In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers, in journeys oftenThe Apostle Paul, in his missionary zeal, frequently embarked on journeys to spread the Gospel. The Greek word for "journeys" (πορείαις, poreiais) suggests not just travel, but purposeful travel with a mission. Paul's travels were not leisurely; they were fraught with challenges and dangers, yet he persevered. Historically, travel in the ancient world was perilous, involving long distances on foot or by sea, often through hostile territories. Paul's commitment to his mission exemplifies the Christian call to endure hardships for the sake of the Gospel. in perils of rivers
The phrase "perils of rivers" (κινδύνοις ποταμῶν, kindynois potamōn) reflects the physical dangers Paul faced. Rivers in the ancient world were often unpredictable and could be treacherous to cross, especially without modern infrastructure. This highlights Paul's courage and determination, as he was willing to face natural obstacles to fulfill his calling. It serves as a metaphor for the spiritual and physical challenges Christians may encounter in their journey of faith. in perils of robbers
Traveling in the ancient world also meant facing the threat of bandits. The term "robbers" (ληστῶν, lēstōn) indicates those who would violently take from travelers. Paul's mention of this danger underscores the constant threat to his life and possessions. Yet, his willingness to face such threats for the sake of the Gospel is a testament to his faith and dedication. It reminds believers of the spiritual warfare they may face and the need for divine protection. in perils from my own countrymen
Paul's reference to "perils from my own countrymen" (κινδύνοις ἐκ γένους, kindynois ek genous) speaks to the opposition he faced from fellow Jews who rejected his message. This internal conflict was perhaps more painful than external threats, as it involved betrayal and rejection by those he considered kin. It reflects the broader theme of division and persecution within the early Church and serves as a reminder of the cost of discipleship. in perils from Gentiles
The "perils from Gentiles" (κινδύνοις ἐξ ἐθνῶν, kindynois ex ethnōn) highlights the opposition Paul faced from non-Jews. This included misunderstandings, cultural clashes, and outright hostility. Paul's mission to the Gentiles was groundbreaking, yet fraught with challenges. His perseverance in the face of such adversity is an example of the universal call to evangelize, transcending cultural and ethnic boundaries. in perils in the city
Cities in the ancient world were centers of commerce, culture, and often conflict. The "perils in the city" (κινδύνοις ἐν πόλει, kindynois en polei) could include riots, legal challenges, and social unrest. Paul's urban ministry was crucial for the spread of Christianity, yet it was not without its dangers. This phrase reminds believers of the need to engage with the world, despite its challenges, to bring the light of the Gospel to urban centers. in perils in the wilderness
The "wilderness" (κινδύνοις ἐν ἐρημίᾳ, kindynois en erēmia) represents isolation and the unknown. For Paul, the wilderness was a place of physical danger and spiritual testing. It echoes the biblical theme of the wilderness as a place of trial and transformation, as seen in the experiences of Moses and Jesus. This phrase encourages believers to trust in God's provision and guidance, even in the most desolate and challenging circumstances. in perils on the sea
The sea was a symbol of chaos and danger in ancient times. "Perils on the sea" (κινδύνοις ἐν θαλάσσῃ, kindynois en thalassē) reflects the real and metaphorical storms Paul faced. His shipwrecks and maritime journeys were fraught with danger, yet they were also opportunities for divine intervention and testimony. This phrase serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty over the chaos of life and His ability to bring peace in the midst of storms. in perils among false brothers
Finally, "perils among false brothers" (κινδύνοις ἐν ψευδαδέλφοις, kindynois en pseudadelphois) speaks to the internal threats within the Christian community. False brothers were those who professed faith but acted contrary to the Gospel. This danger was perhaps the most insidious, as it involved betrayal and deception from within. It underscores the need for discernment and faithfulness in the Christian community, as well as the importance of maintaining doctrinal purity and integrity. Persons / Places / Events 1. Paul the ApostleThe author of 2 Corinthians, Paul is recounting his experiences and the numerous dangers he faced in his ministry. 2. RiversSymbolic of natural obstacles and perils encountered during Paul's travels. 3. RobbersRepresenting the threat of physical harm and theft during his journeys. 4. His own people (Jews)Referring to the Jewish community, some of whom opposed Paul's message. 5. GentilesNon-Jewish people who also posed threats to Paul, either through misunderstanding or opposition to his teachings. 6. Cities and CountrysideIndicating that Paul faced dangers in both urban and rural settings, showing the widespread nature of his challenges. 7. SeaHighlighting the perils of travel by sea, which was common in Paul's missionary journeys. 