2 Corinthians 11:5

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
For	γὰρ gar	G1063	properly · conjunction
suppose	Λογίζομαι Logizomai	G3049	to take an inventory · verb — present middle or passive deponent indicative, 1st person singular
was	ὑστερηκέναι husterēkenai	G5302	to be later · verb — perfect active infinitive
not	μηδὲν mēden	G3367	not even one (man · adjective — accusative singular neuter, negative
behind	ὑστερέω hysteréō	G5302	to be later
very	ὑπερλίαν huperlian	G5228	"over" · preposition + adverb
chiefest	λίαν lían	G3029	much (adverbially)
apostles	ἀποστόλων. apostolōn	G652	a delegate · noun — genitive plural masculine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they a…
2 Corinthians 12:11-12 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefes…
Galatians 2:6-9 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seeme…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 11:5-15

After the foregoing preface to what he was about to say, the apostle in these verses mentions, I. His equality with the other apostles - that he was not a whit behind the very chief of the apostles, Co2 11:5. This he expresses very modestly: I suppose so. He might have spoken very positively. The apostleship, as an office, was equal in all the apostles; but the apostles, like other Christians, differed one from another. These stars differed one from another in glory, and Paul was indeed of the first magnitude; yet he speaks modestly of himself, and humbly owns his personal infirmity, that he was rude in speech, had not such a graceful delivery as some others might have. Some think that he wa…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 11:5

For--My claim is superior to that of the false teachers, "For," &c. I suppose--I reckon [ALFORD]. I was not--Greek, "That I have not been, and am not." the very chiefest apostles--James, Peter, and John, the witnesses of Christ's transfiguration and agony in Gethsemane. Rather, "those overmuch apostles," those surpassers of the apostles in their own esteem. This sense is proved by the fact that the context contains no comparison between him and the apostles, but only between him and the false teachers; Co2 11:6 also alludes to these, and not to the apostles; compare also the parallel phrase, "false apostles" (see on Co2 11:13 and Co2 12:11) [ALFORD].

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 11:5

I was not - behind the very chiefest apostles - That is: The most eminent of the apostles have not preached Christ, ministered the spirit, explained and enforced the doctrines of the Gospel in a more powerful and effectual manner than I have done.

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 11:5

For I suppose I was not a whit behind,.... This is very modestly expressed by the apostle; for he does not assert, and in a haughty and confident way affirm, but only supposes, or thinks that this might be admitted, that he was not inferior to, or did not come short of, in gifts, grace, and usefulness, the very chiefest of the apostles: such as Peter, James, and John; who seemed to be pillars, were eminent apostles, of great note among them, and such as Christ, in the days of his flesh, took particular notice of. This he says, not to exalt himself, but to show, how weakly and injudiciously the Corinthians acted in setting up the false apostle above him; or else these words are spoken ironic…

The Church Fathers

Paul does not think that he is inferior to the other apostles because he has taught the same things and done the same miracles.
— Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES

"For I reckon that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles," no longer making comparison of himself with them, but with Peter and the rest. "So that if they know more than I do, [they know more] than they also." And observe how here also he shows modesty. For he did not say, "the Apostles said nothing more than I," but what? "I reckon," so I deem, "that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles." For since this also appeared to bespeak an inferiority in him, that those having preceded him were of greater name; and more respect was entertained for them, and these persons were intending to foist themselves in; therefore he makes this comparison of himself with them with the dignity that becomes him. Therefore he also mentions them with encomiums, not speaking simply of "the Apostles," but "the very chiefest," meaning Peter and James and John.
— John Chrysostom, Homily 23 on 2 Corinthians

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Basket — There are five different Hebrew words so rendered in the Authorized Version: (1.) A basket (Heb. sal, a twig or osier) for holding bread (Gen. 40:16; Ex. 29:3, 23; Lev. 8:2, 26, 31; Num. 6:15, 17,…
Apostles, The · Equal authority given to each of — Equal authority given to each of

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

2 Corinthians 11:5

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 11:5-15

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 11:5

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 11:5

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 11:5

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

2 Corinthians 11:5

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 11:5-15

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 11:5

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 11:5

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 11:5

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 2 Corinthians 11:1-6

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Corinthians 11:5-6