There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us.
Parallel translations
- WEB You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
- KJV Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
- BSB It is not our affection, but yours, that is restrained.
- NKJV You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
- NASB You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.
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
Any distance between Paul and the Corinthians comes from their own withheld affections, not from him. The barrier is on their side, not his.
Overview
Paul assures the Corinthians that he has placed no restriction on his love; if there is coolness, it lies in their own hearts. He gently exposes that the relational strain originates with them. The verse calls them to examine and open their own affections.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 2 Cor 7:2Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one.
- Mic 2:7Shall it be said, O house of Jacob: “Is Yahweh’s Spirit angry? Are these his doings? Don’t my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?”
- Phil 1:8For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.
- 1 Jn 3:17But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?
- Job 36:16Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, into a wide place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.
- Eccl 6:9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
- Prov 4:12When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
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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 6:12 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.