that you have received--

to spread which I am an ambassador in chains--so that when telling them I may speak out boldly as I ought.

And thus it has become notorious among all the Imperial Guards, and everywhere, that it is for the sake of Christ that I am a prisoner;

Do not be ashamed then to bear witness for our Lord and for me His prisoner; but rather share suffering with me in the service of the Good News, strengthened by the power of God.

For preaching the Good News I suffer, and am even put in chains, as if I were a criminal: yet the word of God is not imprisoned.

it is for love's sake that--instead of that--although I am none other than Paul the aged, and am now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus,

For you not only showed sympathy with those who were imprisoned, but you even submitted with joy when your property was taken from you, being well aware that you have in your own selves a more valuable possession and one which will remain.

In deaths

Nay, we had, as we still have, the sentence of death within our own selves, in order that our confidence may repose, not on ourselves, but on God who raised the dead to life.

For we, alive though we are, are continually surrendering ourselves to death for the sake of Jesus, so that in this mortal nature of ours it may also be clearly shown that Jesus lives.

as obscure persons, and yet are well known; as on the point of death, and yet, strange to tell, we live; as under God's discipline, and yet we are not deprived of life;

But now a party of Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and, having won over the crowd, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, believing him to be dead.

Why also do we Apostles expose ourselves to danger every hour?

Nay, even if my life is to be poured as a libation upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I rejoice, and I congratulate you all.

Now I can find joy amid my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my own person whatever is lacking in Christ's afflictions on behalf of His Body, the Church.

General references

He who is the greatest among you shall be your servant;

and laid hands upon the Apostles, and put them into the public jail.

Why also do we Apostles expose ourselves to danger every hour?