2 COR 11:16 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) I’ll say it again: no one should suppose that I’m foolish, but if they do, at least accept me as foolish so that I can also boast a little.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT I say again: Let no one think me to be foolish. But if not, receive me at least as a fool so that I too may boast a little bit.

UST I repeat what I said earlier: I do not want anyone to think that I am foolish. However, if you do think that I am foolish, you should at least allow me to act in foolish ways. That way, I too can say a few great things about myself.

BLB Again I say, no one should think me to be a fool; but if otherwise, receive me even as a fool, that I also may boast a little.

AICNT Again I say, let no one think me to be foolish; but if you do, accept me as foolish, so that I too may boast a little.

OEB ¶ I say again – Let no one think me a fool! Yet, if you do, at least welcome me as you would a fool, so that I, too may indulge in a little boasting.

WEBBE I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

LSV Again I say, may no one think me to be a fool; and if otherwise, receive me even as a fool, that I also may boast a little.

FBV Let me say it again: please don't think I'm being foolish. However, even if you do, accept me as someone who is foolish, and let me also boast a little.[fn]

11:16 Paul suggests that he also should be allowed to boast as the false apostles were boasting.

TCNT I repeat: Let no one consider me to be a fool. But if you do, receive me just as you would a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

T4T I say again: I do not want any of you to think that my boasting about myself is like foolish people boast. But even if anyone thinks that I am boasting about myself like a foolish person boasts, listen to what I have to say anyway, just like you listen to those false apostles. They really speak foolishly! Listen to me while I also boast a little.

LEB ¶ Again I say, do not let anyone think I am foolish. But indeed, if you do, accept me even as foolish, in order that I also may boast a little.

BBE I say again, Let me not seem foolish to anyone; but if I do, put up with me as such, so that I may take a little glory to myself.

Moff I repeat, no one is to think me a fool; but even so, pray bear with me, fool as I am, that I may have my little boast as well as others!

Wymth To return to what I was saying. Let no one suppose that I am foolish. Or if you must, at any rate make allowance for me as being foolish, in order that I, as well as they, may boast a little.

ASV I say again, Let no man think me foolish; but if ye do, yet as foolish receive me, that I also may glory a little.

DRA I say again, (let no man think me to be foolish, otherwise take me as one foolish, that I also may glory a little.)

YLT Again I say, may no one think me to be a fool; and if otherwise, even as a fool receive me, that I also a little may boast.

Drby Again I say, Let not any one think me to be a fool; but if otherwise, receive me then even as a fool, that I also may boast myself some little.

RV I say again, Let no man think me foolish; but if ye do, yet as foolish receive me, that I also may glory a little.
(I say again, Let no man think me foolish; but if ye/you_all do, yet as foolish receive me, that I also may glory a little. )

SLT Again I say, lest any one should think me to be mad; and if not so indeed, as mad do ye receive me that I might also boast myself some little.

Wbstr I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

KJB-1769 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

KJB-1611 I say againe, Let no man thinke mee a foole; if otherwise, yet as a foole [fn]receiue me, that I may boast my selfe a little.
(I say again, Let no man think me a foole; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.)

11:16 Or, suffer.

Bshps I say agayne, let no man thynke that I am foolyshe: or els euen nowe take ye me as a foole, that I also may boast my selfe a litle.
(I say again, let no man think that I am foolyshe: or else even now take ye/you_all me as a fool, that I also may boast myself a little.)

Gnva I say againe, Let no man thinke that I am foolish, or els take mee euen as a foole, that I also may boast my selfe a litle.
(I say again, Let no man think that I am foolish, or else take me even as a fool, that I also may boast myself a little. )

Cvdl I saye agayne, lest eny man thynke that I am folish: or els take me euen now as a fole, yt I maye boast my selfe a litle also.
(I say again, lest any man think that I am foolish: or else take me even now as a fole, it I may boast myself a little also.)

TNT I saye agayne lest eny man thynke that I am folishe: or els even now take me as a fole that I maye bost my silfe a lytell.
(I say again lest any man think that I am foolishe: or else even now take me as a fole that I may bost myself a little. )

Wycl Eft Y seie, lest ony man gesse me to be vnwise; ellis take ye me as vnwise, that also Y haue glorie a litil what.
(Eft I say, lest any man gesse me to be unwise; else take ye/you_all me as unwise, that also I have glory a little what.)

Luth Ich sage abermal, daß nicht jemand wähne, ich sei töricht; wo aber nicht, so nehmet mich an als einen Törichten, daß ich mich auch ein wenig rühme.
(I said again, that not someone wähne, I be foolish; where but not, so take me at/to as a Törichten, that I me also a few boast/praise.)

ClVg Iterum dico (ne quis me putet insipientem esse, alioquin velut insipientem accipite me, ut et ego modicum quid glorier),
(Again I_mean/say (not who/any me smell foolishlym to_be, otherwise like/as foolishlym receivese me, as and I modicum what glorier), )

UGNT πάλιν λέγω, μή τὶς με δόξῃ ἄφρονα εἶναι; εἰ δὲ μή γε κἂν ὡς ἄφρονα δέξασθέ με, ἵνα κἀγὼ μικρόν τι καυχήσωμαι.
(palin legō, maʸ tis me doxaʸ afrona einai; ei de maʸ ge kan hōs afrona dexasthe me, hina kagō mikron ti kauⱪaʸsōmai.)

