2nd Corinthians Chapter 10 verse 12 Holy Bible

ASV 2ndCorinthians 10:12

For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.
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BBE 2ndCorinthians 10:12

For we will not make comparison of ourselves with some of those who say good things about themselves: but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and making comparison of themselves with themselves, are not wise.
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DARBY 2ndCorinthians 10:12

For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves; but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not intelligent.
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KJV 2ndCorinthians 10:12

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
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WBT 2ndCorinthians 10:12


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WEB 2ndCorinthians 10:12

For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.
read chapter 10 in WEB

YLT 2ndCorinthians 10:12

For we do not make bold to rank or to compare ourselves with certain of those commending themselves, but they, among themselves measuring themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise,
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Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 12. - We dare not. They are in this respect of self-praise much bolder than I. Make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves; literally, judge ourselves among or judge ourselves with. There is a play on the words, like the Latin, inferre or conferre, or the German, zurechnen oder gleichrechnen. That commend themselves. The verb rendered "commend" is that from which is derived "the commendatory letters" (2 Corinthians 3:1) at the arrogant and intrusive use of which he had glanced already. St. Paul is once more rebutting the charge of self-commendation (2 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 5:12; 2 Corinthians 6:11). But they measuring themselves...are not wise. The clause is difficult; for (1) to compare ourselves with others in order to learn what we can and cannot do is usually accounted wise; (2) some manuscripts and editions, omitting οὐ συνιοῦσιν ἡμεῖς δὲ, render, "But we ourselves (αὐτοὶ), measuring ourselves by ourselves, and comparing ourselves with ourselves, will not boast above measure;" (3) some, for συνιοῦσιν (they are not wise) read συνίουσιν (with ourselves, who are not wise). The reading, however, of the Authorized Version is undoubtedly right, and most probably the rendering also. The meaning is that the little cliques of factious religionists, never looking outside their own narrow circles, became inflated with a sense of importance which would have been annihilated if they had looked at higher standards. Hence they thought themselves at liberty to intrude and lay down the law and usurp a claim to infallibility which there was nothing to justify. Such conduct is the reverse of wise. It is a mixture of selfishness, Pharisaism, and conceit, and there have been abundant examples of it among religious parties in all ages. St. Paul, on the other hand, keeps within his own measure, because he has learnt to adopt larger and loftier standards.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) We dare not make ourselves of the number.--The last five words give the meaning of one Greek verb (enkrinai = to insert), the sound of which seems immediately to suggest the cognate verb (synkrinai = to compare). It is, of course, hard to convey the half-playful assonance in English. In "some that commend themselves" we note a reference to the charge of self-commending, which he has already noticed four times (2Corinthians 3:1; 2Corinthians 4:2; 2Corinthians 5:12; 2Corinthians 7:11). Before he had defended himself against the charge; now he retorts it on his opponents. In "we dare" we trace a reference to the charge of cowardice, as in 2Corinthians 10:2.Measuring themselves by themselves.--The Greek MSS. present many various readings, some of the best MSS. omitting "are not wise, but," and some giving "not boasting" for "we will not boast;" and the Greek text, on any reading, presents a grammatical difficulty, arising from the fact that the last word may be either the third person plural of a verb in the indicative present, or a participle in the dative case, agreeing with "themselves." It is hardly necessary to discuss here the various possible constructions rising out of the combination of these phenomena. The English version gives, it is believed, substantially the meaning of the original. In the very act of saying, with a touch of irony, that he will not compare himself with the rival teachers, the Apostle virtually does compare himself. And the point he makes is that they instituted no such comparison. They were their own standards of excellence. Each was "amator sui sine rivali." Collectively, they formed what has been described in the language of modern literary history as a "Mutual Admiration Society." Of all such self-admiration--one might almost say, of all such autolatry--St. Paul declares, what the experience of all ages attests, that they who practise it "are not wise." They lose, as the Greek verb more definitely expresses it, all power of discernment. . . .