As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
In his second letter after raising up a strong church in Corinth, Paul reviews his manner of life there. His confidence for this declaration rests on the truth of Christ being within him. He declares that no one will stop his boasting in the regions of Achaia, meaning he will not be silenced about his past conduct there and will continue in the same course.
The boast is that he preached the gospel freely, supported himself when in need, and kept himself from being burdensome to the believers, and would continue to do so. What was lacking to him was supplied by the brethren from Macedonia and by wages taken from other churches for service in Corinth, while he worked at tent-making and at the same time labored faithfully in proclaiming the gospel with patience and signs and wonders and mighty deeds. He acted this way in order to give no cause for reproach to those who desire occasion. Recounting such costly service to God's cause is boasting in God, not a claim to a separate personal interest.
The chapter where the verse stands gives instruction that people who view matters with human eyesight make very grave mistakes when they take up a work God has not appointed but has condemned, the work of criticizing, climbing upon the judgment seat and pronouncing sentence. For their own spiritual advancement it is far better for them to watchfully examine their own hearts, to look well to their own shortcomings and defects of character, and to remove the beam of faultfinding, evil surmising, evil speaking, bearing false witness, hatred, and accusing of the brethren.
In his second letter after raising up a strong church in Corinth, Paul reviews his manner of life there. His confidence for this declaration rests on the truth of Christ being within him. He declares that no one will stop his boasting in the regions of Achaia, meaning he will not be silenced about his past conduct there and will continue in the same course.
The boast is that he preached the gospel freely, supported himself when in need, and kept himself from being burdensome to the believers, and would continue to do so. What was lacking to him was supplied by the brethren from Macedonia and by wages taken from other churches for service in Corinth, while he worked at tent-making and at the same time labored faithfully in proclaiming the gospel with patience and signs and wonders and mighty deeds. He acted this way in order to give no cause for reproach to those who desire occasion. Recounting such costly service to God's cause is boasting in God, not a claim to a separate personal interest.
The chapter where the verse stands gives instruction that people who view matters with human eyesight make very grave mistakes when they take up a work God has not appointed but has condemned, the work of criticizing, climbing upon the judgment seat and pronouncing sentence. For their own spiritual advancement it is far better for them to watchfully examine their own hearts, to look well to their own shortcomings and defects of character, and to remove the beam of faultfinding, evil surmising, evil speaking, bearing false witness, hatred, and accusing of the brethren.