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

2 Corinthians 11:25 vividly enumerates a series of severe physical persecutions and life-threatening maritime disasters Paul endured in his ministry. It serves as part of his "fool's boast," where he counters the claims of false apostles in Corinth by listing his authentic sufferings for Christ. This verse highlights his experience of being thrice beaten with rods by Roman authorities, once stoned and left for dead by Jewish adversaries, and three shipwrecks, one of which left him adrift in the open sea for a full day and night. Each incident underscores the intense perils, physical brutality, and relentless hardship that characterized his unwavering commitment to the gospel.

2 Corinthians 11 25 Context

This verse is part of Paul's fervent, even satirical, defense of his genuine apostleship against the "super-apostles" (2 Co 11:5) or false teachers in Corinth. These imposters were likely boasting in worldly credentials, eloquence, or self-exaltation. In response, Paul sarcastically engages in a "fool's boast" (2 Co 11:16-17), where his 'credentials' are not worldly strengths but an extraordinary list of sufferings, hardships, and physical abuses endured for the gospel (2 Co 11:23-27). This particular verse, 2 Co 11:25, itemizes three specific, brutal forms of violence: Roman beatings (rods), Jewish stoning, and the extreme perils of ancient sea travel (shipwrecks, being adrift), emphasizing the profound sacrifices he made as a true servant of Christ, unlike those who preached for personal gain or glory. He juxtaposes his immense personal cost with their superficial appeals.

2 Corinthians 11 25 Word analysis

• Thrice (τρίς - tris):

  • Significance: This precise number indicates repeated and verifiable instances, lending credibility and specific weight to his claims of suffering. It highlights a pattern, not an isolated event.

• was I beaten with rods (ἐραβδίσθην - erabdisthēn):

  • Greek: Rhabdizō (to beat with rods); passive voice, erabdisthēn, emphasizing Paul as the recipient of the action.
  • Significance: "Rods" (ῥάβδοις - rhabdois) here likely refers to the fasces, bundles of rods carried by Roman lictors, used for official Roman punishment. This was distinct from Jewish floggings (mentioned in 2 Co 11:24). It signified brutal, humiliating physical violence often reserved for non-citizens or rebels. The incident in Acts 16:22-23 (Philippi) is a known example.

• once (ἅπαξ - hapax):

  • Significance: Denotes a singular, unique event among his many trials, making it a particularly memorable and grave experience.

• was I stoned (ἐλιθάσθην - elithasthēn):

  • Greek: Lithazō (to stone); passive voice, elithasthēn, again indicating Paul as the victim.
  • Significance: Stoning was a severe form of capital punishment, typically Jewish, for blasphemy or other offenses, often carried out by an enraged mob, intending to kill the victim. Acts 14:19 recounts the Lystran stoning where Paul was left for dead. This represents the ultimate hatred of his message, leading to an attempt on his life.

• thrice (τρίς - tris):

  • Significance: Repetition underscores the frequency and recurrent danger of his missionary journeys by sea, which were inherently perilous in ancient times.

• I suffered shipwreck (ἐναυάγησα - enauagēsa):

  • Greek: Nauageō (to suffer shipwreck).
  • Significance: Shipwrecks were a common but incredibly dangerous occurrence in the ancient Mediterranean. For Paul to have experienced this three times, not including the well-documented one in Acts 27 which occurred after 2 Corinthians was written, speaks to the immense risks he repeatedly undertook in his extensive travels.

• a night and a day (νυχθήμερον - nychthēmeron):

  • Greek: Nykthēmeron, literally "night-day," a compound noun for a 24-hour period.
  • Significance: This precise duration emphasizes the profound, sustained isolation and extreme exposure Paul faced. It wasn't a brief dip but a prolonged battle for survival against the elements, demonstrating immense physical endurance and God's preserving power in utter desolation.

• I have been in the deep (ἐν τῷ βυθῷ - en tō bythō):

  • Greek: Bythos (depth, deep sea).
  • Significance: Refers to being stranded in the open sea, away from any land or immediate rescue, perhaps clinging to debris from a shipwreck. This phrase conveys profound vulnerability, isolation, and immediate threat of death by drowning, exposure, or marine life. It speaks to a raw, primal struggle for survival.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned": This grouping emphasizes the dual threat Paul faced – formal Roman punishment and mob violence (Jewish-inspired stoning). The specific numbers demonstrate the factual, repetitive nature of these life-threatening encounters across different legal/cultural contexts, all targeting him because of his proclamation of Christ. These were public, violent attempts to silence and end his ministry, showcasing his physical suffering and resilience.
  • "thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep": This shifts the focus from human-inflicted violence to the extreme dangers inherent in his missionary travels. Shipwrecks were chaotic, terrifying events that led to severe exposure. The detailed mention of "a night and a day in the deep" goes beyond merely stating a shipwreck, it describes the agonizing, desperate aftermath of survival in the unforgiving open sea, highlighting profound vulnerability, divine protection, and immense physical endurance. This demonstrates how Paul’s very method of travel was fraught with peril, consistently risking his life for the sake of the gospel.

2 Corinthians 11 25 Bonus section

• The catalogue of sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 is not exhaustive but exemplary. Paul had undoubtedly endured countless other tribulations that are not specifically enumerated, but these serve to paint a vivid picture of his sacrificial ministry.
• The phrase "in the deep" (ἐν τῷ βυθῷ) is unique in the New Testament, further underscoring the severity and desperate nature of that particular maritime ordeal for Paul.
• This passage highlights a crucial aspect of early Christian ministry: it was often met with intense, sometimes deadly, opposition from both religious and secular authorities, making the propagation of the gospel a profoundly dangerous calling.
• Paul's emphasis on his physical suffering stands in stark contrast to the modern inclination to define success in ministry by ease, prosperity, or large numbers. His life calls believers to re-evaluate their understanding of Christian strength through God, recognizing that often, it is through weakness and trials that God's power is most visibly demonstrated (2 Co 12:9-10).

2 Corinthians 11 25 Commentary

2 Corinthians 11:25 stands as a stark testament to Paul's authentic apostolic credentials, a "resume" of suffering that silenced the self-exalting boasts of the false teachers. His detailed recitation of beatings, stoning, shipwrecks, and being adrift in the deep is not a cry for pity but a powerful rhetorical device. It argues that true ministry is characterized by self-sacrifice and an alignment with Christ's suffering, not by worldly acclaim, comfort, or manipulation. These extreme physical torments demonstrate a singular reliance on God, a consistent placing of his life at risk for the gospel, and an experiential identification with Christ's cross. Such an arduous path was proof that his mission was genuinely divine and not self-serving. It practically demonstrates the extent of devotion for God, which is usually missed out in today's soft teachings.