{8} For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.

(8) Before he comes to the matter, he talks directly to the Corinthians, who persuading themselves to be very wise men, did not mark in the meanwhile that those false apostles had abused their simplicity for advantage.

People's New Testament

11:20 For ye suffer. They must suffer fools gladly (2Co 11:19) for they let men bring them

into bondage to the law (Ga 2:4); to

devour their property by their greed for gain; to

take them by the cunning snares laid for them; to

exalt themselves unduly.

Smite you on the face. This perhaps refers to an actual case of violence.

Wesley's Notes

11:20 For ye suffer - Not only the folly, but the gross abuses, of those false apostles. If a man enslave you - Lord it over you in the most arbitrary manner. If he devour you - By his exorbitant demands; not - withstanding his boast of not being burdensome. If he take from you - By open violence. If he exalt himself - By the most unbounded self - commendation. If he smite you on the face - (A very possible case,) under pretence of divine zeal.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

20. For-Ye may well "bear with" fools; for ye even "bear with" oppressors. Translate, "Ye bear with them."

a man-as the false apostles do.

bring you into bondage-to himself. Translate "brings," not "bring"; for the case is not merely a supposed case, but a case actually then occurring. Also "devours" (namely, by exactions, Mt 23:24; Ps 53:4), "takes," "exalts," "smites."

take of you-So the Greek for "take" is used for "take away from" (Re 6:4). Alford translates, as in 2Co 12:16, "catches you."

exalt himself-under the pretext of apostolic dignity.

smite you on the face-under the pretext of divine zeal. The height of insolence on their part, and of servile endurance on yours (1Ki 22:24; Ne 13:25; Lu 22:64; Ac 23:2; 1Ti 3:3).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:16-21 It is the duty and practice of Christians to humble themselves, in obedience to the command and example of the Lord; yet prudence must direct in what it is needful to do things which we may do lawfully, even the speaking of what God has wrought for us, and in us, and by us. Doubtless here is reference to facts in which the character of the false apostles had been shown. It is astonishing to see how such men bring their followers into bondage, and how they take from them and insult them.