2 Corinthians 12:16

2 Corinthians 12:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
• New International Version (NIV)Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!
• English Standard Version (ESV)But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning!

Context of 2 Corinthians 12:16

14I’m ready to visit you for a third time, and I won’t bother you for help. I don’t want your possessions. Instead, I want you. Children shouldn’t have to provide for their parents, but parents should provide for their children. 15I will be very glad to spend whatever I have. I’ll even give myself for you. Do you love me less because I love you so much? You agree, then, that I haven’t been a burden to you. Was I a clever person who trapped you by some trick? 17Did I take advantage of you through any of the men I sent you? 18I encouraged Titus to visit you, and I sent my friend with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Didn’t we have the same motives and do things the same way?

2 Corinthians 12:16 word by word

ἔστω δέ, ἐγὼ οὐ κατεβάρησα ὑμᾶς· ἀλλ᾽ ὑπάρχων πανοῦργος δόλῳ ὑμᾶς ἔλαβον.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• be it soεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• didκαταβαρέωkatabareō · to burdenG2599
• notοὐou · noG3756
• youσύsu · youG4771
• neverthelessἀλλάalla · butG235
• beingὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
• craftyπανοῦργοςpanourgos · craftyG3835
• I caughtλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• with guileδόλοςdolos · deceitG1388

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 12:16

• 2 Corinthians 12:13How were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I didn’t bother you for help? Forgive me for this wrong!
• 2 Corinthians 11:9When I was with you and needed something, I didn’t bother any of you for help. My friends from the province of Macedonia supplied everything I needed. I kept myself from being a financial burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do that.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12We are proud that our conscience is clear. We are proud of the way that we have lived in this world. We have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity, especially toward you. It was not by human wisdom that we have lived but by God’s kindness.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2Instead, we have refused to use secret and shameful ways. We don’t use tricks, and we don’t distort God’s word. As God watches, we clearly reveal the truth to everyone. This is our ⌞letter of⌟ recommendation.
• 2 Corinthians 7:2Open your hearts to us. We haven’t treated anyone unjustly, ruined anyone, or cheated anyone.
• 2 Corinthians 10:2I beg you that when I am with you I won’t have to deal forcefully with you. I expect I will have to because some people think that we are only guided by human motives.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:3When we encouraged you, we didn’t use unethical schemes, corrupt practices, or deception.
• 1 Peter 2:3Certainly you have tasted that the Lord is good!

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 12:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16But be it so, I did not burden you - That is: You grant that I did not burden you, that I took nothing from you, but preached to you the Gospel freely; but you say that, Being Crafty, I caught you with guile; i.e. getting from you, by means of others, what I pretended to be unwilling to receive immediately from yourselves. Many persons suppose that the words, being crafty, I caught you with guile, are the words of the apostle and not of his slanderers…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16But be it so - This is evidently a charge of his enemies; or at least a charge which it might be supposed they would make. Whether they ever in fact made it, or whether the apostle merely anticipates an objection, it is impossible to determine. It is clearly to be regarded as the language of objectors; for: (1) It can never be supposed that Paul would state as a serious matter that he had caught them with deceit or fraud. (2) he answers it as an objection…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-21Verses 11-21 We owe it to good men, to stand up in the defence of their reputation; and we are under special obligations to those from whom we have received benefit, especially spiritual benefit, to own them as instruments in God's hand of good to us. Here is an account of the apostle's behaviour and kind intentions; in which see the character of a faithful minister of the gospel. This was his great aim and design, to do good. Here are noticed several…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-18Some Corinthians still believed Paul had tricked them. They might have suggested Paul took money from the collection for the Jerusalem church (chapters 8–9). The response to this accusation is a reminder of the honesty of Titus and the other brother (see 8:18–24). The integrity of Paul and his associates should disprove these false claims.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. I did not burden you--The "I" in the Greek is emphatic. A possible insinuation of the Corinthians is hereby anticipated and refuted: "But, you may say, granted that I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you (in my net) with guile"; namely, made a gain of you by means of others (1Th 2:3).Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 12:16

• Love
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Backbiting
• Crafty
• Excuse
• Gain
• Grace
• Perfect
• Revelation
• Sufficient
• Thorn
• Unspeakable

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings