New International VersionI have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
New Living TranslationI have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
English Standard Versionin toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
Berean Standard Biblein labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure.
Berean Literal Biblein labor and toil, often in watchings; in hunger and thirst, often in fastings; in cold and nakedness.
King James BibleIn weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
New King James Versionin weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—
New American Standard BibleI have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
NASB 1995I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
NASB 1977I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
Legacy Standard BibleI have been in labor and hardship, in many sleepless nights, in starvation and thirst, often hungry, in cold and without enough clothing.
Amplified Biblein labor and hardship, often unable to sleep, in hunger and thirst, often [driven to] fasting [for lack of food], in cold and exposure [without adequate clothing].
Christian Standard Bibletoil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing.
Holman Christian Standard Biblelabor and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and lacking clothing.
American Standard Versionin labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Contemporary English VersionI have worked and struggled and spent many sleepless nights. I have gone hungry and thirsty and often had nothing to eat. I have been cold from not having enough clothes to keep me warm.
English Revised Versionin labour and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationBecause I've had to work so hard, I've often gone without sleep, been hungry and thirsty, and gone without food and without proper clothes during cold weather.
Good News TranslationThere has been work and toil; often I have gone without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty; I have often been without enough food, shelter, or clothing.
International Standard Versionin toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, through hunger, thirst, many periods of fasting, coldness, and nakedness.
NET Biblein hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing.
New Heart English Biblein labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.
Webster's Bible TranslationIn weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Weymouth New Testamentwith labour and toil, with many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, in frequent fastings, in cold, and with insufficient clothing. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Biblein labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure.
World English Biblein labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionin laboriousness and painfulness, many times in watchings, in hunger and thirst, many times in fastings, in cold and nakedness;
Berean Literal Biblein labor and toil, often in watchings; in hunger and thirst, often in fastings; in cold and nakedness.
Young's Literal Translation in labouriousness and painfulness, in watchings many times, in hunger and thirst, in fastings many times, in cold and nakedness;
Smith's Literal TranslationIn fatigue and toil, in watchfulnesses often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleIn labour and painfulness, in much watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Catholic Public Domain Versionwith hardships and difficulties, with much vigilance, in hunger and thirst, with frequent fasts, in cold and nakedness,
New American Biblein toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure.
New Revised Standard Versionin toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleIn toil and weariness, in sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, through much fasting, in cold and nakedness.
Aramaic Bible in Plain EnglishIn toil and in fatigue, in many vigils, in hunger and in thirst, in many fasts, in cold and in nakedness, NT Translations Anderson New Testamentin weariness and in toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness:
Godbey New Testamentin labor and in toil, in vigils often, in hunger and in thirst, in fastings often, in cold and in nakedness.
Haweis New Testamentin labour and travail, in watchings often, in fastings frequently, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness;
Mace New Testamentexpos'd to toil, to fatigue, to frequent watchings, to hunger and thirst, to frequent fastings, to cold and penury.
Weymouth New Testamentwith labour and toil, with many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, in frequent fastings, in cold, and with insufficient clothing.
Worrell New Testamentin toil and hardship, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Worsley New Testamentin labor and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness: and beside these outward troubles,
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Paul's Suffering and Service… 26In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers, 27in laborandtoiland oftenwithout sleep,inhungerandthirstand oftenwithout food,incoldandexposure.28Apart from these external trials, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.…
Cross References Philippians 4:12I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need.
1 Corinthians 4:11To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
Acts 20:31Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Romans 8:35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
2 Corinthians 6:4-5Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities; / in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger;
1 Thessalonians 2:9Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
2 Thessalonians 3:8nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
1 Corinthians 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
1 Peter 4:12-13Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. / But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.
Hebrews 11:37-38They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. / The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.
Matthew 25:35For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in,
Luke 6:22-23Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man. / Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For their fathers treated the prophets in the same way.
Isaiah 53:3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
Jeremiah 38:6So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.
