1 Corinthians 16:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.

NIV: For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.

NASB: For I do not want to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits.

CSB: I don’t want to see you now just in passing, since I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows.

NLT: This time I don’t want to make just a short visit and then go right on. I want to come and stay awhile, if the Lord will let me.

KJV: For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.

NKJV: For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.

Paul is describing his travel plans to the Corinthians at the end of a long letter. He is writing to them from Ephesus. He plans to travel from there to the churches in the region of Macedonia before arriving to spend the winter in Corinth. He seems to be saying in this verse that he could come to Corinth sooner, but he would prefer to spend a longer time instead of just seeing them "in passing."

Looking at a map of the ancient world is helpful at this point. Paul could have travelled from Ephesus to Corinth either by land or sea. The route across the Aegean Sea would have been more direct, a trip Paul made in the other direction when he left Corinth previously (Acts 18:18–22). However, taking the land route over the summer travel months would allow Paul to visit many of the churches he had previously helped to establish. He could then arrive in Corinth before winter began to make travel unsafe.

Paul concludes his thought with "if the Lord permits" (James 4:15). In fact, his plans did not work out as he had hoped—even provoking an accusation from some that he did not keep his word. Paul explains the reason for his change of plans in 2 Corinthians 1:15—2:1.

First Corinthians 16:5–11 describes Paul's plans to come and see the Corinthians in person within the year. First, he will stay in Ephesus to take advantage of an open door to the gospel, intending to leave at Pentecost to visit churches in Macedonia. He hopes to arrive in Corinth in time to spend the winter months with them. In the meantime, Timothy will arrive to represent him and the Lord to them. Paul warns them to put Timothy at ease and to send Timothy and his party back to Paul in peace.

Having finished the main teaching parts of his letter, Paul wraps up with some matters of business. He tells the Corinthians how to gather funds for a special contribution. He describes his travel plans, including his plan to arrive there before winter. He warns them to treat Timothy well and commends a delegation from Corinth that have come to see him. He concludes with greetings from other believers, along with a curse and a blessing. He curses those who do not love the Lord—here apparently meaning false teachers—and prays the grace of the Lord on everyone else.

First Corinthians 16 concludes Paul's long letter to the church in Corinth with several business matters. He instructs them on how to prepare a special contribution for needy Christians in Jerusalem. He describes his plan to visit them in person after wrapping up his ministry in Ephesus and stopping by churches in Macedonia. He reveals that Timothy is coming to them more quickly and that Apollos is not. Finally, he commends a delegation from Corinth that has come to see him. His final words in the letter are a declaration of love for all of them.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.