2 Corinthians 13:6
in 2 Corinthians 13And I hope you will realize that we have not failed the test.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But I hope that ye shall know that we are not reprobate.
KJV
But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 13
Commentary
12 notes on this verseYe shall know that we are not reprobates - Ye have had, and ye shall have, the fullest proof that I have preached the true faith among you; and that God has confirmed it by his testimony; and thus that I am proved and manifested to be what I ought to be, and shown to be approved of God.
This site's exposition
Examine yourselves
on 2 Corinthians 13:5-6
Paul turns the demand for proof back on his accusers with peirazo and dokimazo: Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Adokimos means to fail the test, and honest self-examination will show that we have not failed the test.
This site's exposition
we have not failed the test
The test turns back on the testers. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown reason that the Corinthians are the fruit of Paul's ministry, so to doubt his apostleship is to doubt their own faith. Adam Clarke reads the verse as confidence that God had confirmed Paul's preaching among them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Paul is calling them to a knowledge of the faith and an upright life. Once they have recognized the authority of the apostle and his worth in God's sight, they will start to be concerned about themselves.
"But I hope that ye shall know that we are not reprobate." What followed naturally was to have said, "but if ye have become reprobate, yet we have not." He doth not, however, say so, for fear of wounding them, but he hints it in an obscure manner, without either making the assertion thus, "ye are reprobate," or proceeding by question and saying, "But if ye are reprobate," but leaving out even this way of putting it by question, he indicates it obscurely by adding, "But I hope that ye shall know that we are not reprobate."
Here also again, great is the threat, great the alarm. "For since ye desire," he says, "in this way, by your own punishment to receive the proof, we shall have no difficulty in giving you that demonstration." But he does not indeed so express himself, but with more weight and threatening. "But I hope that ye shall know that we are not reprobate." "For ye ought indeed," he saith, "to have known even without this what we are, and that we have Christ speaking and working in us; but since ye desire to receive the proof of it by deeds also, ye shall know that we are not reprobate."
The Medieval Church2 voices
In these words is contained a strong threat, for their meaning is as follows: you desire to acquire proof by means of punishment; and I hope that we will be in a position to give you evidence that we are "what we ought to be," …
What they might find in the Apostle is mentioned when he says, I hope you will find out that we have not failed. For since those Corinthians could say, "We are not reprobates, but we do not on that account hold to your teachings, because …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. 10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. The apostle's prayer to God on the behalf of the Corinthians, that they might do no evil,
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:50w-of-68
But I trust that ye shall know,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
"I trust that" your own Christianity will be recognized by you (observe, "ye shall know," answers to "know your own selves," 2Co 13:5) as sufficient "proof" that ye are not reprobates, but that "Christ speaks in me," without needing a proof from me more trying to yourselves. If ye doubt my apostleship, ye must doubt your own Christianity, for ye are the fruits of my apostleship.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But I trust ... - The sense of this verse is,” Whatever may be the result of your examination of yourselves, I trust (Greek I hope) you will not find us false and to be rejected; that is, I trust you will find in me evidence that I am commissioned by the Lord Jesus to be his apostle.” The idea is, that they would find when he was among them, that he was endowed with all the qualifications needful to confer a claim to the apostolic office.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐλπίζω | elpizo | I hope | G1679 → | 31 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| γνώσεσθε | gnosesthe | you will know | G1097 → | 221 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἡμεῖς | hemeis | we ourselves | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἐσμὲν | esmen | are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἀδόκιμοι. | adokimoi | unapproved. | G96 → | 8 times |
ἐλπίζωI hope
elpizoG1679 →31 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
γνώσεσθεyou will know
gnosestheG1097 →221 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἡμεῖςwe ourselves
hemeisG3165 →1936 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἐσμὲνare
esmenG1510 →2333 times
ἀδόκιμοι.unapproved.
adokimoiG96 →8 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
2 Corinthians 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…
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 10:8
For even if I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed.
- 2 Corinthians 2:3
I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be saddened by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would share…
- Titus 1:13
This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith
- 2 Corinthians 10:8
Through
2 Corinthians 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,…
it leads to
- Galatians 5:19–21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
- 1 Peter 2:1
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.
- 1 Corinthians 1:11
My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
- Romans 1:29
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,
- Galatians 5:15
But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
- Galatians 5:19–21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 2 Corinthians
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 29 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; 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.