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 sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
before	προείρηκα proeirēka	G4280	used as alternate of G4277 (προέπω) · verb — perfect active indicative, 1st person singular
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
you	προλέγω, prolegō	G4302	to say beforehand · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
if	ὡς hōs	G5613	which how · particle
present	παρὼν parōn	G3918	to be near · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
time	δεύτερον deuteron	G1208	(ordinal) second (in time · adjective — accusative singular neuter
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
absent	ἀπὼν apōn	G548	to be away · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
now	νῦν nun	G3568	"now" (as adverb of date · adverb
write	γράφω, graphō	G1125	to "grave" · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
them	τὸ to	G3588	the (sometimes to be supplied · article — accusative singular neuter
sinned	προημαρτηκόσιν proēmartēkosin	G4258	to sin previously (to conversion) · verb — perfect active participle, dative plural masculine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
all	πᾶσιν, pasin	G3956	all · adjective — dative plural masculine
other	λοιποῖς loipois	G3062	remaining ones · adjective — dative plural masculine
that	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
if	ἐὰν ean	G1437	a conditional particle · conditional particle
come	ἔλθω elthō	G2064	to come or go (in a great variety of applications · verb — second aorist active subjunctive, 1st person singular
again	πάλιν palin	G3825	(adverbially) anew · adverb
will	φείσομαι. pheisomai	G5339	to be chary of · verb — future middle deponent indicative, 1st person singular
not	οὐ ou	G3756	the absolute negative (compare G3361 (μή)) adverb · particle — negative
spare	φείδομαι pheídomai	G5339	to be chary of

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 1:23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
1 Corinthians 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
2 Corinthians 10:1-2 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward y…
2 Corinthians 10:8-11 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 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…
1 Corinthians 4:19-21 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.
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…

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

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 13:1-6

In these verses observe, I. The apostle threatens to be severe against obstinate sinners when he should come to Corinth, having now sent to them a first and second epistle, with proper admonitions and exhortations, in order to reform what was amiss among them. Concerning this we may notice, 1. The caution with which he proceeded in his censures: he was not hasty in using severity, but gave a first and second admonition. So some understand his words (Co2 13:1): This is the third time I am coming to you, referring to his first and second epistles, by which he admonished them, as if he were present with them, though in person he was absent, Co2 13:2. According to this interpretation, these two…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 13:2

Rather, "I have already said (at my second visit), and tell you (now) beforehand, AS (I did) WHEN I WAS PRESENT THE SECOND TIME, SO also NOW in my absence (the oldest manuscripts omit the 'I write,' which here wrongly follows in English Version Greek text) to them which heretofore have sinned (namely, before my second visit, Co2 12:21), and to all others (who have sinned since my second visit, or are in danger of sinning)." The English Version, "as if I were present the second time," namely, this next time, is quite inconsistent with Co2 13:1, "this is the third time I am coming to you," as Paul could not have called the same journey at once "the second" and "the third time" of his coming. T…

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Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 13:2

I told you before, etc. - As Calmet maintains that Paul had already been twice at Corinth, it is well to hear his reasons: "St. Paul came to Corinth the latter end of the year of our Lord 52, and remained there eighteen months, Act 18:1, etc. He came there a second time in the year 55, but stayed only a short time, as he had to return speedily to Ephesus, Co1 16:7; hence it is that St. Luke makes no mention of this second journey in the Acts. Finally he determined to visit them a third time; as in effect he did about the year 57. Of his second voyage to Corinth, which is not mentioned in the Acts, he speaks expressly in this verse." I do not see sufficient evidence to induce me to subscribe…

The Church Fathers

That all sins may be forgiven him who has turned to God with his whole heart... Also in the same [second Epistle of the blessed Paul to the Corinthians]: "I told you before, and foretell you as I sit present; and absent now from those who before have sinned, and to all others; as, ill shall come again, I will not spare."
— Cyprian, Pseudo-Cyprian Exhortation to Repentance

Then that they may not think now also that there will be again a putting off, and merely a threat in words, therefore he both said before, "At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word be established;" and [now], "If I come again, I will not spare." Now what he means is this: "I will no longer put off, if (which God forbid) I find you unamended; but will certainly visit it, and make good what I have said."
— John Chrysostom, Homily 29 on 2 Corinthians

Is he then the same God as He who gave Satan power over the person of Job that his "strength might be made perfect in weakness? " How is it that the censurer of the Galatians still retains the very formula of the law: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established? " How again is it that he threatens sinners "that he will not spare" them -he, the preacher of a most gentle god? Yea, he even declares that "the Lord hath given to him the power of using sharpness in their presence!" Deny now, O heretic, (at your cost, ) that your god is an object to be feared, when his apostle was for making himself so formidable!
— Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V

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

2 Corinthians 13:2

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 13:1-6

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 13:2

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 13:2

The Church Fathers

2 Corinthians 13:2

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 13:1-6

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 13:2

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 13:2

The Church Fathers

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 13:2

John Calvin on 2 Corinthians 13:1-4

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Corinthians 13:1-2