2 Corinthians 11:22 kjv
Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
2 Corinthians 11:22 nkjv
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.
2 Corinthians 11:22 niv
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I.
2 Corinthians 11:22 esv
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.
2 Corinthians 11:22 nlt
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
2 Corinthians 11 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 10:12 | For we dare not make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves... | Paul's caution against self-commendation. |
| Phil 3:4-5 | ...though I myself could have confidence even in the flesh. If another thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I more so... | Paul's credentials. |
| Gal 1:13-14 | For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how exceedingly I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it... | Paul's Jewish background and zeal. |
| Acts 22:3 | "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers... | Paul detailing his own Jewish pedigree. |
| Rom 11:1 | I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means!... | Paul's Jewish identity. |
| Eph 2:11-12 | Therefore remember that formerly you were Gentiles in the flesh... | Contrast between Jews and Gentiles. |
| Deut 32:5 | They have corrupted themselves; it is not his children, but their blemish— | God's people's unfaithfulness. |
| Isaiah 65:15 | And he will leave his name in a curse for his chosen, saying, 'May the Lord GOD slay you, but may he call his servants by another name,' | A prophecy concerning God's true servants. |
| John 8:33 | They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone... | The Jews' assertion of Abrahamic lineage. |
| Matt 3:9 | And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. | John the Baptist's correction of presumption. |
| 2 Cor 11:23 | Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. | Direct comparison of heritage. |
| 2 Cor 12:11 | I have been a fool. You forced me, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. | Paul defending his apostleship. |
| 1 Cor 1:17 | For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. | Paul's mission emphasis. |
| 1 Cor 9:20 | To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law—not being myself under the law—that I might win those under the law. | Paul's adaptability in ministry. |
| Rom 1:1 | Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God... | Paul's self-description. |
| Acts 13:9 | But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him... | Saul becoming Paul. |
| Phil 3:8 | Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things... | Paul valuing Christ over earthly status. |
| 1 Cor 15:9 | For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. | Paul's humility and past actions. |
| Gal 5:3 | I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. | Warning against reliance on law. |
| John 10:34 | Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’?” | Referring to God's people by divine grace. |
2 Corinthians 11 verses
2 Corinthians 11 22 Meaning
This verse is a declaration by the Apostle Paul, distinguishing himself and his fellow apostles from certain false apostles or intruders who were present in the Corinthian church. He asserts his own Hebraic heritage and legitimacy as a servant of Christ.
2 Corinthians 11 22 Context
In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul is defending his apostolic authority against persistent attacks from "super-apostles" who were undermining his ministry in Corinth. These individuals likely boasted of their superior status, spiritual gifts, or perhaps a purer, more exclusive lineage or connection to Christ and the early Jerusalem church. Paul, while acknowledging that his ultimate confidence is in Christ, is compelled to contrast his own genuine Jewish heritage and submission to God's covenantal promises with the claims of these rivals. This specific verse highlights his identity as a Hebrew and an Israelite, emphasizing his genuine standing within the covenant community, which was a significant point of pride and identity for Jewish people of that era. His intention is not to boast in his flesh (Phil 3:3-4) but to expose the flawed basis of his opponents' self-promotion and to affirm his own legitimate call and qualifications from God.
2 Corinthians 11 22 Word analysis
- But (δε - de): A conjunction indicating a contrast, transitioning to Paul's statement about his own identity.
- Are they (εἰσὶν): The third-person plural form of the verb "to be," asserting the existence or status of the others.
- Hebrews (Ἑβραῖοι - Heb(a)raĩoi): Refers to Hebrews, those who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic, maintaining Jewish customs and culture, distinct from Hellenistic Jews. This emphasizes a deeper, cultural and linguistic heritage.
- So am I (οὕτως καὶ ἐγώ - hoútōs kaì egṓ): "Thus also I." Paul directly parallels himself with those he is discussing, claiming the same distinction.
- Are they (εἰσὶν): Again, asserting their status.
- Israelites (Ἰσραηλῖται - Israēlĩtai): Refers to those belonging to the nation of Israel, the descendants of Jacob (Israel), signifying a national and spiritual heritage grounded in the covenant promises.
- So am I (οὕτως καὶ ἐγώ - hoútōs kaì egṓ): Repeating the affirmation, emphasizing his shared identity as part of the covenant people.
- Are they (εἰσὶν): A third instance, emphasizing the continuity of the inquiry.
- Offspring of Abraham (σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ - spérma Abraám): "Seed of Abraham." This points to lineage and the promises made to Abraham concerning his descendants and the nations that would be blessed through him.
- So am I (οὕτως καὶ ἐγώ - hoútōs kaì egṓ): A final, strong affirmation, positioning himself squarely within the Abrahamic lineage and its associated promises.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Are they Hebrews? So am I.": Paul asserts his participation in the identity of being ethnically and culturally Hebrew, likely speaking Aramaic and adhering to traditional Jewish practices. This was a significant marker of Jewish identity and antiquity.
- "Are they Israelites? So am I.": This broadens the claim to include national and covenantal identity within the chosen people of God, Israel. It speaks to their shared history and covenantal relationship.
- "Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.": This is the most fundamental claim, linking them to the patriarchal father and the core promises of God's covenant that extended through Abraham to all nations.
2 Corinthians 11 22 Bonus section
Paul’s lineage and heritage as a Hebrew of Hebrews (Phil 3:5) was a significant asset in his Jewish context. While his opponents were likely using their Jewish credentials to gain authority, Paul turns it back on them, showing he surpasses them in his "credentials" within God's covenantal history. His arguments in 2 Corinthians 11 often center on God's power being made perfect in weakness, contrasting with the superficial "superiority" his rivals might have claimed based on fleshly or earthly standards. His Jewish heritage was not the source of his gospel, but a testament to God's faithfulness in calling a chosen instrument from within His covenant people to reach the entire world with the gospel of Christ. This demonstrates that legitimate leadership in God's kingdom transcends mere earthly qualifications and rests ultimately on God's call and the Spirit's empowerment.
2 Corinthians 11 22 Commentary
Paul lists three progressively foundational claims of Jewish identity and heritage: Hebrew (cultural/linguistic), Israelite (national/covenantal), and offspring of Abraham (patriarchal/seed of promise). By asserting that he possesses all three in equal measure to his detractors, Paul demonstrates that his opponents could not claim superiority in their ancestral claims to God's promises or the covenant community. This isn't a boast in ethnicity but a strategic counter-argument to the basis on which his rivals were seeking to discredit him. He shows he is fully "in" on God's covenant dealings with His people, having been chosen by God to serve within that lineage. This humility is crucial; later in 2 Corinthians 12:11, he states he was "nothing" compared to them, yet not "inferior." This verse highlights he's on firm, legitimate ground concerning his background as God dealt with His chosen people.