I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.
Parallel translations
- WEB But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn’t come to Corinth to spare you.
- KJV Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
- NKJV Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth.
- NASB But I call God as witness to my soul, that it was to spare you that I did not come again to Corinth.
- NLT Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul solemnly calls God as witness that he stayed away from Corinth to spare them further pain. His change of plans was an act of mercy, not weakness.
Overview
Invoking God as witness, Paul reveals the real reason he delayed his visit: to spare the Corinthians a painful confrontation. What looked like unreliability was actually pastoral restraint and love. This shows Paul exercising authority gently, choosing to give them time to repent rather than coming in judgment.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Gal 1:20I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.
- 1 Cor 4:21Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
- Rom 1:9God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
- 2 Cor 13:10This is why I write these things while absent, so that when I am present I will not need to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
- 2 Cor 13:2I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone,
- Phil 1:8God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
- 2 Cor 12:20For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
- 2 Cor 10:6–11And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.
- 2 Cor 1:18But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”
- 2 Cor 10:2I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh.
- 2 Cor 11:31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is forever worthy of praise, knows that I am not lying.
- Rom 9:1I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit.
- 2 Cor 2:1–3So I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you.
- 1 Cor 5:5hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.
- 1 Th 2:5As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness!
- 1 Tim 1:20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
- 2 Cor 11:11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
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Christ at the center
In Christ all God's promises are 'Yes and Amen'; though rich, he became poor to make us rich, and in him God reconciles the world, making us new creations.
How 2 Corinthians 1:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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