probably akin to G138 (αἱρέομαι) · verb — aorist active indicative, 1st person singular
other
ἄλλαςallas
G243
"else · adjective — accusative plural feminine
churches
ἐκκλησίαςekklēsias
G1577
a calling out · noun — accusative plural feminine
taking
λαβὼνlabōn
G2983
while G138 (αἱρέομαι) is more violent · verb — second aorist active participle, nominative singular masculine
wages
ὀψώνιονopsōnion
G3800
rations for a soldier · noun — accusative singular neuter
do
πρὸςpros
G4314
a preposition of direction · preposition
you
ὑμῶνhymōn
G5216
of (from or concerning) you
service
διακονίαν,diakonian
G1248
attendance (as a servant · noun — accusative singular feminine
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
2 Corinthians 11:9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Maced…
Philippians 4:14-16 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.
Philippians 4:18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sac…
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…
I robbed--that is, took from them in order to spare you more than what was their fair share of contribution to my maintenance, for example, the Philippian Church (Phi 4:15-16).
wages--"subsidy."
to do you service--Greek, "with a view to ministration to you"; compare "supplied" (Greek, "in addition"), Co2 11:9, implying, he brought with him from the Macedonians, supplies towards his maintenance at Corinth; and (Co2 11:9) when those resources failed ("when I wanted") he received a new supply, while there, from the same source.
Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 11:8
I robbed other Churches - This part of the sentence is explained by the latter, taking wages to do you service. The word οψωνιον signifies the pay of money and provisions given daily to a Roman soldier. As if he had said: I received food and raiment, the bare necessaries of life, from other Churches while labouring for your salvation. Will you esteem this a crime?
John Gill on 2 Corinthians 11:8
I robbed other churches,.... Meaning the churches of Macedonia; not that what he had of them was by force and rapine, or by plundering of them, and spoiling of their substance, and living upon them against their wills, as soldiers use a conquered people, though the allusion is to such a custom; for what he had of theirs was freely communicated to him; as appears from the following verse: but because these churches from whom he received were poor, and the Corinthians whom he served were rich, he calls it a robbing of the former, though there was no injury in the case, for it was voluntary, because it was expended for the service of the latter:
taking wages of them to do you service; or "for…
The Church Fathers
Paul makes it clear that not only did other churches encourage him in his ministry to the Corinthians but also that they gave him significant financial support.
"I robbed other churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you." Here finally he speaks reproachfully, but his former words prevent these from seeming offensive; for he said, "Bear with me in a little foolishness:" and before all his other achievements makes this his first boast. For this worldly men look to especially, and on this also those his adversaries greatly prided themselves. Therefore it is that he does not first enter on the subject of his perils, nor yet of his miracles, but on this of his contempt of money, because they prided themselves on this; and at the same time he also hints that they were wealthy. But what is to be admired in him is this, that when he was able to say that he was even supported by his own hands, he did not say this; but says that which especially shamed them and yet was no encomium on himself, namely, "I took from others." And he did not say "took," but "robbed," that is, "I stripped them, and made them poor." And what surely is greater, that it was not for superfluities, but for his necessities, for when he says "wages," he means necessary subsistence. And what is more grievous yet, "to minister unto you." We preach to you; and when I ought to be supported by you, I have enjoyed this at others' hands. The accusation is twofold, or rather three-fold; that when both living amongst them and ministering to them, and seeking necessary support, he had others supplying his wants. Great the excess, of the one negligence, of the other in zeal! For these sent to him even when at a great distance, and those did not even support him when amongst them.
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,…
Philippians, Epistle to — Was written by Paul during the two years when he was “in bonds” in Rome (Phil. 1:7-13), probably early in the year A.D. 62 or in the end of 61. The Philippians had sent Epaphroditus, their messenger,…
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 11:7-12
7. Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
7. Num illud peccavi, quod me ipsum humiliaverim, [821] ut vos exaltaremini: quod gratuito Evangelium Dei praedicaverim vobis?
8. I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
8. Caeteras Ecclesias depraedatus sum accepto ab illis stipendio, quo vobis inservirem.
9. And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself
9.…
Paul had been accepting . . . contributions . . . from Macedonia—i.e., Philippi (Phil 4:15-19). Paul’s apparent inconsistency made the Corinthians suspicious of his motives or doubtful of his love toward them (2 Cor 11:11).
