2 Corinthians 11:14
New International Version
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

New Living Translation
But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

English Standard Version
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Berean Standard Bible
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Berean Literal Bible
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

King James Bible
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

New King James Version
And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

New American Standard Bible
No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

NASB 1995
No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

NASB 1977
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Legacy Standard Bible
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Amplified Bible
And no wonder, since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Christian Standard Bible
And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

American Standard Version
And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light.

Contemporary English Version
And it is no wonder. Even Satan tries to make himself look like an angel of light.

English Revised Version
And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
And no wonder, even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Good News Translation
Well, no wonder! Even Satan can disguise himself to look like an angel of light!

International Standard Version
And no wonder, since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Majority Standard Bible
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

NET Bible
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

New Heart English Bible
And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

Webster's Bible Translation
And no wonder; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Weymouth New Testament
And no wonder. Satan, their master, can disguise himself as an angel of light.

World English Bible
And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and no wonder—for even Satan transforms himself into a messenger of light;

Berean Literal Bible
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Young's Literal Translation
and no wonder -- for even the Adversary doth transform himself into a messenger of light;

Smith's Literal Translation
And not wonderful; for Satan himself is transformed into a messenger of light.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And no wonder: for Satan himself transformeth himself into an angel of light.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And no wonder, for even Satan presents himself as if he were an Angel of light.

New American Bible
And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

New Revised Standard Version
And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
There is no marvel in this; for if Satan disguises himself as the angel of light,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And not to wonder at this, for if he who is Satan resembles an Angel of light,
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
and no wonder, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Godbey New Testament
And no wonder; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Haweis New Testament
And no marvel! For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Mace New Testament
and no wonder; for satan himself may put on the appearance of an angel of light.

Weymouth New Testament
And no wonder. Satan, their master, can disguise himself as an angel of light.

Worrell New Testament
and no wonder, for even Satan transforms himself into an angel of light!

Worsley New Testament
And no wonder: for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul and the False Apostles
13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.…

Cross References
John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Genesis 3:1-5
Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” / The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, / but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You must not eat of it or touch it, or you will die.’” ...

Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Matthew 24:24
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. / For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, / and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.

Revelation 13:11-14
Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon. / And this beast exercised all the authority of the first beast and caused the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. / And the second beast performed great signs, even causing fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people. ...

Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,

Acts 20:29-30
I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. / Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.

Isaiah 14:12-15
How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations. / You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. / I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” ...

Ezekiel 28:12-17
“Son of man, take up a lament for the king of Tyre and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. / You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold, prepared on the day of your creation. / You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for I had ordained you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

for.

2 Corinthians 11:3
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:11
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Genesis 3:1-5
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? …

Jump to Previous
Able Adversary Angel Disguise Disguises Fashioneth Form Light Marvel Master Messenger Satan Transform Transformed Wonder Wonderful
Jump to Next
Able Adversary Angel Disguise Disguises Fashioneth Form Light Marvel Master Messenger Satan Transform Transformed Wonder Wonderful
2 Corinthians 11
1. Out of his jealousy over the Corinthians, he enters into a forced commendation of himself,
5. of his equality with the chief apostles,
7. of his preaching the gospel to them freely, and without any charge to them;
13. showing that he was not inferior to those deceitful workers in any legal prerogative;
23. and in the service of Christ, and in all kinds of sufferings for his ministry, far superior.














And no wonder
This phrase serves as a rhetorical introduction, emphasizing that what follows should not be surprising to the reader. In the Greek, the word used is "οὐ θαῦμα" (ou thauma), which conveys a sense of inevitability or expectation. Paul is preparing his audience to understand the deceptive nature of evil, which is a recurring theme in his letters. Historically, the early church faced numerous false teachings and deceptive practices, and Paul is addressing this reality head-on. The phrase sets the stage for a deeper revelation about the nature of spiritual deception.

