2 Corinthians 10:16
in 2 Corinthians 10so 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
so as to preach the gospel even unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another’s province in regard of things ready to our hand.
KJV
To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 10
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThe primacy of knowledge the apostle shows to those capable of reflection, in writing to those Greeks of Corinth, in the following terms: "But having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be magnified in you according to our rule abundantly, to preach the Gospel beyond you." He does not mean the extension of his preaching locally: for he says also that in Achaia faith abounded; and it is related also in the Acts of the Apostles that he preached the word in Athens.
This site's exposition
in the labors of others
on 2 Corinthians 10:15-16
Paul states his ambition, that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, on unreached ground. His rivals had walked into an already planted field and claimed it as conquest.
This site's exposition
the regions beyond you
Paul's hope looks past Corinth to unreached ground. Albert Barnes thinks Italy and Spain the most likely regions, since Romans 15:24 and 28 show Paul planning to visit Spain. Adam Clarke suggests the south of Greece and Italy, and notes Paul would not go where other apostles were already labouring.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
What Paul wants is to preach the gospel to those to whom the message has not yet been given, so that God will be glorified by his labor.
"Not glorying beyond" our "measure," that is, "in other men's labors, but having hope that as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our province unto further abundance, so as to preach the Gospel even unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another's province in regard of things ready to our hand." He sets forth a large accusation of them on these grounds, both that they boasted of things without their measure, and of other men's labors; and that whilst the whole of the toil was the Apostles', they plumed themselves upon their labors. 'But we,' says he, 'showed these things in our deeds. We will not imitate those men therefore, but will say such things where our deeds bear us witness. And why,' saith he, 'do I say, you?' "for I have hope that as your faith groweth;" for he doth not assert absolutely, preserving his own character, but, 'I hope,' he says, 'if you make progress, that our province will be extended even farther, "to preach the Gospel in the regions beyond." For we shall advance farther yet,' he says, 'so as to preach and labor, not so as to boast in words of what other men have labored.' And well did he call it "province and measure," as though he had come into possession of the world, and a rich inheritance; and showing that the whole was wholly God's. 'Having then such works,' he says, 'and expecting greater, we do not boast as they do who have nothing, nor do we ascribe any part to ourselves, but the whole to God.'
The Medieval Church2 voices
Secondly, we hope to be magnified in the conversion of others by you; therefore he says, abundantly, i.e., in the abundance of preaching not only among you but even in lands beyond you; and this according to our rule, i.e., according as Christ has enjoined …
He shows that those people boast in the labors of the apostles and boast without measure, that is, excessively and in others' labors. But we are not like that; rather, having reached you, we boldly say that we have reached you. In this we hope, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
To preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
To preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you - He probably refers to those parts of the Morea, such as Sparta, etc., that lay southward of them; and to Italy, which lay on the west; for it does not appear that he considered his measure or province to extend to Libya, or any part of Africa. See the Introduction, Section 12. Not to boast in another man’s line - So very scrupulous was the apostle not to build on another man’s foundation, that he would not even go to those places where other apostles were labouring.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
To--that is, so as to preach . . . beyond you (and) not to boast, &c. in another man's line of things made ready to our hand--Do not connect "line of things," &c.; but "boast of things," &c.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:82%@v13-16
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you - What regions are referred to here can be only a matter of conjecture. It may be that he wished to preach in other parts of Greece, and that he designed to go to Arcadia or Lacedaemon. Rosenmuller supposes that as the Corinthians were engaged in commerce, the apostle hoped that by them some tidings of the gospel would reach the countries with which they were engaged in traffic. But I think it most probable that he alludes to Italy and Spain. It is certain that he had formed the design of visiting Spain Rom 15:24, Rom 15:28; and he doubtless wished the Corinthians to aid him in that purpose, and was anxious to do this as soon as the condition of the eastern churches would allow it. And not to boast in another man’s line of things ... - Margin, “Rule,” the same word (κανὼν kanōn) which occurs in 2Co 10:13. The meaning is, that Paul did not mean to boast of what properly belonged to others. He did not claim what they had done as his own. He did not intend to labor within what was properly their bounds, and then to claim the field and the result of the labor as his. He probably means here to intimate that this had been done by the false teachers of Corinth; but so far was he from designing to do this, that he meant soon to leave Corinth, which was properly within his limits, and the church which he had founded there, to go and preach the gospel to other regions. Whether Paul ever went to Spain has been a question (see the note on Rom 15:24); but it is certain that he went to Rome, and that he preached the gospel in many other places after this besides Corinth.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰς | eis | so as | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὰ | ta | that | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑπερέκεινα | huperekeina | beyond | G5238 → | |
| ὑμῶν | humon | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| εὐαγγελίσασθαι, | euangelisasthai | to evangelise, | G2097 → | |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ἀλλοτρίῳ | allotrio | another’s | G245 → | |
| κανόνι | kanoni | area | G2583 → | 4 times |
| εἰς | eis | in | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὰ | ta | <the> [things] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἕτοιμα | hetoima | ready | G2092 → | 17 times |
| καυχήσασθαι. | kauchesasthai | to boast. | G2744 → | 37 times |
εἰςso as
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὰthat
taG3588 →19766 times
ὑπερέκειναbeyond
huperekeinaG5238 →
ὑμῶνyou
humonG4771 →2973 times
εὐαγγελίσασθαι,to evangelise,
euangelisasthaiG2097 →
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ἀλλοτρίῳanother’s
allotrioG245 →
κανόνιarea
kanoniG2583 →4 times
εἰςin
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὰ<the> [things]
taG3588 →19766 times
ἕτοιμαready
hetoimaG2092 →17 times
καυχήσασθαι.to boast.
kauchesasthaiG2744 →37 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Acts 19:21After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as…
it leads to
- Acts 20:22
And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
- Acts 20:16
Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
- Acts 23:11
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”
- Acts 18:21
But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.
- Galatians 2:1
Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also.
- Acts 20:22
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Corinthians
This page draws on 11 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; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 6; Frederic Godet, Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 22 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.