Tree of Life Version
2 Corinthians 12:20
20For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I may find you not as I wish, or I may be found by you not as you wish—that there may be strife, envy, outbursts of anger, self-seeking disputes, lashon ha-ra , gossip, arrogance, unruly commotions.
2 Corinthians 12:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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:
- New International Version (NIV)For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults;
Context of 2 Corinthians 12:20
18I did urge Titus to visit you, and I sent the brother with him. Titus didn’t take any advantage of you, did he? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit, in the same footsteps? 19All along you’ve been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. It is before God that we’ve been speaking in Messiah—and all for building you up, loved ones. For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I may find you not as I wish, or I may be found by you not as you wish—that there may be strife, envy, outbursts of anger, self-seeking disputes, lashon ha-ra , gossip, arrogance, unruly commotions. 21I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I will mourn for many of those who have sinned before and not repented of the impurity and sexual immorality and indecency which they committed.
Read all of 2 Corinthians 122 Corinthians 12:20 word by word
φοβοῦμαι γὰρ μή πως ἐλθὼν οὐχ οἵους θέλω εὕρω ὑμᾶς, κἀγὼ εὑρεθῶ ὑμῖν οἷον οὐ θέλετε, μή πως ἔρις, ζῆλος, θυμοί, ἐριθείαι, καταλαλιαί, ψιθυρισμοί, φυσιώσεις, ἀκαταστασίαι,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- I fearφοβέωphobeō · to fearG5399
- lestμήπωςmēpōs mē pōs · so thatG3381
- when I comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- I shallεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
- notοὐou · noG3756
- youσύsu · youG4771
- such asοἷοςoios · such asG3634
- I wouldθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- andκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504
- debatesἔριςeris · quarrelG2054
- envyingsζῆλοςzēlos · zealG2205
- wrathsθυμόςthumos · wrathG2372
- strifesἐριθείαeritheia · rivalryG2052
- backbitingsκαταλαλιάkatalalia · slanderG2636
- whisperingsψιθυρισμόςpsithurismos · gossipG5587
- swellingsφυσίωσιςphusiōsis · arroganceG5450
- tumultsἀκαταστασίαakatastasia · disorderG181
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 12:20
- 2 Corinthians 12:21I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I will mourn for many of those who have sinned before and not repented of the impurity and sexual immorality and indecency which they committed.
- 2 Corinthians 13:9For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray for this—your perfecting.
- 2 Corinthians 1:23But I call God as my witness—to spare you, I didn’t come to Corinth again.
- 2 Corinthians 2:1So I made up my mind that I would not come to you again causing sorrow.
- 2 Corinthians 10:2I beg of you that when I am present I won’t need to be bold with the courage I consider showing against some who judge us as walking in the flesh.
- 2 Corinthians 13:2I spoke a warning, when I was with you the second time. Though now I am away, I am again speaking a warning to those who have sinned before, as well as to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare anyone—
- 1 Corinthians 4:18Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
- 1 Corinthians 5:3For even though I am absent in body, I am present in spirit—I have already passed judgment on the one who has done this thing, as though I were present.
- 1 Corinthians 1:11For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers and sisters, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are rivalries among you.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, aren’t you worldly and walking in a human way?
- 1 Corinthians 4:6Now I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers and sisters, so you might learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then none of you will be puffed up in favor of one against the other.
- 1 Corinthians 6:7Therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you have lawsuits among yourselves. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?
- 1 Corinthians 11:16But if anyone intends to be contentious, we have no such custom—nor do God’s communities.
- 1 Corinthians 14:36Did the word of God originate with you? Or did it reach you alone?
- Galatians 5:15But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not destroyed by one another.
- Galatians 5:26Let us not become conceited—provoking one another, envying one another.
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 12:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20I fear, lest, when I come - I think the present time is used here for the past; the apostle seems most evidently to be giving them the reason why he had not come to them according to his former purposes, and why he sent Titus and his companion. He was afraid to come at that time lest he should have found them perverted from the right way, and he be obliged to make use of his apostolical rod, and punish the offenders; but, feeling towards them the heart of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20For I fear, lest, when I come - see 2 Corinthians 12:14. I shall not find you such as I would - That is, walking in the truth and order of the gospel. He had feared that the disorders would not be removed, and that they would not have corrected the errors which prevailed, and for which he had rebuked them. It was on this account that he had said so much to them. His desire was that all these disorders might be removed, and that he might be saved from the…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. 20-21Paul worried about facing rebellion and resistance during his upcoming visit. He feared the Corinthians had returned to their old ways. you may not find me as you wish: If necessary, Paul would respond firmly to obvious sinners (compare 1:23–2:17; 1 Corinthians 4:21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. For--Assigning cause why they needed to be thus spoken to "for their edification"; namely, his fear that at his coming he should find them "not such as he would," and so he should be found by them "such as they would not" like, namely, severe in punishing misconduct. debates--Greek, "strifes," "contentions." envyings--The oldest manuscripts read "envying," singular. strifes--"factions," "intrigues," "factious schemes" [Wahl]. Ambitious self-seeking…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Corinthians 12:20
In the dictionaries
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
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