2 Corinthians 11 25

2 Corinthians 11:25 kjv

Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

2 Corinthians 11:25 nkjv

Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;

2 Corinthians 11:25 niv

Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,

2 Corinthians 11:25 esv

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;

2 Corinthians 11:25 nlt

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.

2 Corinthians 11 verses

2 Corinthians 11 25 Meaning

Paul recounts the severe hardships he endured for the sake of Christ and the Gospel, emphasizing the immense suffering and persecution he faced, surpassing that of many others who claimed to be apostles. This recounting is not boastful but serves to highlight the authentic depth of his commitment and suffering in contrast to those who misled the Corinthian church.

2 Corinthians 11 25 Context

This verse appears in the latter part of Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, specifically within a section where he is defending his apostleship and warning the church against false apostles who were infiltrating and misleading them. This defense is not about self-aggrandizement but is a necessary "foolishness" prompted by the Corinthians' susceptibility to these deceivers. He systematically enumerates his qualifications and sacrifices as a true servant of Christ, highlighting his genuine suffering and faithfulness in stark contrast to the empty claims and manipulative tactics of his opponents. Chapter 11, in particular, builds towards this intense recounting of hardships to expose the flaws in the Corinthians' judgment of true apostleship.

2 Corinthians 11 25 Word Analysis

• ἐν Ἰουδαϊσμοῦ:

  • ἐν (en): A preposition meaning "in," "on," "at," or "among."
  • Ἰουδαϊσμοῦ (Ioudaïsmou): The genitive case of Ἰουδαϊσμός (Ioudaismos), meaning "Judaism" or "Jewish practices/way of life." Here it denotes a region or territory, "in Jewish territory" or "among Jews," referring to the area under Jewish jurisdiction or population centers.

• πέντακις:

  • πέντακις (pentakis): An adverb meaning "five times." It signifies a specific, repeated occurrence.

• τοὺς Ἰουδαίους:

  • τοὺς (tous): The definite article, masculine plural accusative, "the."
  • Ἰουδαίους (Ioudaious): The accusative plural of Ἰουδαῖος (Ioudaios), meaning "Jew" or "Judean." Here, it signifies the recipients of his punishment, the Jewish authorities or people.

• τριάκοντα:

  • τριάκοντα (triakonta): The numeral "thirty," meaning "thirty times."

• ἐρωτῶ:

  • ἐρωτῶ (erōtō): The first person singular present indicative of ἐρωτάω (erōtaō), meaning "to ask" or "to question." Here, it's used reflexively or as "I was asked" in the passive sense, "thirty times I was asked" or "I received the forty lashes less one" (an idiom for the full count).

• ἀνὰ ἕν:

  • ἀνὰ (ana): A preposition indicating distribution or "each," "per."
  • ἕν (hen): The neuter accusative of εἷς (heis), meaning "one." Combined with τριάκοντα, it signifies "forty save one" or "thirty nine times." This specific number, 39 lashes, was the maximum prescribed by Jewish law (Deuteronomy 25:2-3, where the limit was not explicitly stated but Rabbinic interpretation established this number to avoid exceeding 40).

• κλίμα:

  • κλίμα (klima): A word meaning "region," "clime," or "coast." In this context, it refers to "regions" or "territories" where Paul suffered these lashings.

• τοῦ:

  • τοῦ (tou): The definite article, genitive singular neuter.

• Χριστοῦ:

  • Χριστοῦ (Christou): The genitive singular of Χριστός (Christos), meaning "Christ" or "Anointed One." This denotes that the punishments were received in relation to Christ or on behalf of Christ.

• Phrase/Group Analysis:

  • "five times received the Jews the forty lashes less one": This vividly portrays multiple, severe physical beatings inflicted by Jewish authorities. The specific number (39 lashes) points to the strict observance of Mosaic Law concerning punishment (Deut. 25:2-3) and its interpretation by Jewish legal scholars to avoid exceeding the maximum of 40 stripes, lest the transgressor die. This demonstrates Paul's adherence to and suffering under Jewish judicial processes in various places where they exercised authority.

2 Corinthians 11 25 Bonus Section

The phrase "forty stripes save one" is an idiomatic expression derived from Rabbinic interpretation of Deuteronomy 25:2-3, which prescribes punishment by beating, but limits it to "stripes." To ensure they did not transgress the prohibition against exceeding forty stripes, judges would administer 39. Paul, by using this precise phrase, demonstrates his deep familiarity with Jewish legal and penal practices of the time. This specific detail adds credibility to his account and further emphasizes the harshness of the persecution he faced from within his own religious background before his conversion, and potentially after his conversion if operating in areas with strong Jewish legal influence or communities. His endurance of this particular punishment multiple times highlights a pattern of extreme hardship faced due to his preaching and witness of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 11 25 Commentary

Paul details specific instances of persecution, facing severe corporal punishment (39 lashes) administered by Jewish authorities, which he endured five separate times. These sufferings occurred across different geographical "regions" or territories. He presents these experiences not as bragging rights, but as concrete evidence of the authentic, grueling cost of his apostleship, a cost far exceeding that of the false apostles who were diminishing his authority among the Corinthians. His willingness to endure such rigorous suffering under the Law of Moses, in itself, testifies to his profound commitment to Christ, even when subjected to punitive measures originating from the Jewish system he once represented. This section powerfully underscores the contrast between genuine sacrifice for the Gospel and the superficial credentials of his detractors.