Note 9 at 2 Cor. 2:17: Paul is speaking about his sincerity and purity in proclaiming the Word of God. He was not as many false teachers who corrupted the Word of God, but as from God, commissioned, commanded, and sent, he stood in God's sight as one who spoke from his union with Christ.

In Greek usage the word "kapeleuo" (corrupt) denotes the selling of teaching for money, the merchandising of God's Word for sordid gain (Acts 8:20; 20:33). What Paul calls the corrupting of God's Word was the offering of the Word of God for money, the selling of it, peddling it, retailing it. This is distinctly different from the principle of receiving gifts as a result of having sown spiritual things (1 Cor. 9:11, 13-14).

This verse may be translated as follows: "Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, we proclaim the gospel under God's direction, as messengers sent by him and as servants of Christ" (NIV; ATG).