2 Corinthians 10:15 kjv
Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
2 Corinthians 10:15 nkjv
not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men's labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere,
2 Corinthians 10:15 niv
Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand,
2 Corinthians 10:15 esv
We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged,
2 Corinthians 10:15 nlt
Nor do we boast and claim credit for the work someone else has done. Instead, we hope that your faith will grow so that the boundaries of our work among you will be extended.
2 Corinthians 10 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 10:15 | not boasting beyond limits in other men's labors; but... hope your faith to increase. | God's sovereign work and growth |
| Gal 2:9 | James, Cephas, and John, who gave the right hand of fellowship to... to the Gentiles--we to the uncircumcised. | Division of labor/ministry |
| 1 Cor 3:6 | I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. | God's role in spiritual growth |
| John 15:5 | I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him is bearing much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. | Dependence on Christ for fruit |
| Phil 1:5 | because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. | Partnership in the Gospel |
| Phil 2:13 | for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. | God's working in believers |
| Col 1:6 | and it is bearing fruit and increasing—as indeed it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth— | Gospel bearing fruit |
| Acts 1:8 | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses... | Holy Spirit's empowering ministry |
| Rom 1:16 | For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... | Gospel as God's power |
| 1 Thess 2:13 | And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. | Word of God's working |
| 1 Cor 1:10 | I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another, in order that there may be no divisions among you, but that you may be united in the same mind and the same judgment. | Unity in the church |
| 2 Cor 11:10 | as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all the regions of Achaia shall boast of me. | Humility in ministry |
| 1 Cor 3:5 | What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. | Servants in God's plan |
| Eph 4:11-12 | And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, equipping the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, | Spiritual gifts for building up |
| Heb 12:2 | looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross... | Christ as founder of faith |
| Rom 15:18 | For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me... | Christ's work through Paul |
| 1 Cor 15:10 | But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. | Grace and diligent work |
| Ps 115:1 | Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, because of your steadfast love, because of your faithfulness! | Giving glory to God |
| Acts 14:3 | So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. | God confirming the Word |
| Jer 1:7 | But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a youth,' for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and speak whatever I command you. | Obedience and divine command |
| Matt 28:19-20 | Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them... and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. | The Great Commission |
2 Corinthians 10 verses
2 Corinthians 10 15 Meaning
Paul is speaking about the growth and spread of the Gospel, emphasizing that it's God's power, not his own rhetoric, that enables the faithfulness of the Corinthians. The success of the Gospel in reaching and transforming lives is a testament to divine action, and Paul anticipates the expansion of his ministry to their region.
2 Corinthians 10 15 Context
This verse is found within the tenth chapter of 2 Corinthians, a section where Paul is defending his apostleship and ministry against criticisms from some in the Corinthian church who were influenced by Judaizers or self-appointed "super-apostles." Paul contrasts his genuine apostolic authority and ministry, rooted in Christ and empowered by the Spirit, with the worldly methods and boasting of his opponents. This particular verse expresses Paul's contentment and his reliance on God for the expansion of his ministry and the spiritual growth of the believers in Corinth, specifically hoping for their faith to be strengthened and grow, reaching beyond their existing boundaries.
2 Corinthians 10 15 Word Analysis
- "May hope" (elpidos echomen): This is not a mere wish but a confident expectation, stemming from God's established faithfulness. It carries a sense of eager anticipation.
- "Your faith" (ten pistin humon): Refers to the collective belief and trust of the Corinthian believers.
- "To increase" (meiza) genoumenous): Denotes an enlargement or becoming greater. This speaks to quantitative growth in number, but more importantly, a qualitative deepening of faith, trust, and understanding in God.
- "When your faith has increased" (hos an auxētai hē pistis humōn): This conditional phrase indicates that Paul's intention for his ministry expansion into their region is directly linked to the expected growth of their faith.
Words Group Analysis:
- "May hope your faith to increase" (elpidos echomen ten pistin humōn meiza genoumenous): This phrase captures Paul's expectation for a blossoming and strengthening of the believers' faith, a natural outcome of the Gospel's established work and God’s continuing ministry among them. This expectation is grounded in God's power and the authenticity of the Gospel itself.
2 Corinthians 10 15 Bonus Section
The concept of "boasting beyond limits" that Paul addresses here relates to comparing one's own achievements or ministries against others, or claiming credit that belongs solely to God. This was a characteristic of the "super-apostles" in Corinth, who were likely highlighting their physical presence, eloquent speech, or supposed unique spiritual gifts. Paul, however, anchors his hope in God's ability to strengthen faith. This emphasis on the organic growth of faith aligns with the biblical understanding of spiritual maturation (1 Cor 3:6-9, Eph 4:15-16) and reflects Christ's own mission to build His church through the preaching of the Word and the power of the Spirit (Matt 16:18). Paul’s expectation is that the existing faithfulness of the Corinthians, once strengthened and deepened by God, would naturally extend his ministry’s reach further into new areas of Achaia.
2 Corinthians 10 15 Commentary
Paul’s ministry’s ultimate success and intended expansion are not about his personal accomplishments or the regions he directly converts. Instead, his genuine hope lies in the strengthening and multiplication of the faith of believers wherever the Gospel takes root. His boasting is not in geographical conquests or numbers of converts he personally reached, but in the deep-seated increase of faith within the lives of those who have already heard the Gospel. He is confident that as their faith grows, it will lead to further expansion, indicating a spiritual momentum driven by God, not by human ambition. This focuses on the internal spiritual reality of faith as the true measure of ministry success.