| Geneva Study Bible Would {1} to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. (1) He grants that in a way he is playing the fool in this exalting of things, but he adds that he does it against his will for their profit, because he sees them deceived by certain vain and crafty men, through the craft and subtilty of Satan. People's New Testament 11:1 Paul and His Antagonists SUMMARY OF II CORINTHIANS 11: Compelled by His Opposers to Indulge in Folly. His Jealousy for the Corinthians. Compelled to Recount His Claims. His Unspeakable Sufferings. A Boast in Infirmities. Bear with me a little in my folly. The disparagement of his claims by the false teachers rendered it necessary that he should speak of himself in self-defense. One so forgetful of self and consecrated to Christ as Paul could only do this with a sort of sense of shame. Hence he apologizes for doing so, though compelled. Wesley's Notes 11:1 I wish ye would bear - So does he pave the way for what might otherwise have given offence. With my folly - Of commending myself; which to many may appear folly; and really would be so, were it not on this occasion absolutely necessary. King James Translators' Notes indeed bear...: or, indeed ye do bear with me Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary CHAPTER 11 2Co 11:1-33. Through Jealousy over the Corinthians, Who Made More Account of the False Apostles Than of Him, He Is Obliged to Commend Himself as in Many Respects Superior. 1. Would to God-Translate as Greek, "I would that." bear with me-I may ask not unreasonably to be borne with; not so the false apostles (2Co 11:4, 20). my-not in the oldest manuscripts. folly-The Greek is a milder term than that for "foolishness" in 1Co 3:19; Mt 5:22; 25:2. The Greek for "folly" here implies imprudence; the Greek for "foolishness" includes the idea of perversity and wickedness. and indeed bear-A request (so 2Co 11:16). But the Greek and the sense favor the translation, "But indeed (I need not wish it, for) ye do bear with me"; still I wish you to bear with me further, while I enter at large into self-commendations. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 11:1-4 The apostle desired to preserve the Corinthians from being corrupted by the false apostles. There is but one Jesus, one Spirit, and one gospel, to be preached to them, and received by them; and why should any be prejudiced, by the devices of an adversary, against him who first taught them in faith? They should not listen to men, who, without cause, would draw them away from those who were the means of their conversion. | 
