Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
Parallel translations
- WEB Did I take advantage of you by anyone of them whom I have sent to you?
- BSB Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?
- NKJV Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you?
- NASB Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I?
- NLT But how? Did any of the men I sent to you take advantage of you?
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 challenges them to name anyone he sent who took advantage of them. It matters because his integrity is verifiable by the conduct of his trusted representatives.
Overview
Rather than defend himself in the abstract, Paul appeals to the record of his messengers. None of them exploited the Corinthians, disproving the charge of greedy manipulation. Honest ministry can withstand such scrutiny because it has nothing to hide.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 2 Kgs 5:16But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
- 2 Kgs 5:20–27But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
- 2 Cor 12:18I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
- 1 Cor 4:17For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
- 1 Cor 16:10Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.
- 2 Cor 9:5Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 12:17 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.