2 Corinthians 1:12

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
For	γὰρ gar	G1063	properly · conjunction
our	ἡμῶν hēmōn	G2257	of (or from) us
rejoicing	καύχησις kauchēsis	G2746	boasting (properly · noun — nominative singular feminine
is	ἐστί estí	G2076	he (she or it) is
this	αὕτη hautē	G3778	the he (she or it) · demonstrative pronoun — nominative singular feminine
testimony	μαρτύριον marturion	G3142	something evidential · noun — nominative singular neuter
our	ἡμῶν hēmōn	G2257	of (or from) us
conscience	συνειδήσεως suneidēseōs	G4893	co-perception · noun — genitive singular feminine
that	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
simplicity	ἁπλότητι haplotēti	G572	singleness · noun — dative singular feminine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
godly	θεοῦ, theou	G2316	figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
sincerity	εἰλικρινείᾳ eilikrineia	G1505	clearness · noun — dative singular feminine
not	οὐκ ouk	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative
with	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
fleshly	σαρκικῇ sarkikēa	G4559	pertaining to flesh · adjective — dative singular feminine
wisdom	σοφίᾳ sophia	G4678	wisdom (higher or lower · noun — dative singular feminine
but	ἀλλ᾽ all᾽	G235	properly · conjunction
by	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
grace	χάριτι chariti	G5485	graciousness (as gratifying) · noun — dative singular feminine
God	θεοῦ theou	G2316	figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
conversation	ἀνεστράφημεν anestraphēmen	G390	to overturn · verb — second aorist passive indicative, 1st person plural
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
world	κόσμῳ, kosmō	G2889	orderly arrangement · noun — dative singular masculine
and	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
abundantly	περισσοτέρως perissoterōs	G4056	more superabundantly · adverb — comparative
to	πρὸς pros	G4314	a preposition of direction · preposition
you-ward	ὑμᾶς hymâs	G5209	you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with…
2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
James 3:13-18 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
1 Thessalonians 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Job 23:10-12 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Acts 23:1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
Acts 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 1:12-14

The apostle in these verses attests their integrity by the sincerity of their conversation. This he does not in a way of boasting and vain-glory, but as one good reason for desiring the help of prayer, as well as for the more comfortably trusting in God (Heb 13:18), and for the necessary vindication of himself from the aspersions of some persons at Corinth, who reproached his person and questioned his apostleship. Here, I. He appeals to the testimony of conscience with rejoicing (Co2 1:12), in which observe, 1. The witness appealed to, namely, conscience, which is instead of a thousand witnesses. This God's deputy in the soul, and the voice of conscience is the voice of God. They rejoiced in…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 1:12

For--reason why he may confidently look for their prayers for him. our rejoicing--Greek, "our glorying." Not that he glories in the testimony of his conscience, as something to boast of; nay, this testimony is itself the thing in which his glorying consists. in simplicity--Most of the oldest manuscripts read, "in holiness." English Version reading is perhaps a gloss from Eph 6:5 [ALFORD]. Some of the oldest manuscripts and versions, however, support it. godly sincerity--literally, "sincerity of God"; that is, sincerity as in the presence of God (Co1 5:8). We glory in this in spite of all our adversities. Sincerity in Greek implies the non-admixture of any foreign element. He had no sin…

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Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 1:12

For our rejoicing is this - Ἡ καυχησις. Our boasting, exultation, subject of glorying. The testimony of our conscience - Μαρτυριον της συνειδησεως· That testimony or witness which conscience, under the light and influence of the Spirit of God, renders to the soul of its state, sincerity, safety, etc. In simplicity - Ἁπλοτητι· from α, denoting unity or together, and πελω, to be; or from α, negative, and πολυς, many; not compounded, having one end in view, having no sinister purpose, no by end to answer. Instead of ἁπλοτητι, many MSS. and versions have ἁγιοτητι, holiness. In godly sincerity - Ειλικρινειᾳ Θεου· The sincerity of God: that is, such a sincerity as comes from his work in the s…

The Church Fathers

Paul is saying that he teaches only what he has been taught by the grace of God, adding nothing of his own to it.
— Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 292

Earthly wisdom means knowledge of material things. Those who have this kind of wisdom have no room for the wisdom of the Spirit, which they regard as foolishness.
— Didymus the Blind, PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

There is clearly described the perfect righteousness, fulfilled both in practice and contemplation. Wherefore we are "to bless those who persecute us. Bless, and curse not." "For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of a good conscience, that in holiness and sincerity we know God" by this inconsiderable instance exhibiting the work of love, that "not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world."
— Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 4

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Conscience — That faculty of the mind, or inborn sense of right and wrong, by which we judge of the moral character of human conduct. It is common to all men. Like all our other faculties, it has been perverted…
Corinthians, Second Epistle to the — Shortly after writing his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul left Ephesus, where intense excitement had been aroused against him, the evidence of his great success, and proceeded to Macedonia.…
Character · .Sincere — .Sincere
Character Of Saints · Sincere — Sincere
Conscience · 20:12; — 20:12;
Grace · Saints: Are what they are by — Saints: Are what they are by
Grace Of God · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Joy · 2:11;4:7;5:11;9:2,14;13:5;14:7;16:5,6,8,9,11;17:15;19:8;20:5;21:1,6;28:7;30:5,11,12;32:1,2,11;33:21;35:9;36:8;40:16;42:4;43:4;45:15;46:4;51:8,12;53:6;63:5-7,11;64:10;68:3;69:32;70:4;71:23;85:6;89:15,16;97:11,12;100:1,2;104:34;105:3,43;119:1,2,14,16,55,111,162,165;126:5,6;132:16;138:5;149:2,5; — 2:11;4:7;5:11;9:2,14;13:5;14:7;16:5,6,8,9,11;17:15;19:8;20:5;21:1,6;28:7;30:5,11,12;32:1,2,11;33:21;35:9;36:8;40:16;42:4;43:4;45:15;46:4;51:8,12;53:6;63:5-7,11;64:10;68:3;69:32;70:4;71:23;85:6;89:15,16;97:11,12;100:1,2;104:34;105:3,43;119:1,2,14,16,55,111,162,165;126:5,6;132:16;138:5;149:2,5;
Paschal Lamb, Typical Nature Of · Eaten with unleavened bread — Eaten with unleavened bread
Simplicity · Is opposed to fleshly wisdom — Is opposed to fleshly wisdom

2 Corinthians 1:12

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 1:12-14

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 1:12

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 1:12

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

2 Corinthians 1:12

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 1:12-14

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 1:12

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 1:12

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 1:12

John Calvin on 2 Corinthians 1:12-14

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Corinthians 1:12-14