II Corinthians 10:12 · Bible study
2 Corinthians 10:12 Commentary: The Danger of Self-Measurement
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul's irony warns against the folly of measuring ourselves by our own standards. A study of self-commendation, comparison, and true wisdom.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul ironically refuses to compete with self-promoters, exposing their self-referential measurement as ignorance.
- Key words: tolmōmen (dare), egkrinai (classify), sugkrinai (compare), heautous (themselves) repeated, suniasin (understand).
- Main debate: How far does the irony extend? Some read Paul’s modesty as genuine; most see it as a rhetorical setup for his own boasting in the Lord.
- Theological theme: True wisdom comes from submission to God’s standard and assignment, not from self-generated evaluation.
- Best use: A warning against the pride that creates its own measuring rod; a call to find identity in Christ’s commission.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.
KJV King James Version 1769
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For we do not make bold to rank or to compare ourselves with certain of those commending themselves, but they, among themselves measuring themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves; but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not intelligent.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For we dare not match or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but we measure ourselves by ourselves and compare ourselves with ourselves.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque no osamos entremeternos ó compararnos con algunos que se alaban á sí mismos: mas ellos, midiéndose á sí mismos por sí mismos, y comparándose|strong="G4793, G1438" consigo mismos no son juiciosos.
Porque não ousamos a nos classificar ou comparar com alguns que louvam a si mesmos; mas estes tem falta de entendimento ao medirem a si mesmos consigo mesmos, e ao compararem a si mesmos consigo mesmos.
Nous n’ osons pas nous égaler ou nous comparer à quelques-uns de ceux qui se recommandent eux-mêmes. Mais, en se mesurant à leur propre mesure et en se comparant à eux-mêmes, ils manquent d’ intelligence.
Denn wir wagen uns nicht unter die zu rechnen oder zu zählen, so sich selbst loben, aber dieweil sie an sich selbst messen und halten allein von sich selbst, verstehen sie nichts.
Want wij durven onszelven niet rekenen of vergelijken met sommigen, die zichzelven prijzen; maar deze verstaan niet, dat zij zichzelven met zichzelven meten, en zichzelven met zichzelven vergelijken.
Poiché noi non osiamo annoverarci o paragonarci con certuni che si raccomandano da sé; i quali però, misurandosi alla propria stregua e paragonando sé con se stessi, sono senza giudizio.
Albowiem nie śmiemy samych siebie w poczet drugich kłaść, albo porównywać z niektórymi, którzy sami siebie zalecają; ale i ci nie zrozumiewają, iż się sami sobą miarkują i sami się do siebie przyrównywają.
Ибо мы не смеем сопоставлять или сравнивать себя с теми, которые сами себя выставляют: они измеряют себя самими собою и сравнивают себя с собою неразумно.
因為 我們不 敢 將自己 和那自 薦 的人 同列 相比。 他們 用 自己 度量 自己， 用自己 比較 自己，乃是不 通達的。
For we will not make comparison of ourselves with some of those who say good things about themselves: but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and making comparison of themselves with themselves, are not wise.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · II Corinthians 10:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Paul opens this verse with deliberate irony. The false teachers boasted of their own credentials, so Paul says he is not “bold enough” to do what they do, number himself among them or compare himself with them (Barnes, Calvin). The Greek verb tolmōmen (“dare we”), present indicative, suggests he lacks the bravado for such self-promotion. Yet in the very next verses he proceeds to compare his ministry with theirs, making the irony clear. Vincent notes that egkrinai means “to reckon among” or “judge one worthy of being admitted to a certain class,” a term drawn from testing athletes for the roll. The false teachers measure themselves by themselves (en heautois), using an internal, self-referential standard. This, Paul says, leaves them “without understanding” (ou suniasin). Clarke and Gill observe that such self-measurement produces only self-deception; true wisdom requires a standard outside ourselves.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Ironic dissociation: Calvin, Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown; Paul uses sarcasm to distance from the false apostles before offering his own criteria.
