2 COR 11:29 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 11:16–33: Paul suffered for serving Jesus

In this section, Paul first warned the Corinthians that he was not a fool (11:16a). But he wanted them to listen to what he was foolishly going to boast about (11:16b–d). He told them that Jesus would not foolishly boast in this way (11:17). He told them that he would boast in the way that the false teachers were boasting (11:18). Using irony, he rebuked them for accepting people who boasted (11:19), implying that they were wrong to accept the false teachers because the false teachers boasted about themselves. Again using irony, he told them that they should not tolerate the false teachers taking advantage of them (11:20–21a).

In 11:21b Paul began foolishly to boast about things similar to the ones that the false teachers boasted about. Recounting all his hardships, he showed that he was more devoted to serving Jesus than they were (11:23–29).

Then Paul explained the correct kind of boasting (11:30). He gave an example (11:32–33), with an oath to God to indicate he was not lying (11:31).

Other examples for this section heading are:

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings (NIV)

Paul’s Sufferings as an Apostle (ESV)

11:29a

Who is weak, and I am not weak?

Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? (NLT)
Can anybody be weak without me feeling that weakness?
When someone is weak, then I in sympathy for him feel weak too.

Who is weak, and I am not weak?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes the fact that Paul sympathized with all who were weak. Translate in a way that emphasizes that meaning. Some ways to translate this are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? (NLT)
Do you think anyone is weak without my feeling his weakness? (JBP)
As a statement. For example:
When someone is weak, then I feel weak too. (GNT)
I feel weak every time someone is weak. (NCV)
As an if-then clause. For example:
If anyone weakens, then I feel his weakness

weak: Here the word weak may refer to:

physical weakness from illness or persecution;
moral weakness as in being timid and fearful;
a lack of social power or status;
weakness in faith,
weakness in convictions, such as not wanting to eat food sacrificed to idols for fear that such food might contaminate one’s faith in Jesus.

Paul probably spoke in a general way to allow all the above meanings.

I am not weak: In this rhetorical question, this clause indicates that Paul understood how the weak person felt. Paul would know how to help him. For example:

I do not feel weak with sympathy for his trouble

11:29b

Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with grief?

Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? (NLT)
Can anybody be led astray without me burning with anger?
Or if someone leads that person into sin, I am very upset.

Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with grief?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes the fact that Paul burned when someone was led into sin. Translate in a way that emphasizes that meaning. Some ways to translate this are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? (NLT)
Does anyone have his faith upset without me being upset about it?
As a statement. For example:
when someone is led into sin, I am filled with distress. (GNT)
I feel upset every time someone is led into sin. (NCV)
As an if-then clause. For example:
If anyone is led into sin, then I burn with anger/indignation.

Who is led into sin: This clause is passive. Someone led that person into sin. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

When others lead someone into sin

Or if someone leads that person into sin

If possible, focus on the person who has been led into sin in your translation, because the clause “I do not inwardly burn” refers to having sympathy for that person.

led into sin: This phrase refers to someone causing the person to sin. Other ways to translate this are:

made to fall (NJB)

led astray (NLT)

tricked into sin (CEV)

enticed/allured to sin

burn with grief: Here this phrase refers to being upset. Paul would be upset with someone who caused the person to sin.Harris (p. 815) says this refers to “anger at those responsible.” Other ways to translate this phrase are:

indignant (RSV)

feel upset (NCV)

filled with distress (GNT)

burn with anger (NLT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τίς ἀσθενεῖ, καὶ οὐκ ἀσθενῶ?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τίς ἀσθενεῖ καί οὐκ ἀσθενῶ Τίς σκανδαλίζεται καί οὐκ ἐγώ πυροῦμαι)

Paul is using the question form to show that he is weak when other believers are weak. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [If anyone is weak, I too am weak!] or [I am weak when others are weak!]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τίς ἀσθενεῖ, καὶ οὐκ ἀσθενῶ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τίς ἀσθενεῖ καί οὐκ ἀσθενῶ Τίς σκανδαλίζεται καί οὐκ ἐγώ πυροῦμαι)

Here Paul could be indicating that: (1) he sympathizes with people who are weak by becoming weak himself. Alternate translation: [Who is weak, and I do not sympathize by also being weak] (2) when others are weak, it makes Paul weak too. Alternate translation: [Who is weak, and I do not become weak as a result]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τίς σκανδαλίζεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐγὼ πυροῦμαι?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τίς ἀσθενεῖ καί οὐκ ἀσθενῶ Τίς σκανδαλίζεται καί οὐκ ἐγώ πυροῦμαι)

Paul is using the question form to show that he is inflamed when other believers are caused to stumble. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [If anyone is caused to stumble, I am inflamed!] or [I am inflamed when others are caused to stumble!]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τίς σκανδαλίζεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐγὼ πυροῦμαι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τίς ἀσθενεῖ καί οὐκ ἀσθενῶ Τίς σκανδαλίζεται καί οὐκ ἐγώ πυροῦμαι)

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. Alternate translation: [Whom do others cause to stumble, and I do not become inflamed]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

σκανδαλίζεται

˓is_being˒_stumbled

Here Paul speaks of helping or causing another person to sin as if it were making that person stumble. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or plain language. Alternate translation: [is caused to sin] or [is led into sin]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

οὐκ ἐγὼ πυροῦμαι?

not not (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τίς ἀσθενεῖ καί οὐκ ἀσθενῶ Τίς σκανδαλίζεται καί οὐκ ἐγώ πυροῦμαι)

Here Paul speaks as if he were like a fire that could become inflamed. He could mean that: (1) he becomes angry in response to people being caused to stumble. Alternate translation: [I do not get angry] or [I do not feel fury] (2) he feels sympathy or shares in the stumbling. Alternate translation: [I do not feel sympathy] or [I am not distressed in response]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

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.

OET interlinear 2 COR 11:29

SR Greek word order

Section 11:16–33: Paul suffered for serving Jesus

11:29a

11:29b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 2 COR 11:29

SR Greek word order

Section 11:16–33: Paul suffered for serving Jesus

11:29a

11:29b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 2 COR 11:29