Lamentations 3:5He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
Treasury of Scripture In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. weariness. 2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) Iam more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 2 Corinthians 6:5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; Acts 20:5-11,34,35 These going before tarried for us at Troas… in watchings. Acts 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. in hunger. Jeremiah 38:9 My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: forthere is no more bread in the city. 1 Corinthians 4:11,12 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; … Philippians 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. fastings. 2 Corinthians 6:5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; Acts 13:2,3 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them… Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. nakedness. Romans 8:35,36 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … Hebrews 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; James 2:15,16 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, … Jump to Previous ClothingColdDrinkFastingsFoodFrequentHardHardshipHungerInsufficientLaborNakednessNightNightsOftenSleepSleeplessThirstTimesToilToiledTravailWatchingsWearinessWorkJump to Next ClothingColdDrinkFastingsFoodFrequentHardHardshipHungerInsufficientLaborNakednessNightNightsOftenSleepSleeplessThirstTimesToilToiledTravailWatchingsWearinessWork2 Corinthians 11 1.Out of his jealousy over the Corinthians, he enters into a forced commendation of himself,5.of his equality with the chief apostles,7.of his preaching the gospel to them freely, and without any charge to them;13.showing that he was not inferior to those deceitful workers in any legal prerogative;23.and in the service of Christ, and in all kinds of sufferings for his ministry, far superior.in labor and toilPaul's reference to "labor and toil" highlights his dedication to the ministry and the physical and mental exertion he endured. This phrase reflects the apostolic work ethic, reminiscent of the labor of love mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 1:3. The Greek words used here emphasize strenuous effort, suggesting that Paul's ministry was not just spiritual but also involved significant physical hardship. This mirrors the life of Jesus, who also labored tirelessly in His ministry ( Mark 6:31). and often without sleep Paul's mention of sleeplessness underscores the relentless nature of his mission work. This could be due to travel, persecution, or the demands of caring for the churches. It reflects the urgency and importance of spreading the Gospel, similar to Jesus' own sleepless nights in prayer (Luke 6:12). The cultural context of the time involved long journeys and the need for vigilance against threats, both physical and spiritual. in hunger and thirst Experiencing hunger and thirst was a common hardship for Paul, indicating the lack of basic necessities during his travels. This aligns with the experiences of many prophets and servants of God who faced deprivation (1 Kings 19:8). It also connects to Jesus' own fasting and thirst on the cross (Matthew 4:2,John 19:28), showing a shared suffering for the sake of God's mission. and often without food The repetition of being "without food" emphasizes the severity and frequency of Paul's deprivation. This phrase suggests not just temporary fasting but prolonged periods of scarcity, reflecting the sacrifices made for the Gospel. It echoes the trials faced by the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16:3) and highlights the reliance on God's provision. in cold and exposure Paul's mention of "cold and exposure" indicates the harsh environmental conditions he faced, likely during his travels across regions with varying climates. This phrase suggests vulnerability and the lack of adequate shelter, reminiscent of Jesus' statement about having no place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20). It also reflects the broader theme of suffering for Christ, as seen inHebrews 11:37-38, where the faithful endured similar hardships. Persons / Places / Events 1. Paul the ApostleThe author of 2 Corinthians, Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, sharing his experiences and hardships as an apostle of Christ. 2. CorinthA major city in ancient Greece, known for its wealth and immorality, where Paul established a church and to whom he is addressing this letter. 3. Paul's Missionary JourneysThe context of this verse is Paul's recounting of his sufferings during his missionary work to spread the Gospel. Teaching Points Endurance in FaithPaul’s experiences teach us the importance of enduring hardships for the sake of the Gospel. As believers, we are called to persevere through trials, trusting in God's strength. Sacrificial LivingPaul’s willingness to suffer for the Gospel challenges us to consider what sacrifices we are willing to make for our faith. Are we prepared to face discomfort for the sake of Christ? Dependence on GodDespite his sufferings, Paul’s life exemplifies a deep dependence on God. We are reminded to rely on God’s provision and strength in times of need. Empathy and SupportUnderstanding Paul’s hardships can inspire us to support and empathize with those who are suffering for their faith today. We are called to be a source of encouragement and aid to fellow believers. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from 2 Corinthians 11
Proverbs 10:3 claims God prevents the righteous from going hungry—how do we reconcile this with starving believers throughout history?
If Proverbs 13:25 suggests the righteous will always have enough to eat, what explains faithful believers who endure hunger or famine?
Philippians 4:19 promises God will supply all needs—why do believers worldwide still experience poverty and suffering?
