As in Rom. 3:7 and Rom. 15:8, truthfulness is an attribute of Christ, as are meekness and gentleness in 2 Cor. 10:1. Since the apostle lived by Christ, whatever Christ is became his virtue in his behavior.

The super-apostles (v. 5; 12:11).

Or, fashioning, disguising (and so in vv. 14-15). The false apostles, being deceitful, fashioned themselves into the appearance of the real apostles, who were true in every way.

This indicates that Satan is the source of the false apostles. They followed him in his deceitfulness to frustrate God's economy.

One who is unlearned, not having the utterance derived from special training.

I.e., apostles in surpassing degree. An ironic reference to the false apostles, mentioned in v. 13 and in 2 Cor. 12:11, who surpassed the degree of the genuineness of the apostles. The false apostles were the Judaizers who came to Corinth to preach another Jesus with a different spirit in a different gospel.

Or, beautifully, ideally. Used here ironically. In v. 1 the apostle expressed his desire that the Corinthian believers, who were bearing with him, would bear more with him. Now in this verse he referred them to the fact that they were bearing beautifully with the false apostles. His idea here was, "Since you bear with the false apostles so well, so beautifully, so ideally, please bear more with me."

Another Jesus means another person; a different spirit means a spirit of a different nature; and a different gospel means a gospel of a different kind.

Another Jesus means another person; a different spirit means a spirit of a different nature; and a different gospel means a gospel of a different kind.

Another Jesus means another person; a different spirit means a spirit of a different nature; and a different gospel means a gospel of a different kind.

Or, singleness. Referring to the believers' single-hearted loyalty, single-minded faithfulness, toward Christ. In the garden of Eden, Eve, the wife of Adam, was deceived by the serpent, Satan, through his questioning and undermining of God's word, and was thus carried away to the tree of knowledge and distracted from the simplicity of eating the tree of life (Gen. 3:1-6). Here the church in Corinth, the pure virgin betrothed to Christ, was being deceived by the Judaizers, the ministers of Satan (v. 15), who were undermining God's word by preaching another Jesus, a different spirit, and a different gospel (v. 4). Because of this undermining preaching, the apostle was fearful that the Corinthians would be distracted by the teachings of the Judaizers and would be separated from the genuine appreciation, love, and enjoyment of the precious person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself as their life and their everything. The above-mentioned three things preached by the Judaizers, who intermingled with the believers, were of Satan.

See note 2 Cor. 3:14^1a.

To be the bride for the Bridegroom (John 3:29), the wife of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7).

Like the jealousy of a husband over his wife.

Referring ironically to the apostle's forced self-vindication and boasting.

God is light, and His angels are of light. In contrast, Satan is darkness, and all his followers are in darkness. There is no fellowship between light and darkness (2 Cor. 6:14).

These are the true apostles, who carry the ministry of righteousness (2 Cor. 3:9). Whatever the ministers of Satan do is altogether unrighteous. Righteousness has no partnership with lawlessness (2 Cor. 6:14).

See note 2 Cor. 9:4^1b.

An ironic expression applied to the Corinthians.

I.e., takes you as a prey (the same word as for caught in Luke 5:5).

Lit., out of my mind.

This is ironic.

Lit., As though.

Verses 2 Cor. 11:22-23 give a comparison between the apostle and the Judaizers, pointing out clearly that in addition to his needing to enjoy Christ as his life supply, implied in all the preceding chapters, a genuine minister of Christ needs to suffer in following the Lord. Anyone, like the Judaizers, who lacks these two qualifications must be recognized as a false apostle, a minister of Satan, regardless of his claims of apostolic authority (vv. 13-15).

Mainly the Judaizing Christians.

Or, I myself am not burned.

Burn in sorrow and indignation over the cause of the stumbling.

Referring to the apostle's sufferings and hardships, which made him appear low, weak, and contemptible in the eyes of his adversaries. These things, not the strength of which his adversaries boasted, attested that he was a true apostle.

See note 2 Cor. 6:5^1e.

Lit., above measure.

While the stripes in v. 24 were meted out by the Jews, rods here were used by the Romans (Acts 16:22-23).

These three instances, which do not include the shipwreck at Melita (universally recognized as Malta), are not recorded in the Acts.

Rivers that are subject to violent and sudden changes from the sudden swelling of mountain streams or the flooding of dry watercourses.

"The tribes inhabiting the mountains between the table-land of Asia Minor and the coast were notorious for robbery" (Vincent).

Since fastings is listed here with hardship, it must refer to involuntary fasting because of a lack of food. Such fasting differs from hunger. Hunger here may refer to a situation in which there is no way to obtain food; involuntary fasting may refer to a situation of poverty.

Because of the weather and insufficient clothing.

Referring to a state of being insufficiently clothed or naked because of scourging or shipwreck.

Have not been mentioned in vv. 23-27.

Anxious care, or care. The same Greek word as for anxiety in Matt. 13:22 and in 1 Pet. 5:7.

Lit., ethnarch.