2 Corinthians 13:7

2 Corinthians 13:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
• New International Version (NIV)Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified.

Context of 2 Corinthians 13:7

5Examine yourselves to see whether you are still in the Christian faith. Test yourselves! Don’t you recognize that you are people in whom Jesus Christ lives? Could it be that you’re failing the test? 6I hope that you will realize that we haven’t failed the test. We pray to God that you won’t do anything wrong. It’s not that we want to prove that we’ve passed the test. Rather, we want you to do whatever is right, even if we seem to have failed. 8We can’t do anything against the truth but only to help the truth. 9We’re glad when we are weak and you are strong. We are also praying for your improvement.

2 Corinthians 13:7 word by word

εὐχόμεθα δὲ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν μὴ ποιῆσαι ὑμᾶς κακὸν μηδέν, οὐχ ἵνα ἡμεῖς δόκιμοι φανῶμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ὑμεῖς τὸ καλὸν ποιῆτε, ἡμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἀδόκιμοι ὦμεν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• I prayεὔχομαιeuchomai · to pray/wish forG2172
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• thatποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• yeσύsu · youG4771
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• noμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
• evilκακόςkakos · evil/harm: evilG2556
• notοὐou · noG3756
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• should appearφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
• approvedδόκιμοςdokimos · testedG1384
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• is honestκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
• beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• reprobatesἀδόκιμοςadokimos · failingG96

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 13:7

• 2 Corinthians 13:9We’re glad when we are weak and you are strong. We are also praying for your improvement.
• 1 Chronicles 4:10Jabez prayed to the God of Israel, “Please bless me and give me more territory. May your power be with me and free me from evil so that I will not be in pain.” God gave him what he prayed for.
• Matthew 6:13Don’t allow us to be tempted. Instead, rescue us from the evil one.
• John 17:15I’m not asking you to take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one.
• Philippians 1:9I pray that your love will keep on growing because of your knowledge and insight.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23May the God who gives peace make you holy in every way. May he keep your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes.
• 2 Timothy 4:18The Lord will rescue me from all harm and will take me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Glory belongs to him forever! Amen.
• 2 Corinthians 6:4Instead, our lives demonstrate that we are God’s servants. We have endured many things: suffering, distress, anxiety,
• 2 Corinthians 10:18It isn’t the person who makes his own recommendation who receives approval, but the person whom the Lord recommends.
• Romans 16:10Greet Apelles, a true Christian. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.
• 1 Corinthians 11:19Factions have to exist in order to make it clear who the genuine believers among you are.
• 2 Timothy 2:15Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker who isn’t ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly.
• James 1:12Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
• 2 Corinthians 8:21We intend to do what is right, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of people.
• Romans 12:17Don’t pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you. Focus your thoughts on those things that are considered noble.
• Romans 13:13We should live decently, as people who live in the light of day. Wild parties, drunkenness, sexual immorality, promiscuity, rivalry, and jealousy cannot be part of our lives.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 13:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7I pray to God that ye do no evil - That ye do not persist in that course which will oblige me to use the power of Christ, with which I am endued, to punish you. Some apply this prayer to the apostle himself: Now I pray to God that I may do You no evil - that I may not be obliged to use my apostolic rod, and inflict evil upon you. Not that we should appear approved - We do not wish to give this proof that we are approved of God, by inflicting this…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Now I pray to God that ye do no evil - I earnestly desire that you may do right, and only right; and I beseech God that it may be so, whatever may be the result in regard to me, and whatever may be thought of my claims to the apostolic office. This is designed to mitigate the apparent severity of the sentiment in 2 Corinthians 13:6. There he had said that they would find him fully endowed with the power of an apostle. They would see that he was able…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-10Verses 7-10 The most desirable thing we can ask of God, for ourselves and our friends, is to be kept from sin, that we and they may not do evil. We have far more need to pray that we may not do evil, than that we may not suffer evil. The apostle not only desired that they might be kept from sin, but also that they might grow in grace, and increase in holiness. We are earnestly to pray to God for those we caution, that they may cease to do evil, and learn…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7that you will not do anything wrong: They would do wrong by following the false teachers who had appeared (11:5, 13–15; see study note on 10:1–13:13). even if we appear to have failed: Paul’s goal in ministry is to be faithful, not to seem successful (1 Corinthians 4:2). He modeled his service on Jesus Christ himself (2 Corinthians 13:4), who seemed weak and a failure by dying on the cross. But Jesus is now victorious as he lives by God's mighty power.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. I pray--The oldest manuscripts read, "we pray." not that we should appear approved--not to gain credit for ourselves, your ministers, by your Christian conduct; but for your good [Alford]. The antithesis to "reprobates" leads me to prefer explaining with Bengel, "We do not pray that we may appear approved," by restraining you when ye do evil; "but that ye should do what is right" (English Version, "honest"). though we be as reprobates--though we be…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 13:7

• Commandments
• Holiness
• Intercession
• Reprobacy
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Examine
• Prove
• Reprobate
• Cast
• Castaway
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Galatians, Epistle to the
• Good

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 13

• 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
• 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