2 Corinthians 13:10

Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

King James Version · Read in your translation · Open the Explore console

Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Therefore	διὰ dia	G1223	through (in very wide applications · preposition
write	γράφω, graphō	G1125	to "grave" · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
things	ταῦτα taûta	G5023	these things
being	ἵνα ina	G2443	compare G3588 (ὁ)) · conjunction
absent	ἀπὼν apōn	G548	to be away · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
lest	μὴ mē	G3361	(adverb) not · particle — negative
present	παρὼν parōn	G3918	to be near · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
use	χρήσωμαι chrēsōmai	G5530	to furnish what is needed · verb — aorist middle deponent subjunctive, 1st person singular
sharpness	ἀποτόμως apotomōs	G664	abruptly · adverb
according	κατὰ kata	G2596	(prepositionally) down (in place or time) · preposition
power	ἐξουσίαν exousian	G1849	privilege · noun — accusative singular feminine
which	ἣν hēn	G3739	the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun · relative pronoun — accusative singular feminine
Lord	κύριος kurios	G2962	supreme in authority · noun — nominative singular masculine, a title
given	ἔδωκέν edōken	G1325	to give (used in a very wide application · verb — aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular
me	μοί moí	G3427	to me
to	εἰς eis	G1519	to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) · preposition
edification	οἰκοδομὴν oikodomēn	G3619	architecture · noun — accusative singular feminine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
not	οὐκ ouk	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative
to	εἰς eis	G1519	to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) · preposition
destruction	καθαίρεσιν.¶ kathairesin	G2506	demolition · noun — accusative singular feminine

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

2 Corinthians 10:8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I shou…
2 Corinthians 2:3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all,…
Titus 1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
1 Corinthians 4:21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
2 Corinthians 10:2 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…
2 Corinthians 13:8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
2 Corinthians 12:20-21 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…
2 Corinthians 13:2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinne…

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

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 13:7-10

Here we have, I. The apostle's prayer to God on the behalf of the Corinthians, that they might do no evil, Co2 13:7. This is the most desirable thing we can ask of God, both for ourselves and for our friends, to be kept from sin, that we and they may do no evil; and it is most needful that we often pray to God for his grace to keep us, because without this we cannot keep ourselves. We are more concerned to pray that we may not do evil than that we may not suffer evil. II. The reasons why the apostle put up this prayer to God on behalf of the Corinthians, which reasons have a special reference to their case, and the subject-matter about which he was writing to them. Observe, he tells them, 1.…

Read the whole note in the console

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 13:10

Therefore--because I wish the "sharpness" to be in my letters rather than in deeds [CHRYSOSTOM]. edification . . . not to destruction--for building up . . . not for casting down. To "use sharpness" would seem to be casting down, rather than building up; therefore he prefers not to have to use it.

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 13:10

Therefore I write these things - I only threaten you now, by this epistle, to put you on your guard, and lead you to reformation before I visit you that I may not then have to use sharpness, αποτομια, a cutting off, employing thus my apostolical authority to inflict punishment; a power which God has given me, rather to be employed in your edification than in your destruction.

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 13:10

Therefore I write these things being absent,.... Assuring them of his power and authority, expressing his concern for their welfare, earnestly desiring that they might be kept from evil, and perform good works; and that they might be in a more honourable, orderly, and comfortable situation, whilst he was absent from them, and before he came among them: lest, being present, I should use sharpness; meaning severe reproofs and censures, or rather the exercise of the apostolic rod: according to the power the Lord haft given me, to edification, and not to destruction; by striking persons dead, as Ananias and Sapphira were by Peter; or by delivering them up to Satan to have corporeal punishment…

The Church Fathers

Paul shows that chastisement is a form of edification. If one or two are punished, the entire fellowship learns the lesson.
— Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 356

He was sensible he had spoken more vehemently than his wont, and especially towards the end of the Epistle. Since then he had said these things and more besides, terrifying, shaming, reproaching, lashing them, he says, in excuse for all, "For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not when present deal sharply." For I am desirous the sharpness should lie in my letters and not in my deeds. I wish my threats to be vehement, that they may continue threats and never go forth into action.
— John Chrysostom, Homily 30 on 2 Corinthians

Again even in this his apology he makes what he says more terrible, showing that it is not himself who is to punish, but God; for he added, "according to the authority which the Lord gave me;" and again, to show that he desires not to use his power to their punishment, he added, "not for casting down, but for building up." And he hinted indeed this now, as I said, but he left it to them to draw the conclusion that if they should continue unamended, even this again is building up, to punish those that are of such a mind. For so it is, and he knew it and showed it by his deeds.
— John Chrysostom, Homily 30 on 2 Corinthians

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

Excommunication — (expulsion from communion).
Discipline Of The Church · Is for edification — Is for edification
Edification · Is the object of: Ministerial authority — Is the object of: Ministerial authority
Ministers · Have authority from God — Have authority from God

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

2 Corinthians 13:10

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 13:7-10

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 13:10

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 13:10

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 13:10

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

2 Corinthians 13:10

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 13:7-10

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 13:10

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 13:10

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 13:10

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 2 Corinthians 13:10–end

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Corinthians 13:10