8. False BrothersIndividuals within the Christian community who were deceitful or opposed to Paul's teachings. Teaching Points Perseverance in MinistryDespite numerous dangers, Paul continued his mission. Believers are encouraged to persevere in their faith and ministry, trusting God through trials. Awareness of Spiritual and Physical DangersJust as Paul faced both physical and spiritual threats, Christians today should be vigilant against both external and internal challenges to their faith. Community and SupportThe mention of dangers from "false brothers" highlights the importance of discernment and the need for a supportive and genuine Christian community. Faith Over FearPaul's experiences teach us to rely on God's strength and protection, overcoming fear with faith in His promises. Missionary ZealPaul's willingness to face dangers for the sake of the Gospel challenges believers to be bold and committed in sharing their faith. Bible Study Questions 1. What specific dangers did Paul face, and how do they compare to the challenges Christians face today? 2. How can we apply Paul's perseverance in the face of danger to our own lives and ministries? 3. In what ways can we identify and protect ourselves from "false brothers" within our communities? 4. How does understanding the physical and spiritual dangers Paul faced enhance our appreciation for his missionary work? 5. What steps can we take to cultivate a supportive Christian community that encourages perseverance and faithfulness? Connections to Other Scriptures Acts 9:23-25This passage describes one of the many instances where Paul faced danger from his own people, as they plotted to kill him. Acts 27:13-44Details Paul's perilous journey by sea, which aligns with the dangers he mentions in 2 Corinthians 11:26. Galatians 2:4Paul speaks of false brothers who infiltrated the church, similar to the dangers he lists in 2 Corinthians 11:26. Romans 8:35-39Paul discusses the various trials and dangers that cannot separate believers from the love of Christ, echoing the themes of perseverance and faithfulness. People Aretas, Corinthians, Ephesians, Eve, Israelites, PaulPlaces Achaia, Corinth, Damascus, MacedoniaTopics FALSE, Bandits, Brethren, Brothers, Countrymen, Crossing, Danger, Dangers, Desert, Frequent, Gentiles, Heathen, Journeyings, Journeys, Kindred, Midst, Move, Nations, Often, Outlaws, Perils, Race, Rivers, Robbers, Served, Spies, Town, Travelling, Travels, Waste, Waters, WildernessDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Corinthians 11:26 5555 stealing
5590 travel
5828 danger 2 Corinthians 11:21-29 5109 Paul, apostle 2 Corinthians 11:21-30 8820 self-confidence 2 Corinthians 11:23-26 8795 persecution, nature of 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 5436 pain 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 5565 suffering, of believers
7708 apostles, function
8481 self-sacrifice 2 Corinthians 11:23-30 8358 weakness, physical
8462 priority, of God 2 Corinthians 11:23-33 8451 mortification 2 Corinthians 11:25-27 8027 faith, testing of Library Simplicity Towards Christ
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.'--2 COR. xi. 3. The Revised Version, amongst other alterations, reads, 'the simplicity that is towards Christ.' The inaccurate rendering of the Authorised Version is responsible for a mistake in the meaning of these words, which has done much harm. They have been supposed to describe a quality or characteristic belonging to Christ or the Gospel; …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThis we have Undertaken in Our Present Discourse...
2. This we have undertaken in our present discourse: may Christ help us, the Son of a virgin, and the Spouse of virgins, born after the flesh of a virgin womb, and wedded after the Spirit in virgin marriage. Whereas, therefore, the whole Church itself is a virgin espoused unto one Husband Christ, [2028] as the Apostle saith, of how great honor are its members worthy, who guard this even in the flesh itself, which the whole Church guards in the faith? which imitates the mother of her husband, and …
St. Augustine—Of Holy Virginity. Letter ii (A. D. 1126) to the Monk Adam
To the Monk Adam [3] 1. If you remain yet in that spirit of charity which I either knew or believed to be with you formerly, you would certainly feel the condemnation with which charity must regard the scandal which you have given to the weak. For charity would not offend charity, nor scorn when it feels itself offended. For it cannot deny itself, nor be divided against itself. Its function is rather to draw together things divided; and it is far from dividing those that are joined. Now, if that …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux What 'the Gospel' Is
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.--Mark i. 1 My purpose now is to point out some of the various connections in which the New Testament uses that familiar phrase, 'the gospel,' and briefly to gather some of the important thoughts which these suggest. Possibly the process may help to restore freshness to a word so well worn that it slips over our tongues almost unnoticed and excites little thought. The history of the word in the New Testament books is worth notice. It seldom occurs in those …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Protevangelium.
