2 Corinthians 11 · Verse 15

2 Corinthians 11:15

Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
2 Corinthians 11:15, King James Version

2 Corinthians 11:15 in other translations

BSBIt is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.
WEBIt is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
ASVIt is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
YLTno great thing, then, if also his ministrants do transform themselves as ministrants of righteousness--whose end shall be according to their works.
DARBYIt is no great thing therefore if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
BBESo it is no great thing if his servants make themselves seem to be servants of righteousness; whose end will be the reward of their works.
WebsterTherefore it is no great thing if his ministers also are transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

What does 2 Corinthians 11:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. no great thing--no difficult matter. if his ministers also--as well as himself. righteousness--answering to "light" (2Co 11:14); the manifestation wherewith God reveals Himself in Christ (Mt 6:33; Ro 1:17). end--The test of things is the end which strips off every specious form into which Satan's agents may now "transform" themselves (compare Php 3:19, 21). according to their works--not according to their pretensions.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 15. Therefore it is no great thing, etc. It is not to be deemed surprising. You are not to wonder if men of the basest, blackest character put on the appearance of the greatest sanctity, and even become eminent as professed preachers of righteousness.

Whose end shall be, etc. Whose final destiny. Their doom in eternity shall not be according to their fair professions and plausible pretences, for they cannot deceive God; but shall be according to their real character and their works. Their work is a work of deception, and they shall be judged according to that. What revelations there will be in the day of judgment, when all impostors shall be unmasked, and when all hypocrites and deceivers shall be seen in their true colours! And how desirable is it that there should be such a day to disclose all beings in their true character, and FOR EVER to remove. imposture and delusion from the universe!

(b) "end shall be according" Php 3:19

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 Whose end shall be according to their works - A bad way leads to a bad end. The way of sin is the way to hell.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Corinthians 11:5-15

It is far better to be plain in speech, yet walking openly and consistently with the gospel, than to be admired by thousands, and be lifted up in pride, so as to disgrace the gospel by evil tempers and unholy lives. The apostle would not give room for any to accuse him of worldly designs in preaching the gospel, that others who opposed him at Corinth, might not in this respect gain advantage against him. Hypocrisy…

Read the full comment on 2 Corinthians 11:5-15 →

2 Corinthians 11:15 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.

οὐou[It is] notG3756
μέγαmegasurprisingG3173
οὖνounthereforeG3767
εἰeiifG1487
καὶkaievenG2532
οἱhoitheG3588
διάκονοιdiakonoiservantsG1249
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
μετασχηματίζονταιmetaschēmatizontaimasqueradeG3345
ὡςhōsasG5613
διάκονοιdiakonoiservantsG1249
δικαιοσύνηςdikaiosunēsof righteousnessG1343
ὧνhōnwhoseG3739
τὸto<the>G3588
τέλοςtelosendG5056
ἔσταιestaiwill beG1510
κατὰkataaccording toG2596
τὰtatheG3588
ἔργαergadeedsG2041
αὐτῶν.¶autōnof them.G846

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

Cross references for 2 Corinthians 11:15

  • Philippians 3:19

    Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

  • 2 Corinthians 3:9

    For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

  • Revelation 9:11

    And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

  • Jeremiah 23:14-15

    I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.

  • Jude 1:4

    For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • Acts 13:10

    And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

  • 2 Peter 2:13-22

    And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. …

  • 2 Corinthians 11:23

    Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

  • Matthew 7:15-16

    Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

  • Isaiah 9:14-15

    Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

  • 2 Peter 2:3

    And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12

    And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
no.
2Ki 5:13; 1Co 9:11
his.
13; Ac 13:10; Eph 6:12; Re 9:11; 13:2,14; 19:19-21; 20:2,3,7-10
the ministers.
23; 3:9
whose.
Isa 9:14,15; Jer 5:31; 23:14,15; 28:15-17; 29:32; Eze 13:10-15,22
Mt 7:15,16; Ga 1:8,9; Php 3:19; 2Th 2:8-12; 2Pe 2:3,13-22
Jude 1:4,10-13

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

Context

  • 2 Corinthians 11:14

    And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:15

    Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:16

    I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 11

2 Corinthians 11:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Así que, no es mucho si también sus ministros se transfiguran como ministros de justicia; cuyo fin será conforme á sus obras.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		ce n’est donc pas chose étrange si ses ministres aussi se transforment en ministres de justice, desquels la fin sera selon leurs œuvres.
German
Elberfelder 1871		es ist daher nichts Großes, wenn auch seine Diener die Gestalt als Diener der Gerechtigkeit annehmen, deren Ende nach ihren Werken sein wird.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non est ergo magnum, si ministri ejus transfigurentur velut ministri justitiæ: quorum finis erit secundum opera ipsorum.