2 Corinthians 1:16
in 2 Corinthians 1I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to return to you from Macedonia, and then to have you help me on my way to Judea.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come unto you, and of you to be set forward on my journey unto Judæa.
KJV
And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 1
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 293 · Written before 458.
Some people think that Paul said this aggressively, because in the first epistle he had promised the Corinthians that he would visit the Macedonians first and then come to Corinth. But as they were not willing to wait for him, he gives them a piece …
This site's exposition
to come unto you before
on 2 Corinthians 1:15-17
Paul had planned a double visit, to come unto you before and again on the way back from Macedonia, a second benefit meant to bless Corinth twice over. The plan changed, and Paul knows the change looks bad, so verse 17 puts the accusation in his own words before his critics can, did I use lightness, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay. The commentators read the coming defense, running through verse 22, as Paul answering a charge of unreliability with an argument about God's own faithfulness rather than a mere excuse.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"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
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, …
In the first epistle he said: "I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia" (1 Cor. 16:5), but here he says: "I intended to come to you earlier." What then? Does he contradict himself? No. For although I wrote otherwise, he says, I …
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 therefore they might conclude that it was for some weighty reasons that he had altered his purpose; and that with him there was not yea yea, and nay nay,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
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
And to pass by you into Macedonia,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
To pass by you into Macedonia - He had purposed to go to Macedonia first, and then from Macedonia return to them, and probably winter in Corinth. Therefore we must understand the δι’ ὑμων, by you, as implying that he would sail up the Aegean Sea, leaving Corinth to the west; though he might have taken it in his way, and have gone by land through Greece up to Macedonia.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
This intention of visiting them on the way to Macedonia, as well as after having passed through it, must have reached the ears of the Corinthians in some way or other--perhaps in the lost Epistle (1Co 4:18; The sense comes out more clearly in the Greek order, "By you to pass into Macedonia, and from Macedonia to come again unto you."
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And to pass by you - Through δι ̓ di' you; that is, through your city, or province; or to take them, as we say, in his way. His design was to pass through Corinth and Achaia on his journey. This was not the direct way from Ephesus to Macedonia. An inspection of a map will show at one view that the direct way was that which he concluded finally to take - that by Troas. Yet he had designed to go out of his way in order to make them a visit; and intended also, perhaps, to make them also a longer visit on his return. The former part of the plan he had been induced to abandon. Into Macedonia - A part of Greece having Thrace on the north, Thessaly south, Epirus west and the AEgean Sea east; see the note, Act 16:9. And of you to be brought on my way - By you; see the note, 1Co 16:6. Toward Judea - His object in going to Judea was to convey the collection for the poor saints which he had been at so much pains to collect throughout the churches of the Gentiles; see the notes, Rom 15:25-26; compare 1Co 16:3-4.
The words behind it
20 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 |
| δι᾽ | di᾽ | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| διελθεῖν | dielthein | to pass through | G1330 → | |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Μακεδονίαν | makedonian | Macedonia | G3109 → | 22 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πάλιν | palin | again | G3825 → | 139 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| Μακεδονίας | makedonias | Macedonia | G3109 → | 22 times |
| ἐλθεῖν | elthein | to come | G2064 → | 628 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑφ᾽ | huph᾽ | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| προπεμφθῆναι | propemphthenai | to be set forward | G4311 → | |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰουδαίαν. | ioudaian | Judea. | G2449 → |
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
δι᾽through
di᾽G1223 →664 times
ὑμῶνyou
humonG4771 →2973 times
διελθεῖνto pass through
dieltheinG1330 →
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ΜακεδονίανMacedonia
makedonianG3109 →22 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πάλινagain
palinG3825 →139 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
ΜακεδονίαςMacedonia
makedoniasG3109 →22 times
ἐλθεῖνto come
eltheinG2064 →628 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑφ᾽by
huph᾽G5259 →219 times
ὑμῶνyou
humonG4771 →2973 times
προπεμφθῆναιto be set forward
propemphthenaiG4311 →
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
Ἰουδαίαν.Judea.
ioudaianG2449 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Acts 21:5But when our time there had ended, we set out on our journey. All the disciples, with their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city and knelt down on the beach to…
it leads to
- Acts 20:36
When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
- Acts 9:40
Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.
- Acts 15:3
Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.
- Acts 20:38
They were especially grieved by his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
- Psalms 95:6
O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
- Acts 20:36
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); 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; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 293; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.