2 Corinthians 11:13

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.

BSB

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.

KJV

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

ASV

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ.

BBE

For such men are false Apostles, workers of deceit, making themselves seem like Apostles of Christ.

Original Greek

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οἱ hoi (the) G3588 γὰρ gar For G1063 τοιοῦτοι toioutoi such [are] G5108 ψευδαπόστολοι pseudapostoloi false apostles G5570 ἐργάται ergatai workers G2040 δόλιοι dolioi deceitful G1386 μετασχηματιζόμενοι metaschēmatizomenoi disguising themselves G3345 εἰς eis as G1519 ἀποστόλους apostolous apostles G652 Χριστοῦ Christou of Christ G5547

The early church

What sayest thou? they that preach Christ, they that take not money, they that bring not in a different gospel, "false apostles?" 'Yes,' he saith, and for this very reason most of all, because they make pretense of all these things for the purpose of deceiving. "Deceitful workers," for they do work indeed, but pull up what has been planted. For being well aware that otherwise they would not be well received, they take the mask of truth and so enact the drama of error. 'And yet,' saith one, 'they take no money.' That they may take greater things; that they may destroy the soul. Yea rather, even that was a falsehood; and they took money but did it secretly: and he shows this in what follows. And indeed he already hinted this where he said, "that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we:" in what follows, however, he hinted it more plainly, saying, "If a man devour you, if a man take you captive, if a man exalt himself, ye bear with him." But at present he accuses them on another account, saying, "fashioning themselves." They had only a "fashion;" the skin of the sheep was but outside clothing.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 2 Corinthians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 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 tempers and unholy lives. The apostle would not give room for any to accuse him of worldly designs in preaching the gospel, that others who opposed him at Corinth, might not in this respect gain advantage against him. Hypocrisy may be looked for, especially when we consider the great power which Satan, who rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience, has upon the minds of many. And as there are temptations to evil conduct, so there is equal danger on the other side. It serves Satan's purposes as well, to set up good works against the atonement of Christ, and salvation by faith and grace. But the end will discover those who are deceitful workers; their work will end in ruin. Satan will allow his ministers to preach either the law or the gospel separately; but the law as established by faith in Christ's righteousness and atonement, and the partaking of his Spirit, is the test of every false system.

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Cross-references

33

People & places

Jesus

Topics

ApostlesDeceit

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.