OET interlinear 2 COR 11:20

11:20a–c

In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or exalts himself or strikes you in the face: Paul continued to use irony here. He listed five examples of how the believers tolerated others when they should not have tolerated them. Clearly show the irony. For example:

In fact, you let people make slaves of you and cheat you and steal from you. Why, you even let them strut around and slap you in the face. (CEV)

Indeed, when someone makes you slaves, consumes your wealth, brings you under their sway, looks down on you, or slaps your faces, you gladly tolerate it!

You don’t mind, do you, if a man takes away your liberty, spends your money, takes advantage of you, puts on airs or even smacks your face? (JBP)

In some languages it is more natural to translate these words in a way that explains the irony. Your translation should indicate that Paul was trying to correct their wrong attitude. For example:

For example, when someone enslaves you, or exploits you, or persuades you to follow their lies, or acts arrogant over you, or slaps you in the face, you gladly tolerate it! You should not!

For example, people have enslaved you, exploited you, persuaded you to follow their lies, acted arrogant toward you, and slapped you in the face. And you gladly tolerate it. That is wrong!

11:20a

In fact: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as In fact is often translated as “for” or “because.” Here the conjunction indicates that 11:20 gives examples of how the believers in Corinth gladly tolerate fools (11:19). Other ways to translate this Greek word are:

For (RSV)

For example,

enslaves you: The word enslaves refers to forcing someone to do as he is commanded to do. Slaves are required to do as their master commands them. The false teachers were making the believers serve them. The word is used figuratively. Paul was not saying that the believers had literally bocame slaves. Other ways to translate this word are:

makes slaves of you (RSV)

subjugates you

makes you their lowly servants/workers

demands that you do what they say

11:20b

exploits you: The Greek word that the BSB translates as exploits is literally “devours” or “swallows.” Here, it refers figuratively to using other people’s money for selfish reasons. Other ways to translate this word are:

eats up all you possess (NJB)

takes everything you have (NLT)

consumes your wealth (GW)

spends your money for their own selfish/devious reasons

takes advantage of: The Greek word here is literally only takes. Here it refers figuratively to influencing people so they follow lies. Here the false teachers deceived the believers into following them and their selfish desires. Other ways to translate this Greek word are:

trick to his own advantage

cheat

11:20c

exalts himself: This phrase refers to honoring or praising oneself. It implies being arrogant toward others. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

sets himself above you (NJB)

pushes himself forward (NIV)

behaves arrogantly toward you (NET)

think they are better than you (NCV)

strikes you in the face: This phrase indicates that the person insults someone. It can also indicate that the person humiliates the other person in order to make him submit to his authority.

If slapping in the face has a different meaning in your language, you may want to:

• Explain the correct meaning in your translation. For example:

  slaps you in the face in order to humiliate you

• Translate the meaning of the action. For example:

  humiliates you