SBL-GNT Πάλιν λέγω, μή τίς με δόξῃ ἄφρονα εἶναι— εἰ δὲ μή γε, κἂν ὡς ἄφρονα δέξασθέ με, ἵνα κἀγὼ μικρόν τι καυχήσωμαι·
(Palin legō, maʸ tis me doxaʸ afrona einai— ei de maʸ ge, kan hōs afrona dexasthe me, hina kagō mikron ti kauⱪaʸsōmai;)

RP-GNT Πάλιν λέγω, μή τίς με δόξῃ ἄφρονα εἶναι· εἰ δὲ μήγε, κἂν ὡς ἄφρονα δέξασθέ με, ἵνα κἀγὼ μικρόν τι καυχήσωμαι.
(Palin legō, maʸ tis me doxaʸ afrona einai; ei de maʸge, kan hōs afrona dexasthe me, hina kagō mikron ti kauⱪaʸsōmai.)

TC-GNT Πάλιν λέγω, μή τίς με δόξῃ ἄφρονα εἶναι· εἰ δὲ μήγε, κἂν ὡς ἄφρονα δέξασθέ με, ἵνα [fn]κἀγὼ μικρόν τι καυχήσωμαι.
(Palin legō, maʸ tis me doxaʸ afrona einai; ei de maʸge, kan hōs afrona dexasthe me, hina kagō mikron ti kauⱪaʸsōmai. )

11:16 καγω μικρον τι ¦ μικρον τι καγω TR

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, orange:accents differ, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN 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)

11:16a

I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.

¶ I say again: Let no one think that I am a fool.
¶ What I said to you before, I now say to you^(plur) again, please do not believe I am a fool.

I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool: The Greek word that the BSB translates as take means “consider” or “think.”The English verb take is used figuratively here to mean “think” or “believe.” Paul was about to speak like a fool (11:22–29), but he warned them here not to think that he was a fool. Other ways to translate this are:

I repeat, let no one think me foolish (RSV)

Again I say, don’t think that I am a fool to talk like this (NLT)

Let no one: This is an indirect command. It is more polite than a direct command (“Do not…”) here. For example:

no one should (GNT)

fool: This word refers to someone who often makes bad decisions or lacks good sense. He chooses based on a faulty understanding of the world and of people. Here the word does not imply “insane” or “ignorant.”

11:16b

But if you do,

But if otherwise,
But if you do think that I am a foolish person,

But if you do: The Greek words are literally “But if otherwise.” Paul expected the believers to think of him as someone who was not a fool. These words indicate that if some believers thought of Paul as a fool, they should continue to listen to him (11:16c–d). In some languages it is clearer to explain the word do in the translation. For example:

But if you take me for a fool

But if you do think of me as a fool

11:16c

then receive me as a fool,

at least accept me as a fool, (GNT)
accept me as you would accept a fool. (NCV)

receive me as a fool: Here the word receive refers to welcoming someone as he is. If some believers thought that Paul was a fool, he asked them to accept him that way. Other ways to translate this are:

at least accept me as a fool (GNT)

let me be a fool (CEV)

11:16d

so that I too may boast a little.

in order that I also can boast a little bit.
Then I can brag a little, too. (NCV)

so that: This phrase introduces the purpose for accepting him as a fool.

I too may boast a little: The Greek words are literally “I also may boast a little bit.” The word “also” indicates that Paul would boast as the false teachers boasted. Other ways to translate this clause are:

I may do a little boasting (NIV)

I can brag a little, too (NCV)

I may speak proudly about myself as well

boast a little: Paul used the word little as irony. The false teachers boasted much. Now he would boast more than a little, just as they did. He boasted in 11:22–29 and in 12:1–5.

In some languages the word little will not translate as irony. If that is true in your language, you may want to indicate its meaning in your translation. For example:

let me have my little boast like others (REB)

then listen to what this “fool” has to boast about (JBP)

a little boasting, like their “little” bit of boasting

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πάλιν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πάλιν λέγω μή τὶς μέ δόξῃ ἄφρονα εἶναι εἰ δέ μή γέ κἄν ὡς ἄφρονα δέξασθε μέ ἵνα κἀγώ μικρόν τὶ καυχήσωμαι)

Here Paul could be using the word again to refer to: (1) what he said in [11:1](../11/01.md) about how he wanted the Corinthians to bear with his foolishness. Alternate translation: [what I have already said] (2) what he said in [11:13–15](../11/13.md) about how he is different from his foolish opponents. Alternate translation: [again what I just said]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical

εἰ & μή

if & not

Here Paul uses the conditional form to introduce something that he thinks may or may not happen. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a form that introduces something that could happen. Alternate translation: [even if not] or [were that not to happen]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

εἰ & μή

if & not

Paul is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [if you do think me to be foolish] or [if you do not listen to that]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

γε κἂν ὡς ἄφρονα δέξασθέ με, ἵνα κἀγὼ μικρόν τι καυχήσωμαι

Here Paul wants the Corinthians to let him do what fools do if they think that he is a fool. He implies that people let fools boast and say crazy things. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make the idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [allow me to act like a fool among you so that I too may boast a little bit like fools do]

Parallel 2 COR 11:16

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

11:16a

11:16b

11:16c

11:16d

Parallel 2 COR 11:16