2 Corinthians 11:21 Meaning and Explanation
“I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Speaking ironically of his supposed weakness, Paul says that wherever others dare to boast, he, speaking foolishly, dares as well.
What Does 2 Corinthians 11:21 Mean?
With heavy irony Paul concedes the charge that he and his coworkers were too weak to treat the Corinthians harshly, as if gentleness were a fault. Then he pivots: wherever anyone else grows bold to boast, he too can be bold, though he again flags such talk as foolishness.
The verse is a hinge into the famous catalog of sufferings that follows. Paul prepares to meet the rivals on their own ground, yet on his own terms, boasting in what they would never claim. He keeps signaling that this boasting is foolish, refusing to let it become genuine pride. The gentleness they mocked as weakness is in truth the strength of a servant shaped by the cross.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Corinthians 11:21
What does 2 Corinthians 11:21 mean?
Speaking ironically of his supposed weakness, Paul says that wherever others dare to boast, he, speaking foolishly, dares as well.