Saint Paul — "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but …"
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
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"For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."
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Understanding this quote
What it means
Paul draws a sharp line between himself and others who water down or twist the message for personal gain. He claims his preaching is honest, undiluted, and delivered with the awareness that God is watching. In plain terms: plenty of people peddle a doctored version of the truth for money or influence, but he speaks straight, from genuine conviction, as someone accountable to a higher authority.
Relevance to Saint Paul
Paul spent his career defending his credibility against rival teachers in Corinth and Galatia who accused him of being a fake apostle or a money-grabber. A former Pharisee turned tentmaker-missionary, he refused payment from churches he served to avoid looking mercenary. This line reflects his constant need to distinguish authentic gospel preaching from the traveling sophists and false teachers shadowing his mission.
The era
First-century Greco-Roman cities were saturated with itinerant philosophers, rhetoricians, and mystery-cult salesmen charging fees for wisdom. 'Peddling' sacred texts for profit was a known racket, and Corinth especially hosted competing orators. Early Christianity had no institutional gatekeeping, so anyone could claim apostolic authority. Paul wrote into that noisy marketplace, where sincerity had to be argued, not assumed, and financial disinterest was proof of legitimacy.
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