2 Corinthians 11:7
in 2 Corinthians 11Was 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?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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?
KJV
Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 11
Commentary
9 notes on this versePaul refused payment for two reasons. He would not resemble the false apostles who were preaching for their own advantage and not for the glory of God, nor would he allow the vigor of his message to become sluggish. For the person who accepts payment …
This site's exposition
to humble myself in order to exalt you
on 2 Corinthians 11:7-9
The rivals apparently charged fees, yet Paul, who preached the gospel of God to you free of charge, is the one accused. Macedonian gifts covered his needs at Corinth, as Philippians 4:15-16 confirms.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted?" What he says is this; "I lived in straitness;" for this is the force of "abasing myself." "Can you then lay this to my charge? and do ye therefore lift up yourselves against me, because I abased myself by begging, by enduring straits, by suffering, by hungering, that ye might be exalted?" And how were they exalted by his being in straits? They were more edified and were not offended; which also might [well] be a very great accusation of them and a reproach of their weakness; that it was not possible in any other way to lead them on than by first abasing himself. "Do ye then lay it to my charge that I abased myself? But thereby ye were exalted." For since he said even above that they accused him, for that when present he was lowly, and when absent bold, in defending himself he here strikes them again, saying, "this too was for your sakes."
The Medieval Church2 voices
Did I sin, he says, by this, and can you accuse me and boast against me, that I abased myself, living on charity and enduring hunger, "that you might be exalted," that is, be established in the faith? For they were not scandalized (which constitutes …
Then when he says, Did I commit a sin, he shows that he has done more than all the others; and this because he preached without payment. In regard to this he does two things. First, he states the fact; secondly, he assigns the reason …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Have I committed an offence in abasing myself,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Have I committed an offence - Have I done wrong. Greek, “Have I committed a sin.” There is here a somewhat abrupt transition from the previous verse; and the connection is not very apparent. Perhaps the connection is this. “I admit my inferiority in regard to my manner of speaking. But this does not interfere with my full understanding of the doctrines which I preach, nor does it interfere with the numerous evidences which I have furnished that I am called to the office of an apostle. What then is the ground of offence? In what have I erred?
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Php 4:12). ye . . . exalted--spiritually, by your admission to Gospel privileges. because--"in that." gospel of God--"of God" implies its divine glory to which they were admitted. freely--"without charge."
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Have I committed an offense in abasing myself - Have I transgressed in labouring with my hands that I might not be chargeable to you? and getting my deficiencies supplied by contributions from other Churches, while I was employed in labouring for your salvation? Does your false apostle insinuate that I have disgraced the apostolic office by thus descending to servile labor for my support? Well; I have done this that you might be exalted - that you might receive the pure doctrines of the Gospel, and be exalted to the highest pitch of intellectual light and blessedness. And will you complain that I preached the Gospel gratis to you? Surely not. The whole passage is truly ironical.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἢ | e | Or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| ἁμαρτίαν | hamartian | a sin | G266 → | 173 times |
| ἐποίησα | epoiesa | did I commit | G4160 → | 569 times |
| ἐμαυτὸν | emauton | myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| ταπεινῶν | tapeinon | humbling | G5013 → | |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ὑμεῖς | humeis | you yourselves | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ὑψωθῆτε, | hupsothete | may be exalted, | G5312 → | |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| δωρεὰν | dorean | freely | G1432 → | |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| εὐαγγέλιον | euangelion | gospel | G2098 → | 73 times |
| εὐηγγελισάμην | euengelisamen | I evangelised | G2097 → | |
| ὑμῖν; | humin | to you? | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ἢOr
eG2228 →342 times
ἁμαρτίανa sin
hamartianG266 →173 times
ἐποίησαdid I commit
epoiesaG4160 →569 times
ἐμαυτὸνmyself
emautonG1473 →839 times
ταπεινῶνhumbling
tapeinonG5013 →
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
ὑμεῖςyou yourselves
humeisG4771 →2973 times
ὑψωθῆτε,may be exalted,
hupsotheteG5312 →
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
δωρεὰνfreely
doreanG1432 →
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
εὐαγγέλιονgospel
euangelionG2098 →73 times
εὐηγγελισάμηνI evangelised
euengelisamenG2097 →
ὑμῖν;to you?
huminG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Thessalonians 2:9Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 3:7–9
For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 18:3
and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 11:9
And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to…
- 2 Thessalonians 3:7–9
Through
2 Corinthians 10:1Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 10:10
For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is unimpressive, and his speaking is of no account.”
- Matthew 11:29
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
- Galatians 5:2
Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
- Romans 12:1
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
- 2 Corinthians 10:10
Through
1 Corinthians 9:6Or are Barnabas and I the only apostles who must work for a living?
it leads to
- Acts 13:1–2
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
- Acts 13:1–2
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Corinthians

This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 23 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.
