2 Corinthians 10 · Verse 16

2 Corinthians 10:16

To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.

2 Corinthians 10:16, King James Version

2 Corinthians 10:16 in other translations

BSB	so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. Then we will not be boasting in the work already done in another man’s territory.
WEB	so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.
ASV	so as to preach the gospel even unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another’s province in regard of things ready to our hand.
YLT	in the places beyond you to proclaim good news, not in another's line in regard to the things made ready, to boast;
DARBY	to announce the glad tidings to that which is beyond you, not to be boasting in another's rule of things made ready to hand.
BBE	So that we may be able to go on and take the good news to countries still farther away than you are, and not take credit for another man's work in making things ready to our hand.
Webster	To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

What does 2 Corinthians 10:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

16. To--that is, so as to preach ... beyond you (and) not to boast, &c. in another man's line of things made ready to our hand--Do not connect "line of things," &c.; but "boast of things," &c. To make this clearer, arrange the words thus, "Not to boast as to things (already made by the preaching of others) ready to our hand in another man's line (that is, within the line, or sphere of labor, apportioned by God to another)."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 16. To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. What regions are referred to here can be only a matter of conjecture. It may be that he wished to preach in other parts of Greece, and that he designed to go to Arcadia or Lacedaemon. Rosenmuller supposes that, as the Corinthians were engaged in commerce, the apostle hoped that by them some tidings of the gospel would reach the countries with which they were engaged in traffic. But I think it most probable that he alludes to Italy and Spain. It is certain that he had formed the design of visiting Spain, Rom 15:24,28; and he doubtless wished the Corinthians to aid him in that purpose, and was anxious to do this as soon as the condition of the eastern churches would allow it.

And not to boast in another man's line of things, etc. Marg., rule, the same word (κανων) which occurs in 2Cor 10:13. The meaning is, that Paul did not mean to boast of what properly belonged to others. He did not claim what they had done as his own. He did not intend to labour within what was properly their bounds, and then to claim the field and the result of the labour as his. He probably means here to intimate that this had been done by the false teachers of Corinth; but so far was he from designing to do this, that he meant soon to leave Corinth, which was properly within his limits, and the church which he had founded there, to go and preach the gospel to other regions. Whether Paul ever went to Spain has been a question, Rom 15:24. but it is certain that he went to Rome, and that he preached the gospel in many other places after this besides Corinth.

(2) "line" "rule"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 16 To preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you - He probably refers to those parts of the Morea, such as Sparta, etc., that lay southward of them; and to Italy, which lay on the west; for it does not appear that he considered his measure or province to extend to Libya, or any part of Africa. See the Introduction, Section 12. Not to boast in another man's line - So very scrupulous was the apostle not to build on another man's foundation, that he would not even go to those places where other apostles were labouring. He appears to think that every apostle had a particular district or province of the heathen world allotted to him, and which God commissioned him to convert to the Christian faith. No doubt every apostle was influenced in the same way; and this was a wise order of God; for by these means the Gospel was more quickly spread through the heathen provinces than it otherwise would have been. The apostles had deacons or ministers with them whose business it was to water the seed sown; but the apostles alone, under Christ, sowed and planted.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Corinthians 10:12-18

If we would compare ourselves with others who excel us, this would be a good method to keep us humble. The apostle fixes a good rule for his conduct; namely, not to boast of things without his measure, which was the measure God had distributed to him. There is not a more fruitful source of error, than to judge of persons and opinions by our own prejudices. How common is it for persons to judge of their own religious…

Read the full comment on 2 Corinthians 10:12-18 →

2 Corinthians 10:16 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

εἰςeisso asG1519

τὰtathatG3588

ὑπερέκειναhuperekeinabeyondG5238

ὑμῶνhumōnyouG4771

εὐαγγελίσασθαι,euangelisasthaito evangelise,G2097

οὐκouknotG3756

ἐνeninG1722

ἀλλοτρίῳallotriōanother’sG245

κανόνιkanoniareaG2583

εἰςeisinG1519

τὰta<the> [things]G3588

ἕτοιμαhetoimareadyG2092

καυχήσασθαι.kauchēsasthaito boast.G2744

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Corinthians 10:16

Romans 15:24-28
Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. …
Acts 19:21
After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

preach.
Ro 15:24-28
line. or, rule.
13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Corinthians 10:15
Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
2 Corinthians 10:16
To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.
2 Corinthians 10:17
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 10

2 Corinthians 10:16 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y que anunciaremos el evangelio en los lugares más allá de vosotros, sin entrar en la medida de otro para gloriarnos en lo que ya estaba aparejado.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	pour évangéliser dans les lieux qui sont au-delà de vous, non pas pour nous glorifier dans la règle d’autrui, des choses déjà toutes préparées.
German Elberfelder 1871	um noch überströmender das Evangelium weiter über euch hinaus zu verkündigen, nicht in fremdem Wirkungskreise uns dessen zu rühmen, was schon bereit ist.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	etiam in illa, quæ ultra vos sunt, evangelizare, non in aliena regula in iis quæ præparata sunt gloriari.