2 Corinthians 11:21

11:21 (To my disgrace¹ I must say that we were too weak for that!)² But whatever anyone else dares to boast about³ (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing.⁴

2 Corinthians 12:9

12:9 But⁵ he said to me, “My grace is enough⁶ for you, for my⁷ power is made perfect⁸ in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly⁹ about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in¹⁰ me.

¹tn Or “my shame.”

²sn It seems best, in context, to see the statement we were too weak for that as a parenthetical and ironic comment by Paul on his physical condition (weakness or sickness) while he was with the Corinthians (cf. 2 Cor 12:7-10; Gal 4:15).

³tn The words “to boast about” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, and this phrase serves as the direct object of the preceding verb.

⁴tn Grk “I also dare”; the words “to boast about the same thing” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, and this phrase serves as the direct object of the preceding verb.

⁵tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” because of the contrast implicit in the context.

⁶tn Or “is sufficient.”

⁷tc The majority of later mss (א² A^c D¹ Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï) as well as some versional witnesses include the pronoun “my” here, but the omission of the pronoun has excellent external support (Ì^46vid א* A* B D* F G latt). Scribes probably added the pronoun for clarity, making the obvious referent explicit. This would also make “power” more parallel with “my grace.” Though the original text probably did not include “my,” scribes who added the word were following the sense of Paul’s statement.

tn The pronoun “my” was supplied in the translation to clarify the sense of Paul’s expression.

⁸tn Or “my power comes to full strength.”

⁹tn “Most gladly,” a comparative form used with superlative meaning and translated as such.

¹⁰tn Or “may rest on.”