for Satan himself
The mention of "Satan" directly identifies the adversary in Christian theology. The Greek word "Σατανᾶς" (Satanas) is derived from the Hebrew "שָׂטָן" (satan), meaning "adversary" or "accuser." In the biblical narrative, Satan is portrayed as the ultimate opponent of God and His people. This reference underscores the personal and active role that Satan plays in opposing the truth and leading people astray. Historically, the understanding of Satan evolved from a more general adversarial role in the Old Testament to a more defined personification of evil in the New Testament.

masquerades
The Greek word here is "μετασχηματίζεται" (metaschēmatizetai), which means to change form or appearance. This word choice highlights the deceptive nature of Satan, who does not appear as he truly is but instead takes on a guise that is appealing and misleading. The concept of masquerading implies intentional deceit, a deliberate effort to mislead and confuse. In the context of the early church, this would have been a warning against false apostles and teachers who appeared righteous but were, in fact, leading believers away from the truth.

as an angel of light
This phrase is particularly striking because it contrasts the true nature of Satan with the guise he adopts. The Greek word for "angel" is "ἄγγελος" (angelos), meaning "messenger." In biblical terms, angels are often associated with delivering God's messages and embodying His light and truth. By masquerading as an "angel of light," Satan seeks to imitate the divine and present himself as a source of truth and enlightenment. This deception is particularly dangerous because it can lead believers to trust and follow what appears to be good and righteous but is, in fact, a path to destruction. The historical context of this passage reflects the challenges faced by the early church in discerning true teachings from false ones, a challenge that remains relevant for believers today.

(14) For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.--The present tense of the original excludes the thought that reference is made to any special incident (such as the appearance of Satan among "the sons of God," of Job 1:6) recorded in the Old Testament, or in tradition. The thought is rather that Satan is ever so transforming himself. If we are to look for any special allusion, we may find a possible explanation in the words "though we, or an angel from heaven," in Galatians 1:8. They suggest the thought, as at least a probable inference, that the Judaising teachers had claimed the authority of an angelic message for the gospel which they preached, and set this against the authority of the angelic visions which St. Luke had recorded in the case of Cornelius (Acts 10:2). It is probable, we may add, that the Christ-party at Corinth, as distinct from that of Cephas, had affinities with the Jewish sect of the Essenes, and they, we know, were addicted to the worship of angels (Jos. Wars, ii. 8, ? 6), and made much of revelations conveyed through their ministry. On this supposition St. Paul may, in his allusive way, mean to imply that they were mistaking a satanic for an angelic apparition. Something of the kind is obviously implied in the stress which St. Paul lays on his own visions and revelations in 2Corinthians 12:1.

Verse 14. - Even Satan ... angel of light. This is one of Satan's devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). The allusion may be to the temptation (Matthew 4:8, 9); or to the appearances of Satan with the angels before God in the Book of Job (Job 2:1); or perhaps to the Jewish hagadah, that the "angel" who wrestled with Jacob was in reality Satan.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

no
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

wonder,
θαῦμα (thauma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2295: (a) concr: a marvel, wonder, (b) abstr: wonder, amazement. Apparently from a form of theaomai; wonder.

for
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

Satan
Σατανᾶς (Satanas)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4567: An adversary, Satan. Of Chaldee origin corresponding to ma'bad; the accuser, i.e. The devil.

himself
αὐτὸς (autos)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

masquerades
μετασχηματίζεται (metaschēmatizetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3345: From meta and a derivative of schema; to transfigure or disguise; figuratively, to apply.

as
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

an angel
ἄγγελον (angelon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 32: From aggello; a messenger; especially an 'angel'; by implication, a pastor.

of light.
φωτός (phōtos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 5457: Light, a source of light, radiance. From an obsolete phao; luminousness.


Links
2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV
2 Corinthians 11:14 NLT
2 Corinthians 11:14 ESV
2 Corinthians 11:14 NASB
2 Corinthians 11:14 KJV

2 Corinthians 11:14 BibleApps.com
2 Corinthians 11:14 Biblia Paralela
2 Corinthians 11:14 Chinese Bible
2 Corinthians 11:14 French Bible
2 Corinthians 11:14 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder for even Satan masquerades (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)
2 Corinthians 11:13
Top of Page
Top of Page