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2 Corinthians 11:3-5
New English Translation
2 Corinthians 11:3-5
New English Translation
3 But I am afraid that[a] just as the serpent[b] deceived Eve by his treachery,[c] your minds may be led astray[d] from a sincere and pure[e] devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims[f] another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed,[g] or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received,[h] or a different gospel than the one you accepted,[i] you put up with it well enough![j] 5 For I consider myself not at all inferior to those “super-apostles.”[k]
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- 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Grk “I fear lest somehow.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Or “the snake.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Or “craftiness.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Or “corrupted,” “seduced.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 tc Although most mss (א2 H Ψ 0121 0243 1739 1881 M) lack “and pure” (καὶ τῆς ἁγνότητος, kai tēs hagnotētos; Grk “and purity”) several significant and early witnesses (P46 א* B D[2] F G 33 81 104 ar r co) retain these words. Their presence in such mss across such a wide geographical distribution argues for their authenticity. The omission from the majority of mss can be explained by haplography, since the -τητος ending of ἁγνότητος is identical to the ending of ἁπλότητος (haplotētos, “sincerity”) three words back (ἁπλότητος καὶ τῆς ἁγνότητος); further, since the meanings of “sincerity” and “purity” are similar they might seem redundant. A copyist would scarcely notice the omission because Paul’s statement still makes sense without “and from purity.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Or “preaches.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Grk “another Jesus whom we have not proclaimed.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Grk “a different spirit which you did not receive.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Grk “a different gospel which you did not accept.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Or “you endure it very well.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:5 tn The implicit irony in Paul’s remark is brought out well by the TEV “I do not think that I am the least bit inferior to those very special so-called ‘apostles’ of yours!”sn The ‘super-apostles’ refers either (1) to the original apostles (the older interpretation) or (2) more probably, to Paul’s opponents in Corinth, in which case the designation is ironic.
New English Translation (NET)
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