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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

2 Corinthians 11:13

False apostles

(ψευδαποστολο). From ψευδης, false, and αποστολος. Paul apparently made this word (cf. Revelation 2:2). In verse 2 Corinthians 11:26 we have ψευδαδελφος, a word of like formation (Galatians 2:4). See also ψευδοχριστο and ψευδοπροφητα in Mark 13:22.Deceitful

(δολιο). Old word from δολος (lure, snare), only here in N.T. (cf. Romans 16:18).Fashioning themselves

(μετασχηματιζομενο). Present middle (direct) participle of the old verb μετασχηματιζω for which see on 1 Corinthians 4:6. Masquerading as apostles of Christ by putting on the outward habiliments, posing as ministers of Christ ("gentlemen of the cloth," nothing but cloth). Paul plays with this verb in verses 2 Corinthians 11:13; 2 Corinthians 11:14; 2 Corinthians 11:15.

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See also 2 Corinthians 11:13 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 2 Corinthians 11:13. _FOR SUCH_ ARE _FALSE APOSTLES_] Persons who _pretend_ to be apostles, but have no mission from Christ. _DECEITFUL WORKERS_] They _do_ preach and labour, but they have noth...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    FOR SUCH ARE FALSE APOSTLES - They have no claim to the apostolic office. They are deceivers. They pretend to be apostles; but they have no divine commission from the Redeemer. Paul had thus far argue...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. ANSWERING HIS ADVERSARIES. HIS BOASTINGS. CHAPTER 11 _ 1. The Danger Through False Teachers. (2 Corinthians 11:1)_ 2. Answering His Adversaries. (2 Corinthians 11:7) 3. His Boastings of Labors a...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    A TENDER APPEAL TO THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE. This appeal may sound like foolish sentiment. Let them bear with him. _Indeed_ he is sure that they do. What has happened under Paul's guidance and inspiratio...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE PERIL OF SEDUCTION (2 Corinthians 11:1-6)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you should be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you for nothing? I plundered other Churches and took pay from them in order to render se...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    FALSE APOSTLES. Greek. _pseudapostotos._ Only here. Compare 2 Corinthians 11:26 and 2 Peter 2:1, DECEITFUL. Greek. _dolios_. Only here. The verb in Romans 3:13. TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES. Gre

