SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:24
De los judíos cinco veces he recibido cuarenta azotes menos uno.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 11:24
Verse 24. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.] That is, he was five times scourged by the Jews, whose law (Deut. xxv. 3) allowed forty stripes; but they, pretending to be lenient, and to act within the letter of the law, inflicted but thirty-nine. To except one stripe from the forty was a very ancient canon among the Jews, as we learn from Josephus, Antiq. lib. iv. ch. viii. sec. 21, who mentions the same thing: plhgav miav leipoushv tessapakonta? forty stripes, excepting one.
The Mishna gives this as a rule, MISH., Maccoth, fol. 22, 10: "How often shall he, the culprit, be smitten? Ans. rta rmt y[bra forty stripes, wanting one; i.e. with the number which is highest to forty." Frequently a man was scourged according to his ability to bear the punishment; and it is a canon in the Mishna, "That he who cannot bear forty stripes should receive only eighteen, and yet be considered as having suffered the whole punishment." They also thought it right to stop under forty, lest the person who counted should make a mistake, and the criminal get more than forty stripes, which would be injustice, as the law required only forty.
The manner in which this punishment was inflicted is described in the Mishna, fol. 22, 2: "The two hands of the criminal are bound to a post, and then the servant of the synagogue either pulls or tears off his clothes till he leaves his breast and shoulders bare. A stone or block is placed behind him on which the servant stands; he holds in his hands a scourge made of leather, divided into four tails. He who scourges lays one third on the criminal's breast, another third on his right shoulder, and another on his left. The man who receives the punishment is neither sitting nor standing, but all the while stooping; and the man smites with all his strength, with one hand." The severity of this punishment depends on the nature of the scourge, and the strength of the executioner.
It is also observed that the Jews did not repeat scourgings except for enormous offenses. But they had scourged the apostle five times; for with those murderers no quarter would be given to the disciples, as none was given to the Master. See Schoettgen.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 24. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one .] We have no account in the Acts of the Apostles, or elsewhere, of any one of these five scourgings, which the apostle underwent from the Jews; but there is no doubt to be made of them. The number of stripes he received at each time agrees with the traditions and customs of the Jews. The original law for scourging a delinquent is in ( Deuteronomy 25:2,3) where it is said, forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed; according to the nature of the case, forty stripes and no more might be inflicted, but fewer might suffice in some cases; the apostle's having but thirty nine at a time was not because the Jews thought his crime did not require full forty; or that they out of tenderness and compassion to him abated him one; but they proceeded with him to the utmost rigour of this law, according to their interpretation of it; for so runs their tradition f105 , with how many stripes do they beat him? (a criminal,) it is answered, tja rsj y[bra , with forty save one; as it is said, with the number forty; that is, which is next to forty; R. Judah says, with full forty is he to be beaten; but the decision is not according to R. Judah, as the commentators say f106 ; and this is the general sense of their interpreters of that law, and what they take to be the genuine meaning of it; so that the apostle was punished according to the extremity of it, in their account. This is a settled rule and point with them, tja rsj y[bra hrwt twqlm f108 , that scourging according to the law is with forty stripes save one; Maimonides f109 observes, that they did not add to forty, if a man was as strong and robust as Samson, but they lessen the number to a man that is weak; for if a weak man should be beaten with many stripes, he may die; wherefore the wise men say, that if he be never so robust, they scourge him but with thirty nine; so that no mercy shown to Paul, or any regard had to his weak constitution, for it was the utmost they ever inflicted; besides, according to their manner of scourging, (see Gill on Matthew 10:17), they could not have given him another stroke, without giving him three stripes more, which would have made it forty two, and so have exceeded, which the law forbids; for they whipped with a scourge of three cords, and every stroke went for three; so that by thirteen strokes, thirty nine stripes were given, and if a fourteenth had been added, there would have been forty two stripes; agreeably to which they say f110 , when they condemn a delinquent to how many stripes he is able to receive, they do not count but by stripes that are fit to be trebled; if they reckon he is able to bear twenty, they do not say he is to be beaten with twenty one, so that they may be able to treble, but he is to be beaten with eighteen; they condemn to receive forty, and after he begins to be beaten, they see he is weak, and they say he cannot receive more than these nine or twelve with which he is beaten, lo, this is free; they condemn him to receive twelve, and after he is scourged they see he is strong and able to receive more, lo, he is free, and is not to be beaten any more upon the estimation: so that you see that, according to their own canons, they could if they would have mitigated this punishment of the apostle's; but such was their cruelty and malice, that they carried it to the utmost height they could.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 22-33 - The apostle gives an account of his labours and sufferings; not out of pride or vain-glory, but to the honour of God, who enabled him to d and suffer so much for the cause of Christ; and shows wherein he excelled the false apostles, who tried to lessen his character an usefulness. It astonishes us to reflect on this account of his dangers hardships, and sufferings, and to observe his patience, perseverance diligence, cheerfulness, and usefulness, in the midst of all thes trials. See what little reason we have to love the pomp and plenty of this world, when this blessed apostle felt so much hardship in it. Ou utmost diligence and services appear unworthy of notice when compare with his, and our difficulties and trials scarcely can be perceived. I may well lead us to inquire whether or not we really are followers of Christ. Here we may study patience, courage, and firm trust in God Here we may learn to think less of ourselves; and we should eve strictly keep to truth, as in God's presence; and should refer all to his glory, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
υπο 5259 PREP ιουδαιων 2453 A-GPM πεντακις 3999 ADV τεσσαρακοντα 5062 A-NUI παρα 3844 PREP μιαν 1520 A-ASF ελαβον 2983 5627 V-2AAI-1S
Robertson's NT Word Studies
11:24 {Five times received I forty stripes save one} (pentakis tesserakonta para mian elabon). The Acts and the Epistles are silent about these Jewish floggings (#Mt 27:36). See on Lu 12:47 for omission of plegas (stripes). Thirty-nine lashes was the rule for fear of a miscount (#De 25:1-3). Cf. Josephus (_Ant_. IV. 8, 1, 21).
