Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I?
Parallel translations
- WEB Did I take advantage of you by anyone of them whom I have sent to you?
- KJV Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto 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?
- 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 Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” 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 has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.”
- 2 Cor 12:18I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?
- 1 Cor 4:17Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.
- 1 Cor 16:10Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without fear, for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.
- 2 Cor 9:5I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brothers that they would go before to you, and arrange ahead of time the generous gift that you promised before, that the same might be ready as a matter of generosity, and not of greediness.
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.