In 2 Corinthians 2:11, how is talk of 'Satan's schemes' reconciled with modern understandings of psychology and human behavior?(27) In weariness and painfullness . . .--The same combination meets us in 2Thessalonians 3:8, where the English version has "labour and travail," as Tyndale and Cranmer have in this passage. "Weariness and painfulness" appear first in the Geneva version; toil and trouble is, perhaps, the best English equivalent. From the use of the phrase in 2Thessalonians 3:8, it probably refers chiefly to St. Paul's daily labour as a tent-maker. The "watchings" indicate the sleepless nights spent in anxiety, or pain, or prayer. "Hunger and thirst" are named as privations incident to his journeys or his labours. "Fastings," as distinguished from these, can hardly mean anything but times of self-chosen abstinence, of which we have at least two instances in Acts 13:2-3, and which would be natural in St. Paul both as a Pharisee (see Notes on Matthew 6:16, and Luke 18:12) and as a disciple of Christ (see Note on Matthew 9:15). "Cold and nakedness" seem to speak not only of lonely journeys, thinly clad and thinly shod, on the high passes from Syria into Asia Minor, but also of lodgings without fire, and of threadbare garments. The whole passage reminds us of the narrative given by an old chronicler of the first appearance of the disciples of Francis of Assisi in England, walking with naked and bleeding feet through ice and snow, clothed only with their one friar's cloak, shivering and frost-bitten (Eccleston, De Adventu Minorum) . He obviously contrasts this picture of his sufferings with what the Corinthians knew of the life of his rivals, who, if they were like their brethren of Judaea, walked in long robes, and loved the uppermost places at feasts ( Matthew 23:6). It had become a Jewish proverb that "the disciples of the wise had a right to a goodly house, a fair wife, and a soft couch" (Ursini. Antiqq. Hebr. c. 5, in Ugolini's Thesaurus, vol. xxi.). . . . Verse 27. - In weariness and painfulness; literally, in toil and travail ( 1 Thessalonians 2:92 Thessalonians 3:8). In watchings; literally, in spells of sleeplessness ( Acts 20:34). In hunger and thirst (ver. 8; 1 Corinthians 4:11; Philippians 4:12). In fastings often. It is not clear whether this refers to voluntary fastings ( 2 Corinthians 6:5; Acts 27:9) or to general destitution short of the actual pangs of hunger. In cold and nakedness. St. Paul's ideal, like that of his Master Christ, was the very antithesis of that adopted by the wealthy, honoured, and full-fed Shammais and Hillels of Jewish rabbinism, who delighted in banquets, fine garments, pompous titles, domestic comforts, and stationary ease.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek in laborκόπῳ(kopō)Noun - Dative Masculine Singular Strong's 2873:From kopto; a cut, i.e. toil, literally or figuratively; by implication, pains.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.toilμόχθῳ(mochthō)Noun - Dative Masculine Singular Strong's 3449:Wearisome labor, toil, hardship. From the base of mogis; toil, i.e. sadness.[and] oftenπολλάκις(pollakis)Adverb Strong's 4178:Many times, often, frequently. Multiplicative adverb from polus; many times, i.e. Frequently.without sleep,ἀγρυπνίαις(agrypniais)Noun - Dative Feminine Plural Strong's 70:The state of being awake (at night), sleeplessness, watching. From agrupneo; sleeplessness, i.e. A keeping awake.inἐν(en)Preposition Strong's 1722:In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.hungerλιμῷ(limō)Noun - Dative Masculine Singular Strong's 3042:A famine, hunger. Probably from leipo; a scarcity of food.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.thirstδίψει(dipsei)Noun - Dative Neuter Singular Strong's 1373:Thirst. Of uncertain affinity; thirst.[and] oftenπολλάκις(pollakis)Adverb Strong's 4178:Many times, often, frequently. Multiplicative adverb from polus; many times, i.e. Frequently.without food,νηστείαις(nēsteiais)Noun - Dative Feminine Plural Strong's 3521:Fasting, the day of atonement. From nesteuo; abstinence; specially, the fast of the Day of Atonement.inἐν(en)Preposition Strong's 1722:In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.coldψύχει(psychei)Noun - Dative Neuter Singular Strong's 5592:Cold. From psucho; coolness.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.exposure.γυμνότητι(gymnotēti)Noun - Dative Feminine Singular Strong's 1132:Nakedness. From gumnos; nudity.
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NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 11:27 In labor and travail in watchings often (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor) |