- Literal modesty: Some earlier readings (mentioned by Clarke) take Paul at face value as actually refusing to compare; but this conflicts with vv.13–18.
What is clear: Paul contrasts the false teachers' self-referential evaluation with his own commitment to serve within the boundaries God appointed.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Irony in Paul's refusal to compare | Most commentators see irony: Paul says he dare not compare, then proceeds to compare in vv.13, 18. | A minority (including some older readings) take Paul's statement literally, as a genuine refusal to engage in comparison at all. |
| Source of the measuring standard | All agree that measuring by oneself is flawed and leads to self-deception. | Some (Barnes, Clarke) focus on the social comparison with peers; others (Calvin) stress that the self becomes the sole criterion, ignoring God's external standard. |
| Meaning of 'without understanding' | The false teachers lack true wisdom, however clever they appear. | Some link this to ignorance of one's own limitations (Gill); others see it as willful blindness (Calvin). |
| The textual variant of verse 12 | The received text (with 'are not wise') is well supported. | Some manuscripts and versions (e.g., Latin) omit 'are not wise', leading to a different sense: that Paul and his associates measure themselves by themselves but avoid boasting beyond measure. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul’s opponents in Corinth were Jewish-Christian teachers who arrived after his departure, armed with letters of commendation (2 Cor 3:1). They presented themselves as superior apostles, boasting of rhetorical skill, visions, and pedigree. In Greco-Roman culture, self-commendation was a recognized rhetorical device, orators often praised themselves to gain a hearing. But Paul consistently rejects this approach. The phrase “measuring themselves by themselves” echoes a well-known Latin maxim from Horace: metiri se suo modulo ac pede (“to measure oneself by one’s own standard”). This was a proverb for narrow self-estimation.
The Corinthians themselves were influenced by the competitive spirit of the city, where patrons and sophists vied for status. Paul’s own “bodily presence” was called weak and his speech contemptible (2 Cor 10:10). So he responds not by matching their self-praise but by exposing its absurdity. To measure oneself by oneself is to be king among the blind, one-eyed and ignorant of real stature (cf. Calvin; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown cite the same image). Paul will instead measure his work by the boundaries God assigned (v.13), a sphere that reaches the Corinthians themselves.
Textual Notes
The Cambridge Bible notes a variant reading that omits the words “are not wise,” potentially making the sentence continue: “but measuring ourselves by ourselves and comparing ourselves with ourselves, we do not boast beyond measure.” This reading would shift the meaning from a rebuke of the false teachers to a description of Paul’s own practice. However, the majority of Greek manuscripts and versions support the received text, and the commentary tradition (including Calvin, Gill, and Barnes) follows that reading. The consensus is that the longer text is original, though the variant shows how scribes struggled with the verse’s abruptness.
Reception History
This verse has often been cited as a classic warning against the pride of self-reliance. John Calvin used it to rebuke those who “exalt themselves in vain-glorious boasting” while having no true substance. Matthew Henry applied it to personal humility: comparing ourselves with those who excel us keeps us humble. The phrase “measuring themselves by themselves” became a byword in Puritan and Reformed preaching for the folly of self-justification. In the Wesleyan tradition, it reinforced the need for inward honesty, the false teachers “are not wise” because they will not see the truth about themselves. Across eras, the verse has been read as a call to ground all self-assessment in God’s revealed standard, not in our own opinions.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Irony as a weapon: Paul says he lacks the boldness to self-commend, yet he does so indirectly, turning the tables on the false teachers. Sarcasm exposes their arrogance.
- The danger of a closed loop: Measuring ourselves by ourselves means we become the only standard. We never see our lack, and we never grow.
- True wisdom comes from outside: Paul turns to God’s assignment (v.13) as the real measure. Wisdom begins when we compare ourselves to Christ, not to each other.
Five-point outline
- Paul’s ironic refusal to compare (v.12a)
- The false teachers’ self-commendation (v.12b)
- The method: measuring by self, comparing with self (v.12c)
- The result: ignorance, not wisdom (v.12d)
- The contrast: Paul’s boasting in the Lord’s assignment (vv.13, 18)
Illustration hooks
- A student who only compares test scores with classmates who also struggle, easy to feel great, but the national average tells a different story.