As the mission of Christ was rendered necessary by the fall of man, so the first dark intimation of Him was given immediately after the fall. It is found in the sentence of punishment which was passed upon the tempter. Gen. iii. 14, 15. A correct understanding of it, however, can be obtained only after we have ascertained who the tempter was. It is, in the first place, unquestionable that a real serpent was engaged in the temptation; so that the opinion of those who maintain that the serpent is only …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Of this Weakness of His, He Saith in Another Place...
13. Of this weakness of his, he saith in another place, "We made ourselves small among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children." [2510] For in that passage the context indicates this: "For neither at any time," saith he, "used we flattering words, as ye know, nor an occasion of covetousness; God is witness: nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others when we might have been burdensome to you as the Apostles of Christ: but we made ourselves small among you, even as a nurse cherisheth …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks. Wherefore they who Say that the Marriages of Such are not Marriages...
13. Wherefore they who say that the marriages of such are not marriages, but rather adulteries, seem not to me to consider with sufficient acuteness and care what they say; forsooth they, are misled by a semblance of truth. For, whereas they, who of Christian sanctity marry not, are said to choose the marriage of Christ, hence certain argue saying, If she, who during the life of her husband is married to another, be an adulteress, even as the Lord Himself hath laid down in the Gospel; therefore, …
St. Augustine—On the Good of Widowhood. The Godly are in Some Sense Already Blessed
I proceed now to the second aphorism or conclusion, that the godly are in some sense already blessed. The saints are blessed not only when they are apprehended by God, but while they are travellers to glory. They are blessed before they are crowned. This seems a paradox to flesh and blood. What, reproached and maligned, yet blessed! A man that looks upon the children of God with a carnal eye and sees how they are afflicted, and like the ship in the gospel which was covered with waves' (Matthew 8:24), …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Paul at Corinth
'After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2. And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tent-makers. 4. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 5. And when Silas and Timotheus …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts For not Even Herein Ought Such as are Married to Compare Themselves with The...
10. For not even herein ought such as are married to compare themselves with the deserts of the continent, in that of them virgins are born: for this is not a good of marriage, but of nature: which was so ordered of God, as that of every sexual intercourse whatever of the two sexes of human kind, whether in due order and honest, or base and unlawful, there is born no female save a virgin, yet is none born a sacred virgin: so it is brought to pass that a virgin is born even of fornication, but a sacred …
St. Augustine—Of Holy Virginity. But when He Might Use to Work, that Is...
15. But when he might use to work, that is, in what spaces of time, that he might not be hindered from preaching the Gospel, who can make out? Though, truly, that he wrought at hours of both day and night himself hath not left untold. [2518] Yet these men truly, who as though very full of business and occupation inquire about the time of working, what do they? Have they from Jerusalem round about even to Illyricum filled the lands with the Gospel? [2519] or whatever of barbarian nations hath remained …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks. Moreover, if Discourse must be Bestowed Upon Any...
21. Moreover, if discourse must be bestowed upon any, and this so take up the speaker that he have not time to work with his hands, are all in the monastery able to hold discourse unto brethren which come unto them from another kind of life, whether it be to expound the divine lessons, or concerning any questions which may be put, to reason in an wholesome manner? Then since not all have the ability, why upon this pretext do all want to have nothing else to do? Although even if all were able, they …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks. Which Thing Whoso Thinks Cannot have Been done by the Apostles...
6. Which thing whoso thinks cannot have been done by the Apostles, that with them women of holy conversation should go about wheresoever they preached the Gospel, that of their substance they might minister to their necessities, let him hear the Gospel, and learn how in this they did after the example of the Lord Himself. Our Lord, namely, according to the wont of His pity, sympathizing with the weak, albeit Angels might minister unto Him, had both a bag in which should be put the money which was …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks. And that which Follows Concerning Birds of the Air and Lilies of the Field...
