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Selected Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:20 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
2Co 12:20 |
King James |
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: |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
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; from a Greek root, "to work for hire."
backbitings, whisperings--open "slanderings," and "whispering backbitings" (Gal 5:20).
swellings--arrogant elation; puffing up of yourselves. Jde 1:16, "great swelling words" (Pe2 2:18). |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
For I fear, lest, when I come - see Co2 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 necessity of exercising severe discipline when he should come among them.
And that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not - That is, that I shall be compelled to administer discipline, and that my visit may not be as pleasant to you as you would desire. For this reason he wished all disorder corrected, and all offences removed; that everything might be pleasant when he should come; see Co1 4:21; compare note on Co2 10:2.
Lest there be debates - I fear that there may be existing there debates, etc., which will require the interposition of the authority of an apostle. On the meaning of the word "debate," see the note on Rom 1:29.
Envyings - see the note on Co1 3:3.
Wraths - Anger or animosities between contending factions, the usual effect of forming parties.
Strifes - Between contending factions; see note on Co1 3:3.
Backbitings - see the note on Rom 1:30.
Whisperings - see the note on Rom 1:29.
Swellings - Undue elation; being puffed up (see the notes on Co2 8:1; Co1 4:6, note; Co1 4:18-19, note; Co1 5:2, note) - such as would be produced by vain self-confidence.
Tumults - Disorder and confusion arising from this existence of parties. Paul, deeply sensible of the evil of all this, had endeavored in this correspondence to suppress it, that all things might be pleasant when he should come among them. |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Strifes (ἐριθεῖαι)
Rev., better, factions. See on Jam 3:14.
Wraths (θυμοί)
For the plural, compare deaths, Co2 11:33; drunkennesses, Gal 5:21; bloods, Joh 1:13 (see note); the willings of the flesh, Eph 2:3; mercies, Phi 2:1. Excitements or outbursts of wrath.
Whisperings (ψιθυρισμοί)
Psithurismoi, the sound adapted to the sense. Only here in the New Testament. Secret slanders. In Sept., Ecc 10:11, it is used of the murmuring of a snake-charmer. Ψιθυριστής whisperer, occurs Rom 1:29.
Swellings (φυσιώσεις)
Only here in the New Testament. Conceited inflation. For the kindred verb φυσιάω to puff up, see on Co1 4:6.
Tumults (ἀκαταστασίαι)
See on Co2 6:5. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
I 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 a tender father, he was unwilling to use the rod; and sent the first epistle to them, and the messengers above mentioned, being reluctant to go himself till he had satisfactory evidence that their divisions were ended, and that they had repented for and put away the evils that they had committed; and that he should not be obliged to bewail them who had sinned so abominably, and had not repented for their crimes. If this verse be understood in this way, all difficulty will vanish; otherwise, what is here said does seem to contradict what is said, Co2 7:6, Co2 7:16, etc.; as well as many things both in the eighth and ninth chapters.
Debates, envyings - From these different expressions, which are too plain to need interpretation, we see what a distracted and divided state the Church at Corinth must have been in. Brotherly love and charity seem to have been driven out of this once heavenly assembly. These debates, etc., are precisely the opposites to that love which the apostle recommends and explains by its different properties in the 13th chapter of his first epistle.
Mr. Wakefield translates the original thus: strifes, rivalries, passions, provocations, slanders, whisperings, swellings, quarrels. |
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
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.
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;