2 Corinthians 12:15
in 2 Corinthians 12And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?
KJV
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
⋯
This verse in 2 Corinthians 12
Commentary
13 notes on this verseNow Paul is openly expressing the love and affection which he had for them, since he is prepared not only to spend lavishly on their behalf but even to die for the salvation of their souls.
This site's exposition
ready to come to you a third time
on 2 Corinthians 12:14-15
Paul restates his policy with a family figure, since parents should save up for their children. Dapanao and ekdapanao picture total expenditure: I will most gladly spend my money and myself.
This site's exposition
I will most gladly spend my money and myself
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown divide the phrase into spending all Paul has and being spent in all he is. Matthew Henry pictures a candle that burns itself away to give light to others.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls." 'For the law of nature indeed has commanded the parents to lay up for the children; but I do not do this only, but I give myself also besides.' And this lavishness of his, the not only not receiving, but giving also besides, is not in common sort but accompanied with great liberality, and out of his own want; for the words, "I will be spent," are of one who would imply this. 'For should it be necessary to spend my very flesh, I will not spare it for your salvation.' And that which follows contains at once accusation and love, "though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved." 'And I do this,' he says, 'for the sake of those who are beloved by me, yet love me not equally.' Observe then, now, how many steps there are in this matter. He had a right to receive, but he did not receive; here is good work the first: and this, though in want; the second; and though preaching to them, the third; he gives besides, the fourth; and not merely gives, but lavishly too, the fifth; not money only, but himself, the sixth; for those who loved him not greatly, the seventh; and for those whom he greatly loved, the eighth.
Let us then also emulate this man! For it is a serious charge, the not loving even; but becomes more serious, when although one is loved he loveth not. For if he that loveth one that loveth him be no better than the publicans; he that doth not so much as this ranks with the beasts; yea rather, is even below them. What sayest thou, O man? Lovest thou not him that loveth thee? What then dost thou live for? Wherein wilt thou be of use hereafter? in what sort of matters? in public? in private? By no means; for nothing is more useless than a man that knows not to love.
The Medieval Church2 voices
I, he says, not only will take nothing from you, but rather will give to you, for such is the meaning of the word "spend." And why do I say "spend" money? I myself "will be spent," that is, if for the salvation of your …
Then he applies the simile, in which he proposed two things: one is that the children should not lay up for the parents, and this is now clear. The other is that parents should lay up for and give to the children; in regard to …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
); that is, he was willing to take pains and to suffer loss for their good. He would spend his time, his parts, his strength, his interest, his all, to do them service; nay, so spend as to be spent, and be like a candle, which consumes itself to give light to others.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And I will gladly spend,....
This is applicable to other relations: if others be wanting in their duty to us it does not follow therefore that we may neglect our duty to them. He was careful not only that he himself should not be burdensome, but that none he employed should.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And I will very gladly spend - I am willing to spend my strength, and time, and life, and all that I have, for your welfare, as a father cheerfully does for his children. Any expense which may be necessary to promote your salvation I am willing to submit to. The labor of a father for his children is cheerful and pleasant. Such is his love for them that he delights in toil for their sake, and that he may make them happy. The toil of a pastor for his flock should be cheerful.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
I will . . . spend--all I have. be spent--all that I am. This is more than even natural parents do. They "lay up treasures for their children." But I spend not merely my treasures, but myself. for you--Greek, "for your souls"; not for your mere bodies. the less I be loved--Love rather descends than ascends [BENGEL].
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you - I will continue to act as a loving father, who spends all he has upon his children, and expends his own strength and life in providing for them the things necessary for their preservation and comfort. Though the more abundantly I love you - I will even act towards you with the most affectionate tenderness, though it happen to me, as it often does to loving fathers, that their disobedient children love them less, in proportion as their love to them is increased. Does it not frequently happen that the most disobedient child in the family is that one on which the parents’ tenderness is more especially placed? See the parable of the prodigal son. It is in the order of God that it should be so, else the case of every prodigal would be utterly deplorable. The shepherd feels more for the lost sheep than for the ninety-nine that have not gone astray. If I be asked, “Should Christian parents lay up money for their children?” I answer: It is the duty of every parent who can, to lay up what is necessary to put every child in a condition to earn its bread. If he neglect this, he undoubtedly sins against God and nature. “But should not a man lay up, besides this, a fortune for his children, if he can honestly?” I answer: Yes, if there be no poor within his reach; no good work which he can assist; no heathen region on the earth to which he can contribute to send the Gospel of Jesus; but not otherwise. God shows, in the course of his providence, that this laying up of fortunes for children is not right; for there is scarcely ever a case where money has been saved up to make the children independent and gentlemen, in which God has not cursed the blessing. It was saved from the poor, from the ignorant, from the cause of God; and the canker of his displeasure consumed this ill-saved property.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἥδιστα | hedista | most gladly | G2236 → | |
| δαπανήσω | dapaneso | will spend | G1159 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐκδαπανηθήσομαι | ekdapanethesomai | I will be utterly spent | G1550 → | |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | for | G5228 → | 155 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ψυχῶν | psuchon | souls | G5590 → | |
| ὑμῶν, | humon | of you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| περισσοτέρως | perissoteros | more abundantly | G4056 → | 12 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἀγαπῶν | agapon | loving | G25 → | 143 times |
| ἧσσον | hesson | less | G2276 → | |
| ἀγαπῶμαι. | agapomai | I am loved! | G25 → | 143 times |
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἥδισταmost gladly
hedistaG2236 →
δαπανήσωwill spend
dapanesoG1159 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐκδαπανηθήσομαιI will be utterly spent
ekdapanethesomaiG1550 →
ὑπὲρfor
huperG5228 →155 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ψυχῶνsouls
psuchonG5590 →
ὑμῶν,of you,
humonG4771 →2973 times
εἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
περισσοτέρωςmore abundantly
perissoterosG4056 →12 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
ἀγαπῶνloving
agaponG25 →143 times
ἧσσονless
hessonG2276 →
ἀγαπῶμαι.I am loved!
agapomaiG25 →143 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Colossians 1:24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.
it leads to
- Romans 5:3
Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
- 2 Timothy 1:8
So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me, His prisoner. Instead, join me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.
- 2 Corinthians 1:5–8
For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
- 2 Timothy 2:9–10
for which I suffer to the extent of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained!
- Philippians 3:10
I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,
- Romans 5:3
Through
Philippians 2:17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:6
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
- 2 Timothy 4:6
Through
1 Thessalonians 2:8We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.
it leads to
- 1 John 3:16
By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
- 1 John 3:16
Through
2 Timothy 2:10For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…
- 1 Peter 5:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Corinthians
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Frederic Godet, Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 27 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.