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _For such_ The link of connection is as follows. You cannot believe them in their boasting. They are false and deceitful in all their doings. They have not _your_interest at heart, but their own. Cf....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΟἹ ΓᾺΡ ΤΟΙΟΥ͂ΤΟΙ ΨΕΥΔΑΠΌΣΤΟΛΟΙ, ἘΡΓΆΤΑΙ ΔΌΛΙΟΙ. _For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers_. The γάρ implies some such thought as, ‘I am justified in saying these severe things, _for_ people...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    THE APOSTLE’S GLORYING ABOUT WORKING GRATUITOUSLY With this passage 1 Corinthians 9, especially 2 Corinthians 11:12; 2 Corinthians 11:15;...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _FALSE APOSTLES AND DECEITFUL WORKERS -- 2 CORINTHIANS 11:5-15:_ There was no way in which Paul was inferior to these false apostles. In fact he was not a whit behind the chiefest apostles. His speech...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΤΟΙΟΎΤΟΣ (G5108) подобный, ΨΕΥΔΆΠΌΣΤΟΛΟΣ (G5570) ложный апостол, псевдоапостол (DPL, 644-53)."ΈΡΓΆΤΗΣ (G2040) тот, кто работает, ΔΌΛΙΟΣ (G1386) обманный, мошеннический, хитрый, обманчивый. Основное...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    FOR SUCH ARE FALSE APOSTLES,— They had questioned St. Paul's apostleship, 1 Corinthians 9 because of his not taking a maintenance from the Corinthians. He here directly, and without reserve, declares...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTARY SECTION 2 Unassertative (2 Corinthians 11:7-15) 7 Did I commit a sin in abasing myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel without cost to you? 8I robbe...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. FOR. Reason why he needs to cut off "occasion" from his detractors. FALSE APOSTLES. Those 'ov...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    11 Even forbearance and gentleness have their limits. The apostle makes it clear that. when he came to them again he would act quite as severely as he wrote in dealing with those who still opposed him...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    _(B) 11:1-15. DEFENCE OF HIS GOSPEL AND OF HIS INDEPENDENCE_ St. Paul says that he also will now boast a little, for he is as much an Apostle as those whom they prefer. If he refuses monetary support...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    PARAPHRASE. 'I assure you, by the truth of Christ within me, that I shall permit no one to interfere with the grounds of this boast in the district of Achaia. (11) And that, too, not because I despise...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    FALSE APOSTLES] He now exposes them in plain terms. TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES] RV 'fashioning themselves,' and so in next v....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD SHOWS HIS POWER WHEN WE ARE WEAK 2 CORINTHIANS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 11 V1 I will now write some words about myself, like those fools who recommend themselves. Be patient, and you will under...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    FOR SUCH ARE FALSE APOSTLES... — St. Paul’s estimate of the character of his rivals is now given in unsparing language as the reason why he desires to deprive them of any claim which may give them an...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 25 FOOLISH BOASTING. 2 Corinthians 11:7 (R.V) THE connection of 2 Corinthians 11:7 with what precedes is not at once clear. The Apostle has expressed his conviction that he is in nothing inf...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    οἱ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι κ. τ. λ.: _for such men_ (this explains the ground of his determination in 2 Corinthians 11:12 not to give opportunity for cavil) _are false apostles_ (_cf._ Revelation 2:2. This speed...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    HE IS NOT INFERIOR TO HIS ADVERSARIES ALTHOUGH (_a_) HE IS NOT A TRAINED ORATOR (2 Corinthians 11:6), AND ALTHOUGH (_b_) HE DID NOT CLAIM MAINTENANCE FROM THE CHURCH (2 Corinthians 11:7). THIS WAS NOT...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    CONSTRAINED TO SILENCE BOASTERS 2 Corinthians 11:10 In vivid language, which proves how greatly he had been moved, the Apostle contrasts the false teachers who were injuring his converts with himself...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Having thus stated the true grounds of glorying, and being about to make his boast (such action having been made necessary by the opposition), the apostle has so little love for it that he commences w...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    VERSE 13 Those that accepted pay and opposed Paul were impostors pretending to be apostles. They worked, but hidden beneath their work were bad motives and intentions. Since they were not called of Ch...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (6) For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. (6) Now at length he portrays these fellows as they truly are, forewarning that it will come...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (11) For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    illing them to overflowing, though surely not to cease in the ages to come. "Unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    13._For such are false Apostles _While he has already taken away from them what they chiefly desired, yet, not contented with having put himself on a level with them with respect to that in which they...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In Chapter 11, jealous with regard to his beloved Corinthians with a godly jealousy, he carries yet further his arguments relating to false teachers. He asks the faithful in Corinth to bear with him a...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FOR SUCH ARE FALSE APOSTLES,.... Such as those he had in view, who sought an occasion to depress him, and exalt themselves, and to get money from the Corinthians; these were "false apostles", or apost...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For such _are_ false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. Ver. 13. _Deceitful workers_] They seemed to labour, but indeed they loitered, or worse; seeking...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For such are false apostles_ Whatever they may pretend to the contrary, being destitute of that divine mission which all the true apostles have; _deceitful workers_ Pretending to great disinterestedn...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES; attempting to appear like apostles of Christ....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Paul insists upon observing this course on account of the false teachers:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    FOR SUCH ARE FALSE APOSTLES, DECEITFUL WORKERS, TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES INTO THE APOSTLES OF CHRIST....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    If it seems strange that Paul asks the Corinthians to bear with a little folly in him, yet let us still remember that it is God who inspires him to write as he does. Paul considered it folly to speak...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    5-15 It is far better to be plain in speech, yet walking openly and consistently with the gospel, than to be admired by thousands, and be lifted up in pride, so as to disgrace the gospel by evil temp...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    FOR SUCH ARE FALSE APOSTLES; that is, persons pretending to be sent of Christ, but were indeed never sent of him. DECEITFUL WORKERS; persons whose work is but to cheat and deceive you; and that both w...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. [Thus he declares plainly that these men are not apostles, that they maintained their false position...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Tertullian Against Marcion Book V when he designates "false apostles, deceitful workers transforming themselves" into likenesses of himself,[580] Constitutions of the Holy Apostles Book VI And afte...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 Corinthians 11:13 For G1063 such G5108 apostles G5570 deceitful G1386 workers G2040 themselves G3345 (G5734) into...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for even Satan fashions himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefor...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    PAUL DEFENDS HIS APOSTLESHIP AND COMPARES HIMSELF WITH HIS OPPONENTS (2 CORINTHIANS 11:1). An exact determination of who the visiting preachers were who constituted the new grave threat to Paul's mini...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    2 Corinthians 11:13. FOR SUCH MEN ARE FALSE APOSTLES, DECEITFUL WORKERS, FASHIONING THEMSELVES INTO APOSTLES OF CHRIST. He now tears off the mask, giving his opponents their true name in which charact...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Paul's godly jealousy for Christ's cause. Warning against false teachers. Paul's enforced boasting. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Paul, Satan, Eve, Abraham, Aretas, governor of Damascus. CONCLUS...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    2 Corinthians 11:1. _Bear with me a little in my folly;_ for I must glory a little when the advocate of self-applause. I know it is folly for a man to applaud himself; and I doubt not but you will bea...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    THEY ARE FALSE APOSTLES. The _Expositor's Greek Testament_ says: "This speedy appearance of false teachers was one of the most remarkable features of the Apostolic age; _compare_ Galatians 2:4; Philip...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 2 CORINTHIANS 11:9 Paul refused to accept money from the Corinthians because he had to distinguish his ministry from that of the false apostles. They labored in Corinth out of gr...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 2 CORINTHIANS 11:13 FALSE APOSTLES. See 2 Peter 2:1 and notes....

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 11 SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER i. After declaring his love for the Corinthians, he proceeds (ver. 4) to defend his apostleship against the false apostles, pointing out that they had bestowed no...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ 2 Corinthians 11:12. OCCASION.—General drift clear, particular application difficult, from our ignorance of facts. Hard to reconcile some of the presumed cavils and accusations; which...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    AN APOSTLE DRIVEN AGAINST HIS WILL INTO A SEMBLANCE OF BOASTING. EXPOSITION An apology for the "foolishness" of boasting (2 Corinthians 11:1). He is not afraid of comparisons ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let's turn to II Corinthians, chapter eleven. Paul's authority as an apostle has been challenged in the Corinthian church by certain Jewish teachers who had come in behind Paul, as they so often did,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 John 2:18; 1 John 4:1; 1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 Timothy 6:3;

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Transforming themselves [μ ε τ α σ χ η μ α τ ι ζ ο μ ε ν ο ι]. Rev., better, fashioning, thus preserving the distinctive force of schma outward fashion, which forms part of the compound verb. See on M...

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Old Testament