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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
2 Cor C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13
2 Cor 11 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32 V33
OET (OET-LV) But what I_am_doing, also I_will_be_doing, in_order_that I_may_cut_off the opportunity of_the ones wanting an_opportunity, in_order_that in what they_are_boasting, they_may_be_found as also we.
OET (OET-RV) But what I’m doing, I’ll keep on doing, so that I can deny the opportunity to those people who are looking for an opportunity so that what they boast about, we’ll already be doing,
In 11:1, Paul prepared his readers for what he would say in 11:7–10 and 11:16. He described the way he would speak as “foolishness.” Paul used the term “foolishness” here in a special way. In this chapter Paul said he was “foolish” because he praised himself for his own good character, attitudes, and actions. He called this praise “foolish” especially because he had just said in 10:17–18 that believers should not praise themselves.
Paul was very concerned for the believers in Corinth, like a father wanting his daughter to be faithful to the man whom she would marry one day (11:2). In the same way he worried that the false teachers might have led the believers away from following Jesus (11:3–4).
Since the false teachers had deceived some of the believers in Corinth, Paul had to defend himself to the believers (11:5–6). The false teachers had praised themselves and some of the believers had believed them, so Paul had to praise himself. He reminded them that he had not allowed them to support him. He wanted them to know that he was serving them because he truly loved them and wanted to help them, unlike the false teachers.
In Greek culture, a teacher expected those whom he taught to support him. It was an honor to support a well-known teacher. But Paul had not let the believers in Corinth support him. Using irony, Paul asked them if they were upset about his not letting them support him (11:7). Using irony again, he told them that churches in other cities had supported him while he lived in Corinth so that he could serve them full time (11:8–9). But the false teachers probably did the culturally expected thing and accepted money from the believers. Paul explained that he loved the believers in Corinth and therefore had not accepted their money (11:10–11). This example of love showed that the false teachers were not equals with Paul as apostles (11:12). He described the false teachers as claiming to be apostles while actually following Satan (11:13–15).
Other examples for this section heading are:
Paul Contrasts Himself With False Apostles (GW)
Paul and His Opponents (NET)
But I will keep on doing what I am doing,
¶ And/But I will continue to do as I have done
¶ I plan to continue to avoid being a burden to you.
But: Here the Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as But probably introduces a new thought related to what Paul had been talking about.
There is some contrast between people trying to stop Paul’s boasting and what Paul said here.
In some languages it is more natural to allow the context to indicate the connection and omit the conjunction.
I will keep on doing what I am doing: This clause probably refers to Paul earning money to support himself and receiving help from other churches. In that way he would not be a financial burden to the believers in Corinth. In some languages it may be necessary to make the meaning clearer. For example:
I will continue not to accept money from you
in order to undercut those who want an opportunity to be regarded as our equals in the things of which they boast: In Greek culture, people supported a good teacher. This brought honor to both the people and the teacher. While the false teachers took money from the believers in Corinth, God directed Paul not to do so. Although the false teachers boasted that they were apostles, Paul used this difference to show that they were not.
in order to undercut those
so that I may cut off opportunity from those (NASB)
Doing that will block/stop those people from having a chance to
in order to undercut those: The Greek words are literally “to cut off the opportunity of the ones.” Paul wanted to prevent the false teachers from having an opportunity to claim equality with him. Other ways to translate this are:
so that I may cut off opportunity from those (NASB)
to deny an opportunity to those (NRSV)
so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those (NET)
to stop those people from having a chance
who want an opportunity to be regarded as our equals
who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are (NASB)
be considered equal with us(excl). They really want that chance to
to be regarded as our equals: The false teachers wanted to claim that they had equal status with Paul and his coworkers. Then they could demand that the believers in Corinth obey their teachings. Other ways to translate this are:
to claim that…they work on the same terms as we do (RSV)
to be recognized as our equals (NRSV)
to be regarded just as we are (NASB)
in the things of which they boast.
in the matter about which they are boasting. (NASB)
prove that they are right to boast/claim that they are equal with us.
in the things of which they boast: Here this phrase probably refers to the false teachers boasting about being true apostles. Other ways to translate this are:
in what they boast about (NRSV)
in the matter about which they are boasting (NASB)
regarding their proud claims
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast
δὲ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅ Δέ ποιῶ καί ποιήσω ἵνα ἐκκόψω τήν ἀφορμήν τῶν θελόντων ἀφορμήν ἵνα ἐν ᾧ καυχῶνται εὑρεθῶσιν καθώς καί ἡμεῖς)
Here, the word But introduces the real reason why Paul does not burden the Corinthians, in contrast to the false reason he denied in the previous verse (See: [11:11](../11/11.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a contrast. Alternate translation: [In contrast,]
Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns
ὃ & ποιῶ, καὶ ποιήσω
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅ Δέ ποιῶ καί ποιήσω ἵνα ἐκκόψω τήν ἀφορμήν τῶν θελόντων ἀφορμήν ἵνα ἐν ᾧ καυχῶνται εὑρεθῶσιν καθώς καί ἡμεῖς)
Here, the phrase what I do refers to how Paul does not ask for money from the Corinthians. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make the referent for this phrase explicit. Alternate translation: [I will also continue not accepting money from you] or [I will also continue not burdening you]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἐκκόψω
˱I˲_˓may˒_cut_off
Here Paul speaks of removing an opportunity as it were cutting off or destroying something. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or plain language. Alternate translation: [I may defeat] or [I may remove]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τὴν ἀφορμὴν τῶν θελόντων ἀφορμήν, ἵνα ἐν ᾧ καυχῶνται, εὑρεθῶσιν καθὼς καὶ ἡμεῖς
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅ Δέ ποιῶ καί ποιήσω ἵνα ἐκκόψω τήν ἀφορμήν τῶν θελόντων ἀφορμήν ἵνα ἐν ᾧ καυχῶνται εὑρεθῶσιν καθώς καί ἡμεῖς)
Here, the word opportunity refers to a chance or ability to do something. Paul explains what the opportunity relates to by using the clause that in what they are boasting about they may be found just as we also are. Use a form that clearly introduces what an opportunity relates to. Alternate translation: [any opportunity of the ones desiring an opportunity to be found just as we also are in what they are boasting about]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
τὴν ἀφορμὴν τῶν θελόντων ἀφορμήν, ἵνα
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅ Δέ ποιῶ καί ποιήσω ἵνα ἐκκόψω τήν ἀφορμήν τῶν θελόντων ἀφορμήν ἵνα ἐν ᾧ καυχῶνται εὑρεθῶσιν καθώς καί ἡμεῖς)
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of opportunity, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [what some people want to happen, which is that] or [what is desired by the ones who desire that]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἐν ᾧ καυχῶνται
in what ˱they˲_˓are˒_boasting
Here Paul is referring generally to anything a person might boast about. He is not identifying a specific thing that people boast about. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [in anything they boast about]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
εὑρεθῶσιν
˱they˲_˓may_be˒_found
If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you must state who does the action, you could use an indefinite subject. Alternate translation: [others might find them] or [people might consider them to be]
11:12 Paul’s motive in refusing to accept support from the Corinthians (11:7-11) was to show them what true Christian service is like in contrast to the ministry of those who were looking for an opportunity to boast.
OET (OET-LV) But what I_am_doing, also I_will_be_doing, in_order_that I_may_cut_off the opportunity of_the ones wanting an_opportunity, in_order_that in what they_are_boasting, they_may_be_found as also we.
OET (OET-RV) But what I’m doing, I’ll keep on doing, so that I can deny the opportunity to those people who are looking for an opportunity so that what they boast about, we’ll already be doing,
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.