2 Corinthians 11:14 kjv
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:14 nkjv
And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:14 niv
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:14 esv
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:14 nlt
But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 11:15 | Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. | False teachers resemble righteous ministers. |
| Matt 7:15 | Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. | Jesus warns against deceptive leaders. |
| Luke 22:31 | And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: | Satan's desire to deceive and disrupt. |
| 1 Pet 5:8 | Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: | Satan actively seeks to harm believers. |
| Eph 6:11 | Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. | The need for spiritual protection. |
| Gen 3:1 | Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? | Satan's initial deceptive approach. |
| Isa 14:12 | How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! | Satan's angelic origin and fall. |
| Rev 12:9 | And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. | Satan's role as the deceiver. |
| John 8:44 | Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your flesh ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of lies. | Satan's association with lies. |
| 1 Thess 2:3 | Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there be a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; | Warning against deception before Christ's return. |
| Gal 1:6 | I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: | False gospels appearing attractive. |
| 2 Cor 11:4 | For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not learned, or your excellent spirit, if they might have prevailed: | Paul confronts different spirits and gospels. |
| Ps 1:1 | Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. | The contrast with righteousness. |
| Prov 14:12 | There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. | Ways that appear correct but lead to destruction. |
| Rom 16:17 | Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. | Discernment from false teachers. |
| 1 Tim 4:1 | Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; | Foretelling deceptive teachings. |
| 2 Pet 2:1-3 | But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. | Similar warning about false teachers. |
| Acts 5:3 | But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? | Satan influencing deception. |
| 2 Thess 3:2 | And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. | Praying for deliverance from deceptive people. |
| 2 Cor 11:3 | But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. | The serpent's subtle deception of Eve. |
2 Corinthians 11 verses
2 Corinthians 11 14 Meaning
Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. This means that evil, or forces opposed to God, can appear attractive, appealing, and even righteous. The disguise is so effective that it can deceive even believers if they are not discerning. It highlights the deceptive nature of sin and false teachings, which often masquerade as truth or good.
2 Corinthians 11 14 Context
This verse is found within a larger section in 2 Corinthians 11 where the Apostle Paul is defending his apostolic authority and ministry. He is confronting the "super-apostles" who were discrediting him. Paul uses an extended rhetorical strategy, including irony and sarcasm, to expose their flawed teachings and compare them to his own genuine service. He contrasts their manipulative methods with his own sincere dedication to Christ and the Corinthian church.
2 Corinthians 11 14 Word analysis
Οὐ (Ou): "Not."
- This is an absolute negative, denying the possibility or truth of the statement.
θαυμαστόν (thaumaston): "Wondrous," "marvelous," "strange," "astonishing."
- From the root thaumazo (to wonder, marvel).
- Implies something extraordinary, almost unbelievably so.
- Here, it suggests that it would be no great wonder, no astonishing thing.
γὰρ (gar): "For," "because."
- A connective particle introducing a reason or explanation.
- It links the previous statement about Satan's disguise to the following consequence.
οὐ (ou): "Not."
- Repeated for emphasis in negating the greatness of the transformation.
μέγα (mega): "Great," "large."
- Emphasizes the magnitude or significance of something.
- Combined with thaumaston, it strongly asserts that it is not a matter of wonder.
ἐὰν (ean): "If," "when."
- A conditional particle introducing a hypothetical situation.
- Sets up the condition under which the ministers of Satan are not a great marvel.
καὶ (kai): "And," "also," "even."
- A conjunction used for various purposes, including addition or emphasis.
- Here, it connects "ministers of Satan" to their potential transformation.
οἱ (hoi): "The."
- The definite article, specifying "ministers."
ὑπουργοὶ (hypourgoi): "Ministers," "assistants," "servants."
- From hypo (under) and ergon (work).
- Implies those who work in service, often under someone else.
- Here, it's used in a spiritual context, referring to those who serve in ministry.
τοῦ (tou): "Of the."
- The genitive article, indicating possession or relation.
σατανᾶ (Satana): "Satan."
- A transliteration of the Hebrew name meaning "adversary," "accuser."
- The ultimate enemy of God and humanity.
μετασχηματίζουσιν (metaschmatizousin): "Transform," "change their form," "disguise."
- From meta (change) and schema (form, outward appearance).
- Crucially, it's not a change of substance (metamorphosis), but a change in outward appearance or mode.
- Implies an external adaptation or disguise to appear as something else.
ὡς (hos): "As," "like."
- A particle of comparison.
- Connects the transformation to the appearance they adopt.
ὑπουργοὶ (hypourgoi): "Ministers," "servants."
- Repeated use of the term.
δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosynēs): "Righteousness."
- From dikaios (righteous).
- Refers to a state of moral and spiritual uprightness, in conformity with God's will.
- The false ministers disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness.
ὧν (hōn): "Whose."
- A relative pronoun in the genitive plural.
- Refers back to the "ministers of Satan."
τὸ (to): "The."
- The neuter definite article.
τέλος (telos): "End," "conclusion."
- Refers to the ultimate outcome, fate, or result.
ἔσται (estai): "Will be."
- The future indicative of eimi (to be).
κατὰ (kata): "According to," "proportionate to."
- A preposition indicating manner or correspondence.
τὰ (ta): "The."
- The neuter plural definite article.
ἔργα (erga): "Works," "deeds."
- The plural of ergon (work).
- Refers to their actions and the fruit of their ministry.
Groups of words analysis:
- "Satan transforms himself into an angel of light" (v. 14b, implied by v. 15): This core idea, though stated for Satan, is applied to his ministers. The transformation is deceptive, making evil appear good. The imagery of "light" is often associated with truth, purity, and God Himself.
- "it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves": Paul states that it is entirely consistent with Satan's character for his followers to adopt similar deceptive practices. It's not surprising; it's expected.
- "as ministers of righteousness": This is the critical aspect of the deception – they mimic the appearance and language of godly service, leading others to believe they are genuinely serving God.
- "whose end shall be according to their works": This is a statement of divine justice. Their ultimate destiny will be determined by the reality of their deeds, not by their outward show.
2 Corinthians 11 14 Bonus section
The original Greek word metaschmatizousin is significant. It suggests a change in outward form or disguise, rather than a radical inner transformation (metamorphosis). This implies that these individuals are not genuinely converted but are skillfully presenting themselves in a way that imitates righteousness for deceptive purposes. The contrast between the "angel of light" (Satan's appearance) and his true nature highlights the deeply rooted deceptive strategy of the adversary. This theme of deceptive appearance is also seen in Jesus' warning against wolves in sheep's clothing and in the Old Testament account of Satan tempting Eve. The ultimate judgment resting on their "works" means that despite their facade, the substance of their actions will reveal their true allegiance and determine their eternal outcome.
2 Corinthians 11 14 Commentary
Paul is essentially saying, "Given that Satan himself can appear as an angel of light, it is not astonishing that his agents mimic godly ministers." This observation underscores the subtle and pervasive nature of deception in ministry. These false teachers are not outrightly villainous in their outward presentation; they imitate righteousness, making their errors harder to spot. However, Paul concludes with a sober reminder: outward appearance is deceptive, but God judges based on true works. True ministry flows from genuine service to Christ, not from a cunning adaptation to appear righteous. This calls believers to discernment, to look beyond superficial charm or rhetoric and assess the character and ultimate fruit of those who claim spiritual authority.