II Corinthians 11:15
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It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
no great thing--no difficult matter. if his ministers also--as well as himself. righteousness--answering to "light" (Co2 11:14); the manifestation wherewith God reveals Himself in Christ (Mat 6:33; Rom 1:17). end--The test of things is the end which strips off every specious form into which Satan's agents may now "transform" themselves (compare Phi 3:19, Phi 3:21). according to their works--not according to their pretensions.
Open source ↗In this chapter the apostle goes on with his discourse, in opposition to the false apostles, who were very industrious to lessen his interest and reputation among the Corinthians, and had prevailed too much by their insinuations. I. He apologizes for going about to commend himself, and gives the reason for what he did (Co2 11:1-4). II. He mentions, in his own necessary vindication, his equality with the other apostles, and with the false apostles in this particular of preaching the gospel to the Corinthians freely, without wages (Co2 11:5-15). III. He makes another preface to what he was about further to say in his own justification (Co2 11:16-21). And, IV. He gives a large account of his qualifications, labours, and sufferings, in which he exceeded the false apostles (Co2 11:22 to the end).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.
They were ruled by a king, the angel of the Abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek it is Apollyon.
For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!
Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.
For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.
and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?
this is what the LORD says: ‘I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. He will have no one left among this people, nor will he see the good that I will bring to My people, declares the LORD, for he has preached rebellion against the LORD.’”
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?
Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies, even though I have caused them no grief, and because you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways to save their lives,