2 Corinthians 12:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

NIV: How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

NASB: For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

CSB: So in what way are you worse off than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me for this wrong!

NLT: The only thing I failed to do, which I do in the other churches, was to become a financial burden to you. Please forgive me for this wrong!

KJV: For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

NKJV: For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Paul sounds frustrated with the Corinthians. They know him. He lived among them, founding the church in Corinth and leading many to faith in Christ. God even performed supernatural signs and wonders through Paul right in front of them. Why did they not defend him to the false apostles who came to them later and talked Paul down?

He now asks if this has something to do with the Corinthians comparing themselves to other churches Paul planted. He asks how they were less favored than any of the others. In other words, did they think they were treated badly by Paul in some way?

He answers his own question by suggesting one way they were treated differently: He did not burden them financially. That is, Paul refused to take any financial support from them to meet his own needs. He adds sarcastically, "Forgive me this wrong!"

This issue of Paul refusing personal support from the Corinthians has been a point of contention between them for some time. He wrote about it in the previous letter known as 1 Corinthians (1 Corinthians 9:11–12) and earlier in this one (2 Corinthians 11:7–12). Despite protests that the believers in Corinth want to pay for Paul's services, he refuses. This is in order to be beyond reproach about his motives for serving them on behalf of Christ.

Second Corinthians 12:11–21 describes Paul's disappointment that the Corinthians did not defend him against attacks from false apostles. The believers of Corinth saw the signs and wonders God performed through him. Paul declares once again that he will not receive payment from them. A father provides for his children, not the other way around. He rejects an accusation that he or Titus plan to swindle them and expresses his concern that when he arrives in Corinth, he will find some still unrepentant of specific sins.

With as much humility as possible, Paul describes an astounding experience. He was caught up to the ''third heaven'' and received a revelation from God that he cannot reveal on earth. He refuses to brag about it, but mentions it in order to introduce the consequences of that experience. To keep Paul humble, God gave him a ''thorn in the flesh,'' some malady which the Bible does not explicitly explain. Paul has learned to be content in his suffering since God's power is made perfect in his weakness. He chastises the Corinthians for not commending him since they know him. He defends himself against a charge of crafty swindling, and he expresses concern that he will find some still living in sin when he arrives in Corinth.

Second Corinthians 12 follows Paul's sarcastic ''boasting'' about his suffering for Christ. The chapter continues with Paul refusing to take credit for an astounding revelation from God. Given a ''thorn in the flesh'' to keep him humble, Paul learned to be content with his suffering since God's power was made perfect in his weakness. Still, the Corinthians should have defended him to the false apostles and not believed lies about him swindling money from them with no evidence. He is concerned that when he comes to visit them, he will find some still unrepentant of specific sins. This leads Paul to his final warnings and the close of his letter, in chapter 13.

Second Corinthians returns to similar themes as those Paul mentioned in his first letter to this church. Paul is glad to hear that the church in Corinth has heeded his advice. At the same time, it is necessary for Paul to counter criticisms about his personality and legitimacy. Most of this text involves that subject. The fifth chapter, in contrast, contains comforting words which Christians have quoted often in times of hardship. Paul also details his expectations that the church in Corinth will make good on their promise to contribute to the needs of suffering believers in Jerusalem.