- A person who cuts their own hair using only a hand mirror. They can’t see the back; the result looks fine to them but not to others.
- An office where everyone writes their own job description and then evaluates themselves on that. No accountability, no growth.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if I’m measuring myself by God’s standard or by my own?
- Is it wrong to compare myself to other Christians at all?
- Paul seems to boast later, isn’t he doing the same thing he condemns?
Leading a Discussion
Paul draws a sharp line between two ways of thinking: one that spins in circles around the self, and one that looks outward to the work God has given. This passage invites us to examine the hidden standards we use to evaluate ourselves and others.
Discussion questions
- Why does Paul use irony in verse 12? What does it reveal about his opponents?
- What does it mean to “measure yourself by yourself”? Give a modern example.
- How can comparing ourselves to others in the church lead to pride or discouragement?
- Paul says the false teachers “are without understanding.” In what sense were they ignorant?
- How does Paul’s approach in verses 13, 18 provide a better standard for measuring ministry?
- Why is self-commendation so tempting, and what does it say about our trust in God?
- How can we encourage one another to boast in the Lord rather than in our own accomplishments?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Job 12:2 | “No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. |
| Proverbs 25:27 | It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor. |
| Proverbs 26:12 | Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. |
| Proverbs 27:2 | Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. |
| Luke 18:11 | The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. |
| Romans 15:18 | For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, |
| II Corinthians 3:1 | Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you? |
| II Corinthians 5:12 | For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance and not in heart. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke's point is that the false apostles measure themselves by themselves, having no divine standard or commission. Their self-commendation is hollow because they compare only with each other, not with the true apostles of Christ. The Greek phrase for "are not wise" may indicate they are simply unaware of this error.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights Paul's ironic claim that he lacks the boldness to commend himself, unlike the false apostles. The real folly, Barnes explains, is measuring oneself only by oneself, which inflates pride and blinds a person to genuine excellence in others. Such self-comparison is foolish because it ignores God's true standard.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin draws attention to the irony in Paul saying he does not dare compare himself with the false apostles. Paul is not admitting inferiority but mocking their empty boasting, contrasting their mere words with his own solid deeds. Calvin also notes that self-commendation is not always wrong when free from ambition and aimed at serving God.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights Paul's ironic use of "we dare not" to mock those who boast by comparing themselves with others. Paul refuses such self-centered measurement, which judges by one's own standard rather than God's. By staying within the work God assigned him, Paul avoids all comparison entirely.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible notes observe that Paul refuses to rank or compare himself with those who praise themselves. Their error is measuring themselves by themselves, a self-referential standard that blinds them to their true condition.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that the false apostles' fatal error is comparing themselves only with each other, like a dwarf measuring himself alone and mistaking himself for a giant. Without an external standard, they lack true self-knowledge and become foolish. Paul refuses to join such empty self-commendation.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that the false teachers measure themselves by their own private standard instead of the public one, so they naturally appear impressive to themselves. He compares this to the one-eyed man being king among the blind. Their boasting is hollow, not genuine wisdom.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange observes that Paul's tone shifts abruptly from affectionate entreaty to stern command, and he emphasizes his own authority with the unusually emphatic phrase "I Paul myself." This change reflects Paul's determination to vindicate his apostolic character against opponents who dismissed
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that the false apostles' mistake was measuring themselves only by themselves, ignoring anyone who surpassed them. This self-focused comparison bred pride and folly. True humility comes from comparing ourselves with those who exceed us, which keeps us grateful rather than arrogant.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek phrase does not mean simply counting ourselves but judging ourselves to be among a group, placing ourselves in the same category. The emphasis falls on an act of self-assessment and classification, not mere enumeration.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the strong irony in Paul's refusal to compare himself with teachers who commend themselves. Those teachers arbitrarily set their own boundaries according to personal fancy, while Paul operates under a divinely appointed measure. The contrast exposes the emptiness of self-chosen limits.