Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: 2 Corinthians 10:16 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
2Co 10:16	Strong Concordance	To preach the gospel [2097] in [1519] the regions beyond [5238] you [5216], and not [3756] to boast [2744] in [1722] another man's [245] line [2583] of [1519] things made ready to our hand [2092].
	King James	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.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
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)."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

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)."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
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, Rom 15:28; 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 ... - Margin, "Rule," the same word (κανὼν kanōn) which occurs in Co2 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 labor within what was properly their bounds, and then to claim the field and the result of the labor 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 (see the note on 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.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

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, Rom 15:28; 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 ... - Margin, "Rule," the same word (κανὼν kanōn) which occurs in Co2 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 labor within what was properly their bounds, and then to claim the field and the result of the labor 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 (see the note on 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.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
In another man's line (ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ κανόνι) Line is the word previously rendered rule. He will not boast within the line drawn for another; in another's field of activity.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

In another man's line (ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ κανόνι)

Line is the word previously rendered rule. He will not boast within the line drawn for another; in another's field of activity.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
In the regions beyond you - To the west and south, where the gospel had not yet been preached.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

In the regions beyond you - To the west and south, where the gospel had not yet been preached.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
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 Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

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.

Top