2 Corinthians 1:15
in 2 Corinthians 1Confident of this, I planned to visit you first, so that you might receive a double blessing.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And in this confidence I was minded to come first unto you, that ye might have a second benefit;
KJV
And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 1
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And in his confidence - In this confidence of my integrity, and that you had this favorable opinion of me, and appreciated the principles of my conduct. I did not doubt that you would receive me kindly, and would give me again the tokens of your affection and regard. In this Paul shows that however some of them might regard him, yet that he had no doubt that the majority of the church there would receive him kindly. I was minded - I willed (ἐβουλόμην eboulomēn); it was my intention.
This site's exposition
I planned to visit you first
on 2 Corinthians 1:15-17
Paul had planned to visit you first, on his way to Macedonia and again on the return. The plan changed, and Paul puts the charge in his own words before his critics can, asking whether he planned carelessly or by human standards.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Therefore, it is not idle because he wanted to go and did not go; for he wants it to be understood that there are some among them for whose sake he did not fulfill his desire, so that, by their efforts, they may be purified.
"And in this confidence I was minded to come before unto you." What confidence? "In relying exceedingly on you, glorying over you, being your glorying, loving you exceedingly, being conscious to myself of nothing evil, being confident that all is spiritual with us, and having you as witnesses of this." "I was minded to come unto you, and by you to pass into Macedonia." And yet he promised the contrary in his former Epistle, saying thus: "Now I will come unto you when I shall have passed through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia." How is it then that he here says the contrary? He doth not say the contrary: away with the thought. For it is contrary indeed to what he wrote, but not contrary to what he wished. Wherefore also here he said not, "I wrote that I would pass by you into Macedonia;" but, "I was minded." For though I did not write on that wise," he says, "nevertheless I was greatly desirous, and 'was minded,' even before, to have come unto you: so far was I from wishing to be later than my promise that I would gladly have come before it." "That ye might have a second benefit." What is, a second benefit? "That ye might have a double benefit, both that from my writings, and that from my presence." By "benefit" he here means pleasure. "And by you to pass into Macedonia, and to come again from Macedonia unto you, and of you to be set forward on my journey unto Judaea."
The Medieval Church2 voices
With what confidence? With the fact that I am not conscious of anything bad in myself, that I am your boast, that I conducted myself not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, and that, finally, you are witnesses of all this for …
After winning the good will of the Corinthians, the Apostle adds his excuse. In regard to this he does three things: first, he mentions what he intends; secondly, in the form of a question he answers an accusation they made against him (v. 17); thirdly, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), and he does this in confidence of their good opinion of him, and that they would believe him, when he assured them he was minded, or did really intend, to come to them, and that with the design, not that he might receive, but that they might receive a second benefit, that is, a further advantage by his ministry.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And in this confidence I was minded,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
in this confidence--of my character for sincerity being "acknowledged" by you (2Co 1:12-14). was minded--I was intending. before--"to come unto you before" visiting Macedonia (where he now was).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
And in this confidence - Under the conviction or persuasion that this is the case; that ye exult in us, as we do in you; I was minded - I had purposed to come to you before, as he had intimated, 1Co 16:5; for he had intended to call on them in his way from Macedonia, but this purpose he did not fulfill; and he gives the reason, 2Co 1:23. A second benefit - He had been with them once, and they had received an especial blessing in having the seed of life sown among them by the preaching of the Gospel; and he had purposed to visit them again that they might have a second blessing, in having that seed watered. Instead of χαριν, grace or benefit, several MSS. read χαραν joy, pleasure; but the word grace or benefit, seems to express the apostle’s meaning best.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ταύτῃ | taute | with this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πεποιθήσει | pepoithesei | confidence | G4006 → | 6 times |
| ἐβουλόμην | eboulomen | I was planning | G1014 → | |
| πρότερον | proteron | previously | G4387 → | |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐλθεῖν, | elthein | to come | G2064 → | 628 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| δευτέραν | deuteran | secondly | G1208 → | |
| χάριν | charin | grace | G5485 → | 153 times |
| σχῆτε | schete | you may have | G2192 → | 707 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ταύτῃwith this
tauteG3778 →1381 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
πεποιθήσειconfidence
pepoitheseiG4006 →6 times
ἐβουλόμηνI was planning
eboulomenG1014 →
πρότερονpreviously
proteronG4387 →
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
ἐλθεῖν,to come
eltheinG2064 →628 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
δευτέρανsecondly
deuteranG1208 →
χάρινgrace
charinG5485 →153 times
σχῆτεyou may have
scheteG2192 →707 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 6:1As God’s fellow workers, then, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.
it leads to
- Hebrews 12:15
See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.
- 1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
- 1 Peter 4:10
As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.
- 2 Corinthians 5:18–20
All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
- Galatians 2:21
I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.
- Hebrews 12:15
Through
Romans 1:11For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,
it leads to
- Romans 16:25
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past
- 2 Peter 1:12
Therefore I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have.
- Romans 15:29
I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
- Romans 16:25
Where this verse is studied
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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 2 Corinthians; Frederic Godet, Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 3 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.