2 Corinthians 11:9
in 2 Corinthians 11And 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 you in any way, and I will continue to do so.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
KJV
And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 11
Commentary
13 notes on this verseHe arouses jealousy in them in order to further encourage them toward charity, so that, having been surpassed by the Macedonians in providing him with support, they would not also be surpassed by them in almsgiving. By saying "lack," he shows that he received nothing …
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.
This site's exposition
I was not a burden to anyone
The word for burden is an unusual one. Albert Barnes explains it as lying like a dead weight on someone. He reports Jerome's view that it was a word of Paul's home province of Cilicia.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Paul accepted contributions from the Macedonians because they corrected their faults. But he refused anything from the Corinthians because they were less ready to correct theirs.
"And when I was present with you, and was in want, I was not a burden on any man." For he did not say, "ye did not give to me," but, "I did not take," for as yet he spares them. But nevertheless even in the subduedness of his language he covertly strikes them again, for the word, "present," is exceedingly emphatic, and so is "in want." For that they might not say, "what matter then, if you had [enough]?" he added, "and was in want." "I was not a burden" on you. Here again he hits them gently, as making such contributions reluctantly, as feeling them a burden. Then comes the reason also, full of accusation and fraught with jealousy. Wherefore also he introduced it, not in the way of a leading point, but as informing them whence and by whom he was supported, so as to stimulate them again, in an unsuspicious way, as to the point of alms-giving; "For the measure of my want," he says, "the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied." Seest thou how he provokes them again, by bringing forward those that had ministered to him? For inspiring them first with a desire of knowing who these could be, when he said, "I robbed other churches;" he then mentions them also by name; which would incite them also unto almsgiving. For he thus persuades those who had been beaten [by them] in the matter of supporting the Apostle, not to be also beaten in the succor they gave to the poor. And he says this also in his Epistle to the Macedonians themselves, "For in my necessities ye sent unto me once and again, even in the beginning of the Gospel;" which point also was a very great commendation of them, that from the very beginning they shone forth. […]
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 343 · Written before 458.
proposed
This is the greatest condemnation of the Corinthians imaginable. For while he was benefiting them, Paul was being funded by others elsewhere.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Having shown that when he first preached to them during his first visit, he preached to them without charge, he now shows that not even during his long stay among them did he accept any payments from them. First, he shows this; secondly, he answers …
A threefold accusation: first, that while being with you and serving you, suffering need, I did not gain your respect, for you not only did not send me anything, as the Macedonians did, but even when I was with you, you did not support me. …
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
He shows that they considered it a burden to supply him with food. Well said – "I will endeavor," so that you do not think, he says, that I said this with the intention of receiving from you afterwards. But also "I have endeavored and …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And when I was present with you, and wanted,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And when I was present with you - When I was laboring in order to build up the church in Corinth. I was chargeable to no man - I was burdensome to no one; or more liter ally,” I did not lie as a dead weight upon you.” The word used here, which occurs nowhere else in the New Testament (κατενάρκησα katenarkēsa), means, literally, to become torpid against, that is, to the detriment of anyone; and hence, to be burdensome. According to Jerome, its use here is a Cilicism of Paul.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
wanted--"was in want." chargeable--Greek, "burdensome," literally, "to torpify," and so to oppress. JEROME says it is a Cilician word (2Co 12:14, 16). the brethren which came--rather, as Greek, "the brethren when they came." Perhaps Timotheus and Silas (Ac 8:1, 5).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
And when I was present with you - The particle και which we translate and, should be rendered for in this place: For when I was with you, and was in want, I was chargeable to no man. I preferred to be, for a time, even without the necessaries of life, rather than be a burden to you. To whom was this a reproach, to me or to you? The brethren which came from Macedonia - He probably refers to the supplies which he received from the Church at Philippi, which was in Macedonia; of which he says, that in the beginning of the Gospel no Church communicated with me, as concerning giving and receiving, but you only; for even at Thessalonica ye sent once and again to my necessity, Php 4:15, Php 4:16. See the Introduction, Section 6.
The words behind it
28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| παρὼν | paron | being present | G3918 → | 25 times |
| πρὸς | pros | with | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑστερηθεὶς | husteretheis | having been in need | G5302 → | 16 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| κατενάρκησα | katenarkesa | I did burden | G2655 → | 3 times |
| οὐθενός· | outhenos | no [one]; | G3762 → | 232 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ὑστέρημά | husterema | the need | G5303 → | 9 times |
| μου | mou | of mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| προσανεπλήρωσαν | prosaneplerosan | completely filled up | G4322 → | |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφοὶ | adelphoi | brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| ἐλθόντες | elthontes | having come | G2064 → | 628 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| Μακεδονίας, | makedonias | Macedonia, | G3109 → | 22 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| παντὶ | panti | everything | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ἀβαρῆ | abare | unburdensome | G4 → | |
| ἐμαυτὸν | emauton | myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐτήρησα | eteresa | I kept | G5083 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τηρήσω. | tereso | will keep. | G5083 → |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
παρὼνbeing present
paronG3918 →25 times
πρὸςwith
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑστερηθεὶςhaving been in need
husteretheisG5302 →16 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
κατενάρκησαI did burden
katenarkesaG2655 →3 times
οὐθενός·no [one];
outhenosG3762 →232 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ὑστέρημάthe need
husteremaG5303 →9 times
μουof mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
προσανεπλήρωσανcompletely filled up
prosaneplerosanG4322 →
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφοὶbrothers
adelphoiG80 →343 times
ἐλθόντεςhaving come
elthontesG2064 →628 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
Μακεδονίας,Macedonia,
makedoniasG3109 →22 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
παντὶeverything
pantiG3956 →1235 times
ἀβαρῆunburdensome
abareG4 →
ἐμαυτὸνmyself
emautonG1473 →839 times
ὑμῖνto you
huminG4771 →2973 times
ἐτήρησαI kept
eteresaG5083 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τηρήσω.will keep.
teresoG5083 →
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,
- Acts 18:3
and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:7–9
Through
1 Thessalonians 2:6Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.
it leads to
- Galatians 1:10
Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- John 5:44
How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
- John 5:41
I do not accept glory from men,
- Philemon 1:8–9
So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,
- Galatians 1:10
Through
2 Corinthians 9:12For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.
it leads to
- Philemon 1:4–7
I always thank my God, remembering you in my prayers,
- 2 Corinthians 8:14–15
At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. Then there will be equality.
- Philemon 1:4–7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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On this verse
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; 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; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 343; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.