What does 2 Corinthians 11:6 mean?

Paul's legitimacy as a genuine and effective apostle of Christ has been under attack in Corinth. Those criticisms came from false apostles teaching the Corinthians a false gospel. In doing so, they were presenting a fictional version of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Their goal in tearing Paul down was to increase their own influence and power over the Corinthians.

Scripture has mocked them, in the previous verse, using the sarcastic term "super-apostles." Paul has suggested they may look the part better than he does. These frauds may have been impressive speakers who made bold and convincing presentations. In this verse, Paul seems to agree that he is, in comparison, "unskilled in speaking."

It's not clear if Paul really felt this way, or if he is simply willing to yield on that point. Either way, his purpose is to show how unimportant style is when compared to substance. The Corinthians' Greek culture valued a person's ability to speak well and forcefully, to hold the attention of a crowd, and to string convincing-sounding arguments together. Paul may not have performed as a speaker in the classic and popular style of a showman.

In any case, Paul insists that knowledge—truth—matters far more than presentation. Paul declares that he is not unskilled in knowledge, meaning that what he gave to the Corinthians was the essential truth of who Christ is and how to trust in Him to be made right with God. Instead of focusing on the flourishes of entertaining speakers, Paul asks the Corinthians to value the fact that he made clear to them the truth about Jesus.