2 Corinthians 12:14-13:4 Lesson 356

2 Corinthians 12:14-13:4
Lesson 356

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

"I don't want what you have, I want you." (12:14 NLT)

What was Paul afraid of (12:20-21)?

By an unknown artist.

Study Tip:

"Read the Bible with an open mind.
Don't read into its passages ideas that are not there.
Try to search out fairly and honestly the main teachings and lessons of each passage."

Henry Hampton Halley, minister and religious writer (1874-1965).

The Second Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Corinthians

The King James Bible

2 Corinthians 12:14-13:4
Concern for Corinth

14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?

18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

2 Corinthians 13:1-4
Paul's last warning

1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

Margin notes:

"Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you." (12:14) - Paul founded the church in Corinth during his first visit.  His second stop created hard feelings (2:1-4) and is referred to as "the painful visit." It is now the summer of AD 57 and Paul is planning his third stay in Corinth. Paul will arrive in the fall and stay until the spring of AD 58.

"I seek not yours, but you." (12:14) - Paul does not want their money, property, food, or valuables. He wants them.

"Children ought not to lay up for the parents." (12:14) - "Children shouldn't have to lay aside money to support their parents." This is a metaphor. As the Corinthian's spiritual father, Paul doesn't expect them to provide for him.

"I will very gladly spend and be spent for you." (12:15) - Paul would have done anything for the Corinthians souls. After meeting Jesus on the road to Damacus (Acts 9:3-8), Paul could have isolated himself in prayer, instead he went into the world and spent his life spreading the good news, including in Corinth. "When a man says he must develop a holy life alone with God, he is of no more use to his fellow men: he puts himself on a pedestal, away from the common run of men." (From "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio.)

"I did not burden you." (12:16) - Paul didn't take any financial support from the people of Corinth. To reinforce this point, Paul is repeating himself from verse 11:9.

"Did I make a gain of you." (12:17) - "Did I make money off of you?"

"I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother." (12:18) - Paul sent Titus and an assistant to Corinth.

"Think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you?" (12:19) - "Do you think we are making excuses or apologizing?"

"We speak before God in Christ." (12:19) - "We are speaking the truth before God (Romans 9:1)."

"For your edifying." (12:19) - "To strengthen you."

"I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would." (12:20) - "I'm afraid that when I return I won't like what I find."

"Debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults." (12:20) - "Arguments, jealousy's, anger, fights, backstabbing's, gossiping, arrogance, and disorder." This is just a partial list of the Corinthians many faults.

"Uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness." (12:21) - Corinth's list of sins grows.

"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." (13:1) - According to Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15, it took at least two witnesses to validate a story. Jesus agreed in Matthew 18:16. See "Today's Question" below.

"Foretell you." (13:2) - "Tell you in advance."

"If I come again, I will not spare." (13:2) - On his third visit, Paul will not spare the feelings of the unrepentant.

"We also are weak in him," (13:4) - "We are also weak with Him." Jesus left His throne in heaven to suffer on the cross

New Living Translation

2 Corinthians 12:14-13:4

14 Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don't want what you have-I want you. After all, children don't provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide for their children.

15 I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.

16 Some of you admit I was not a burden to you. But others still think I was sneaky and took advantage of you by trickery.

17 But how? Did any of the men I sent to you take advantage of you?

18 When I urged Titus to visit you and sent our other brother with him, did Titus take advantage of you? No! For we have the same spirit and walk in each other's steps, doing things the same way.

19 Perhaps you think we're saying these things just to defend ourselves. No, we tell you this as Christ's servants, and with God as our witness. Everything we do, dear friends, is to strengthen you.

20 For I am afraid that when I come I won't like what I find, and you won't like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior.

21 Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure.

2 Corinthians 13:1-4
Paul's Final Advice

1 This is the third time I am coming to visit you (and as the Scriptures say, "The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses").

2 I have already warned those who had been sinning when I was there on my second visit. Now I again warn them and all others, just as I did before, that next time I will not spare them.

3 I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you; he is powerful among you.

4 Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God's power.

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's question:

1. Who are the "two or three witnesses?" (13:1)

Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. Biblical scholars disagree over the interpretation of this verse. Still, many believe that the "two or three witnesses" refers to Paul's visits to Corinth, where he witnessed the Corinthian's sins firsthand.



Application thought for the day:

What does this passage teach about devotion toward fellow Christians?

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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