2 Corinthians 11:31
in 2 Corinthians 11The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is forever worthy of praise, knows that I am not lying.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for evermore knoweth that I lie not.
KJV
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 11
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The God and Father ... - Paul was accustomed to make solemn appeals to God for the truth of what he said, especially when it was likely to be called in question; see 2Co 11:10; compare Rom 9:1. The solemn appeal which he here makes to God is made in view of what he had just said of his sufferings, not of what follows - for there was nothing in the occurrence at Damascus that demanded so solemn an appeal to God.
This site's exposition
the things that show my weakness
on 2 Corinthians 11:30-31
The boast promised at verse 1 reaches its true content: I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The line is the hinge to the thorn passage of chapter 12, where glory is found in weakness.
This site's exposition
knows that I am not lying
Paul calls God to witness. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown refer the oath forward to the escape from Damascus, an old event with few human witnesses.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Paul calls God as his witness in order that what he says may be readily believed.
"The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knoweth that I lie not. The Governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, desiring to apprehend me." What can be the reason that he here strongly confirms and gives assurance of [his truth], seeing he did not so in respect to any of the former things? Because, perhaps, this was of older date and not so well known; whilst of those other facts, his care for the churches, and all the rest, they were themselves cognisant. See then how great the war [against him] was, since on his account the city was "guarded." And when I say this of the war, I say it of the zeal of Paul; for except this had breathed intensely, it had not kindled the governor to so great madness. These things are the part of an apostolic soul, to suffer so great things and yet in nothing to veer about, but to bear nobly whatever befalls; yet not to go out to meet dangers, nor to rush upon them.
The Medieval Church2 voices
None of what he said before did he confirm, but here he confirms and verifies, perhaps because what he said here had taken place long ago and was not so clear, whereas what he had recounted earlier, such as the afflictions and the like, was …
Secondly, he states that he is not lying and is calling on God to witness after the manner of an oath, so that they will believe him, saying, The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
he God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.... These words are in the form of an oath, and are a solemn appeal to God, that knows all things, for the truth of the whole that he had declared in the foregoing verses, and of the remarkable deliverance related in the following.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It is a great comfort to a good man that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is an omniscient God, knows the truth of all he says, and knows all he does and all he suffers for his sake.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
This solemn asseveration refers to what follows. The persecution at Damascus was one of the first and greatest, and having no human witness of it to adduce to the Corinthians, as being a fact that happened long before and was known to few, he appeals to God for its truth.
The God and Father of our Lord - Here is a very solemn asseveration; an appeal to the ever blessed God for the truth of what he asserts. It is something similar to his asseveration or oath in 2Co 11:10 of this chapter; see also Rom 9:5, and Gal 1:20. And from these and several other places we learn that the apostle thought it right thus to confirm his assertions on these particular occasions. But here is nothing to countenance profane swearing, or taking the name of God in vain, as many do in exclamations, when surprised, or on hearing something unexpected, etc.; and as others do who, conscious of their own falsity, endeavor to gain credit by appeals to God for the truth of what they say. St. Paul’s appeal to God is in the same spirit as his most earnest prayer. This solemn appeal the apostle makes in reference to what he mentions in the following verses. This was a fact not yet generally known.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ὁ | ho | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πατὴρ | pater | Father | G3962 → | 410 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κυρίου | kuriou | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| οἶδεν, | oiden | knows, | ||
| ὁ | ho | who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὢν | on | is being | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| εὐλογητὸς | eulogetos | blessed | G2128 → | |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αἰῶνας, | aionas | ages, | G165 → | 121 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ψεύδομαι.¶ | pseudomai | I am lying. | G5574 → |
ὉThe
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πατὴρFather
paterG3962 →410 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
κυρίουLord
kuriouG2962 →711 times
ἸησοῦJesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
οἶδεν,knows,
oiden
ὁwho
hoG3588 →19766 times
ὢνis being
onG1510 →2333 times
εὐλογητὸςblessed
eulogetosG2128 →
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
αἰῶνας,ages,
aionasG165 →121 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
ψεύδομαι.¶I am lying.
pseudomaiG5574 →
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
Ephesians 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
- 2 Corinthians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
- Ephesians 2:6
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
- Genesis 22:18
And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
- 1 Peter 1:3
Through
1 Peter 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
- 1 John 5:4
because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.
- Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Titus 3:4–6
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
- 1 Peter 1:23
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); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; 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 25 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.