2 Corinthians 11:7

Ἤ ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησα κ.τ.λ. Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God’s gospel for nothing? For ἤ introducing an emphatic question comp. 1 Corinthians 6:2; Romans 2:4; Romans 3:29; Romans 6:3. The strong expression ἁμαρτίαν ποιῆσαι (1 John 3:9; 1 Peter 1:22; comp. τὴν�. π. 1 John 3:4; 1 John 3:8; John 8:34) is ironical. S. Paul uses it nowhere else: see Westcott on 1 John 3:4. In ἐμαυτὸν ταπεινῶν he was following the example (Philippians 2:8) and the direction of Christ (Matthew 18:4; Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14). He refers specially to working for his living in a rough handicraft. By ὑψωθῆτε he does not mean, ‘that you might be better off, through not having to support me,’ which is very inadequate; but ‘that you might be raised from heathenism to Christianity.’ He had just spoken of his manifesting his knowledge everywhere: they could hardly blame him for that. Or was it a crime that he manifested it gratis? Note the emphatic juxtaposition of δωρεάν and τὸ τοῦ θεοῦ εὐαγγέλιον: the most precious thing in the world is to be had for nothing (Romans 3:24; Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:17). Note also the emphatic position of τοῦ θεοῦ: it is God’s Gospel, which that of the Judaizers is not. Elsewhere he writes τὸ εὑαγγ. τοῦ θεοῦ (Romans 15:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:8-9; comp. Mark 1:14): 1 Peter 4:17 as here.