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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2Co_11:12-15
12But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. 13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
2Co_11:12 Paul knew his opponents. He tried to remove every opportunity for their attacks. He limited his freedom and rights to protect and expand the gospel (cf. Rom_14:1 to Rom_15:13).
2Co_11:13 "For such men are false apostles" These out-of-town religious leaders, possibly from Jerusalem, claimed authority. Paul calls them pseudo-apostles and pseudo-brothers (cf. 2Co_11:26).
▣ "deceitful workers" This word is from the noun which meant "fishing bait." They tried to catch the Corinthian believers for their own purposes and to further their reputations.
▣ "disguising themselves as apostles of Christ" These were not sincere Christians who were misled. These were spiritually lost men (cf. 2Co_11:14) attempting to divide the church of God (cf. 1Co_3:10-15). They were wolves in sheep's clothing (cf. Matthew 7; Act_20:29; 2Pe_2:1-22; Jud_1:3-16).
The term "disguising" (i.e., metaschçmatizô) is used in 2Co_11:13-15. It speaks of the outward changing form of something or someone (cf. Php_3:21). These (i.e., false teachers and Satan) appear to be what they are not!
2Co_11:14 "for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light" This is an obvious truth, but is nowhere else in the Bible stated in these terms. This may be from rabbinical traditions about Genesis 3 (cf. DSS cave 1, Manual of Discipline 3:20,24). Satan's major trick is masquerading as truth (cf. Genesis 3). Evil always tries to mimic or counterfeit the good. False teachers always come from inside the church (cf. 2 Peter 2; 1Jn_2:18-19). See hyperlink at 1Co_7:5.
2Co_11:15 "if" This is a first class conditional sentence. There were Satanically inspired false teachers within the church at Corinth. They are with us today!
▣ "servants of righteousness" Paul does not use "righteousness" often in the sense he uses it here. Here it has the connotation of "goodness" or "rightness" (cf. Mat_6:1), but not in the theological sense of justification by faith (cf. Romans 4). See Special Topic: Righteousness at 1Co_1:30. See hyperlink at 1Co_4:1.
▣ "whose end will be according to their deeds" This seems to be an allusion to Pro_24:12. It is also the basic truth of the Bible. See full note at 2Co_5:10.