Paul and the False Apostles

Paul asks the Corinthians to bear with his foolishness because he is jealous for them with a godly jealousy, having pledged them to Christ like a pure bride. He fears they may be deceived as Eve was and drawn from simple devotion to Christ by a different Jesus, spirit, or gospel, yet he insists he is not inferior to the super-apostles even if he lacks polished speech.

I¹ hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that. ²I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. ³I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it very easily. ⁵I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-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.

Paul then asks whether it was wrong to humble himself by preaching free of charge, supported instead by other churches and by brothers from Macedonia. He says this practice will continue in Achaia, not because he does not love the Corinthians, but because he does.

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. ⁹And 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. ¹⁰As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

Paul says he will keep acting this way in order to cut the ground from beneath those who want to appear equal to him in what they boast about. Such people are false apostles and deceitful workers, he says, and their disguise should not surprise anyone, since even Satan appears as an angel of light and his servants imitate righteousness.

¹²But I will keep on doing what I am doing, in order to undercut those who want an opportunity to be regarded as our equals in the things of which they boast. ¹³For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.