2 Corinthians 11:7
New International Version
Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?

New Living Translation
Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God’s Good News to you without expecting anything in return?

English Standard Version
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God’s gospel to you free of charge?

Berean Standard Bible
Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

Berean Literal Bible
Or did I commit a sin, humbling myself, so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you freely?

King James Bible
Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

New King James Version
Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

New American Standard Bible
Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?

NASB 1995
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?

NASB 1977
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?

Legacy Standard Bible
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you without charge?

Amplified Bible
Or did I [perhaps] sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted and honored, because I preached God’s gospel to you free of charge?

Christian Standard Bible
Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

American Standard Version
Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Or have I committed a crime to humble myself that you may be exalted, and to preach The Gospel of God to you without charge?

Contemporary English Version
Was it wrong for me to lower myself and honor you by preaching God's message free of charge?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Or did I commit a fault, humbling myself, that you might be exalted? Because I preached unto you the gospel of God freely?

English Revised Version
Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Did I commit a sin when I humbled myself by telling you the Good News of God free of charge so that you could become important?

Good News Translation
I did not charge you a thing when I preached the Good News of God to you; I humbled myself in order to make you important. Was that wrong of me?

International Standard Version
Did I commit a sin when I humbled myself by proclaiming to you the gospel of God free of charge, so that you could be exalted?

Literal Standard Version
Did I do sin—humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I freely proclaimed the good news of God to you?

Majority Standard Bible
Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

New American Bible
Did I make a mistake when I humbled myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?

NET Bible
Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you free of charge?

New Revised Standard Version
Did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I proclaimed God’s good news to you free of charge?

New Heart English Bible
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God's Good News free of charge?

Webster's Bible Translation
Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God without reward?

Weymouth New Testament
Is it a sin that I abased myself in order for you to be exalted, in that I proclaimed God's Good News to you without fee or reward?

World English Bible
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God’s Good News free of charge?

Young's Literal Translation
The sin did I do -- myself humbling that ye might be exalted, because freely the good news of God I did proclaim to you?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul and the False Apostles
6Although I am not a polished speaker, I am certainly not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every way possible. 7Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8I robbed other churches by accepting their support in order to serve you.…

Cross References
Acts 18:3
and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.

Acts 20:33
I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.

Romans 1:1
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God--

1 Corinthians 9:18
What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it.

2 Corinthians 2:12
Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and a door stood open for me in the Lord,

2 Corinthians 10:16
so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. Then we will not be boasting in the work already done in another man's territory.

2 Corinthians 12:13
In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!


Treasury of Scripture

Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that you might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

in.

2 Corinthians 10:1
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

2 Corinthians 12:13
For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

Acts 18:1-3
After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; …

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Abased Announced Charge Commit Committed Cost Exalted Free Freely Glad God's Good Gospel Gratuitously Humbling Lower Making News Nought Offence Offense Order Preached Proclaim Proclaimed Reward Sin Tidings Wrong
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Abased Announced Charge Commit Committed Cost Exalted Free Freely Glad God's Good Gospel Gratuitously Humbling Lower Making News Nought Offence Offense Order Preached Proclaim Proclaimed Reward Sin Tidings Wrong
2 Corinthians 11
1. Out of his jealousy over the Corinthians, he enters into a forced commendation of himself,
5. of his equality with the chief apostles,
7. of his preaching the gospel to them freely, and without any charge to them;
13. showing that he was not inferior to those deceitful workers in any legal prerogative;
23. and in the service of Christ, and in all kinds of sufferings for his ministry, far superior.














(7) Have I committed an offence (literally, a sin) in abasing myself . . .?--The rival teachers apparently boasted of their disinterestedness. "They didn't come for what they could get." St. Paul, we know, more than most men, had acted on the law of which they boasted as their special distinction, and in 1Corinthians 9:1-18, in the discussion on the question of eating things sacrificed to idols, had dwelt with a pardonable fulness on his own conduct in this matter, as an example of foregoing an abstract right for the sake of a greater good. His enemies were compelled to admit this as far as his life at Corinth was concerned; but they had detected what they looked on as a grave inconsistency. He had accepted help from the churches of Macedonia (2Corinthians 11:9), and in this they found ground for a two-fold charge: "He wasn't above taking money from other churches--he was only too proud to take it from that of Corinth;" and this was made matter of personal offence. To take money at all was mean; not to take it from them was contemptuous.

He does not deny the facts. He repeats the irritating epithet, "abasing myself"; he adds the familiar antithesis (Matthew 23:12; Luke 1:52; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:11), "Yes, but I did it that you might be exalted," perhaps with reference to elevation in spiritual knowledge, perhaps, because the fact that he laboured for them without payment was the greatest proof of disinterested love for them which could be given. . . .

Verse 7. - Have I? literally, or have I? An ironical exception to his manifestation of knowledge; "unless you think that I committed a sin in refusing to accept maintenance at your hands." It is clear that even this noble generosity had been made the ground for a charge against the apostle. "If he had not been conscious," they said, "that he has no real claims, he would not have preached for nothing, when he had a perfect right to be supported by his converts" (1 Corinthians 9:1-15). Abasing myself. The trade of tentmaker was despised, tedious, and mechanical, and it did not suffice to provide even for Paul's small needs (Acts 18:3; Acts 20:34). That ye might be exalted; namely, by spiritual gifts (Ephesians 2:4-6). The gospel... freely. Some of them would feel the vast contrast between the words. The gospel was the most precious gift of God, and they had got it for nothing. Compare the fine lines of Lowell -

"For a cap and bells our lives we pay,
Bubbles we earn with our whole soul's tasking;
Tis only God who is given away,
Tis only heaven may be had for the asking."
To be a free and unpaid missionary was St. Paul's pride (2 Corinthians 12:14; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8, 9; Acts 20:33).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[Was it]
(Ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

a sin
ἁμαρτίαν (hamartian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 266: From hamartano; a sin.

[for me]
ἐποίησα (epoiēsa)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

to humble
ταπεινῶν (tapeinōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5013: To make or bring low, humble, humiliate; pass: To be humbled. From tapeinos; to depress; figuratively, to humiliate.

myself
ἐμαυτὸν (emauton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1683: Genitive case compound of emou and autos; of myself so likewise the dative case emautoi em-ow-to', and accusative case emauton em-ow-ton'.

in order to
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

exalt you,
ὑψωθῆτε (hypsōthēte)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 5312: (a) I raise on high, lift up, (b) I exalt, set on high. From hupsos; to elevate.

because
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

I preached
εὐηγγελισάμην (euēngelisamēn)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2097: From eu and aggelos; to announce good news especially the gospel.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

gospel
εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2098: From the same as euaggelizo; a good message, i.e. The gospel.

of God
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

to you
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

free of charge?
δωρεὰν (dōrean)
Adverb
Strong's 1432: As a free gift, without payment, freely. Accusative case of dorea as adverb; gratuitously.


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NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 11:7 Or did I commit a sin (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)
2 Corinthians 11:6
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