35. And that which follows concerning birds of the air and lilies of the field, He saith to this end, that no man may think that God careth not for the needs of His servants; when His most wise Providence reacheth unto these in creating and governing those. For it must not be deemed that it is not He that feeds and clothes them also which work with their hands. But lest they turn aside the Christian service of warfare unto their purpose of getting these things, the Lord in this premonisheth His servants …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks. That the Ruler Should be a Near Neighbour to Every one in Compassion, and Exalted Above all in Contemplation.
The ruler should be a near neighbour to every one in sympathy, and exalted above all in contemplation, so that through the bowels of loving-kindness he may transfer the infirmities of others to himself, and by loftiness of speculation transcend even himself in his aspiration after the invisible; lest either in seeking high things he despise the weak things of his neighbours, or in suiting himself to the weak things of his neighbours he relinquish his aspiration after high things. For hence it is …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great "The Carnal Mind is Enmity against God for it is not Subject to the Law of God, Neither Indeed Can Be. So Then they that Are
Rom. viii. s 7, 8.--"The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." It is not the least of man's evils, that he knows not how evil he is, therefore the Searcher of the heart of man gives the most perfect account of it, Jer. xvii. 12. "The heart is deceitful above all things," as well as "desperately wicked," two things superlative and excessive in it, bordering upon an infiniteness, such …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning The Blessed Hope and Its Power
PHILIPPIANS iii. 17-21 The problem of the body--Cautions and tears--"That blessed hope"--The duty of warning--The moral power of the hope--The hope full of immortality--My mother's life--"He is able"--The promise of his coming The Apostle draws to the close of his appeal for a true and watchful fidelity to the Gospel. He has done with his warning against Judaistic legalism. He has expounded, in the form of a personal confession and testimony, the true Christian position, the acceptance of the …
Handley C. G. Moule—Philippian Studies What the Ruler's Discrimination Should be Between Correction and Connivance, Between Fervour and Gentleness.
It should be known too that the vices of subjects ought sometimes to be prudently connived at, but indicated in that they are connived at; that things, even though openly known, ought sometimes to be seasonably tolerated, but sometimes, though hidden, be closely investigated; that they ought sometimes to be gently reproved, but sometimes vehemently censured. For, indeed, some things, as we have said, ought to be prudently connived at, but indicated in that they are connived at, so that, when the …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great An Essay on the Mosaic Account of the Creation and Fall of Man
THERE are not a few difficulties in the account, which Moses has given of the creation of the world, and of the formation, and temptation, and fall of our first parents. Some by the six days of the creation have understood as many years. Whilst others have thought the creation of the world instantaneous: and that the number of days mentioned by Moses is only intended to assist our conception, who are best able to think of things in order of succession. No one part of this account is fuller of difficulties, …
Nathaniel Lardner—An Essay on the Mosaic Account of the Creation and Fall of Man St. Malachy Becomes Bishop of Connor; He Builds the Monastery of iveragh.
16. (10). At that time an episcopal see was vacant,[321] and had long been vacant, because Malachy would not assent: for they had elected him to it.[322] But they persisted, and at length he yielded when their entreaties were enforced by the command of his teacher,[323] together with that of the metropolitan.[324] It was when he was just entering the thirtieth year of his age,[325] that he was consecrated bishop and brought to Connor; for that was the name of the city through ignorance of Irish ecclesiastical …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh How to Make Use of Christ as the Truth, when Error Prevaileth, and the Spirit of Error Carrieth Many Away.
There is a time when the spirit of error is going abroad, and truth is questioned, and many are led away with delusions. For Satan can change himself into an angel of light, and make many great and fairlike pretensions to holiness, and under that pretext usher in untruths, and gain the consent of many unto them; so that in such a time of temptation many are stolen off their feet, and made to depart from the right ways of God, and to embrace error and delusions instead of truth. Now the question is, …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life Links 2 Corinthians 11:26 NIV2 Corinthians 11:26 NLT2 Corinthians 11:26 ESV2 Corinthians 11:26 NASB2 Corinthians 11:26 KJV
2 Corinthians 11:26 Commentaries
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