2 Corinthians 11:20For you bear with a man, if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, if he strikes you on the face.
The setting
Corinth, Greece, ~55 AD. Paul listing the abusive behaviors of false apostles who have taken over his church...
The emotion here: outraged at seeing his spiritual children being spiritually abused
The original word
katadouloi (καταδουλοῖ) — to completely enslave, reduce to slavery
Why it matters
False apostles often demanded financial support and lived luxuriously while genuine apostles like Paul worked with their hands
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Corinthians 11:20
Paul is describing a progressive pattern: bondage → devouring → captivity → arrogance → violence
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about general tolerance. Paul is specifically describing the tactics of spiritual abusers and saying the Corinthians foolishly accept it.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Corinthians 11:20
Bible Genome reading
2 Corinthians 11:20 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Corinthians 11:20 comes from the book of 2 Corinthians, written during the early_church period. These words are attributed to Paul. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include exploitation, abuse. Notable phrases: brings you into bondage; devours you; exalts himself.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does 2 Corinthians 11:20 mean to you, today?
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