¹²But what I am doing I will continue to do, ^aso that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be ¹regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.

¹³For such men are ^afalse apostles, ^bdeceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

¹⁴No wonder, for even ^aSatan disguises himself as an ^bangel of light.

¹⁵Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, ^awhose end will be according to their deeds.

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Footnotes

1Lit found

Cross references

a 1 Cor 9:12
a Acts 20:30; Gal 1:7; 2:4; Phil 1:15; Titus 1:10f; 2 Pet 2:1; Rev 2:2
b Phil 3:2
a Matt 4:10; Eph 6:12; Col 1:13
b Col 1:12
a Rom 2:6; 3:8

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to deny an opportunity to those who want to be regarded as our equals in what they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.

NLTNew Living Translation

But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But what I am doing, I will also do, in order that I may remove the opportunity of those who want an opportunity, that they may be found just as also we are in what they are boasting about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not a great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

KJV 1900King James Version

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Public Domain