2 Corinthians 1:18
in 2 Corinthians 1But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yea and nay.
KJV
But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 1
Commentary
11 notes on this verseBut as God is true - Setting the God of truth before my eyes, I could not act in this way: and as sure as he is true, so surely were my purposes sincere; and it was only my uncertainty about your state that induced me to postpone my visit. See 2Co 1:23.
This site's exposition
as surely as God is faithful
on 2 Corinthians 1:18-20
Paul grounds his consistency in God's character, as surely as God is faithful. Verse 20 states the doctrine the defense was leading to: all the promises of God find their Yes in Christ.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
This is what he says to the Galatians: If I have destroyed, I also rebuild, I appoint myself a transgressor (Galatians 2:18). Therefore, faithfully proclaim the teaching of God: for this is what deceivers do. Often, in order not to offend people, they omit what …
"But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not yea and nay." He skillfully overturns a rising objection. For one might say, If after having promised, thou hast put off coming, and yea is not yea, and nay nay, with thee, but what thou sayest now thou unsayest afterwards, as thou didst in the case of this Journey: woe is unto us, if all this were the case in the Preaching too. Now lest they should have these thoughts and be troubled thereat, he says, "But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not yea and nay." This, saith he, was not the case in the Preaching, but only in our travels and journeyings; whereas whatever things we have said in our preaching, these abide steadfast and unmoveable, (for he calleth his preaching here, "word.") Then he bringeth proof of this that cannot be gainsaid, by referring all to God. What he saith is this; "the promise of my coming was my own and I gave that promise from myself: but the preaching is not my own, nor of man, but of God, and what is of God it is impossible should lie." Whereupon also he said, "God is faithful," that is, "true." "Mistrust not then what is from Him, for there is nought of man in it."
The Medieval Church2 voices
Having enlarged upon their accusation, he excuses himself, saying, As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. In regard to this he does two things: first, he declares that he did not lie; secondly, he shows how …
He refutes an objection that arises. Someone could quite rightly say: if what you say is unreliable, and you often say "yes" but it turns out to be "no," then we fear that your teaching and your preaching may be the same — "yes" and …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
For if it had been so, that he had been fickle in his purposes, or even false in the promises he made of coming to them (which he was not justly to be accused of, and so some understand his expression,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 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
, Our word towards you was not yea and nay ), yet it would not follow that the gospel preached not only by him, but also by others in full agreement with him, was either false or doubtful. For God is true, and the Son of God, Jesus Christ, is true.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
But as God is true,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But as God is true - Tyndale renders this in accordance more literally with the Greek, “God is faithful; for our preaching unto you was not yea and nay.” The phrase seems to have the form of an oath, or to be a solemn appeal to God as a Witness, and to be equivalent to the expression “the Lord liveth,” or “as the Lord liveth.” The idea is,” God is faithful and true. He never deceives; never promises that which he does not perform. So true is it that I am not fickle and changing in my purposes.” This idea of the faithfulness of God is the argument which Paul urges why he felt himself bound to be faithful also. That faithful God he regarded as a witness, and to that God he could appeal on the occasion. Our word - Margin, “preaching” (ὁ λόγος ho logos. This may refer either to his preaching, to his promises of visiting them, or his declarations to them in general on any subject. The particular subject under discussion was the promise which he had made to visit them. But he here seems to make his affirmation general, and to say universally of his promises, and his teaching, and of all his communications to them, whether orally or in writing, that they were not characterized by inconstancy and changeableness. It was not his character to be fickle, unsettled, and vacillating.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| πιστὸς | pistos | Faithful | G4103 → | |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεός, | theos | God [is], | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγος | logos | word | G3056 → | 329 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἔστιν | estin | was | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ναὶ | nai | Yes | G3483 → | 33 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οὔ· | ou | No; | G3756 → | 1664 times |
πιστὸςFaithful
pistosG4103 →
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεός,God [is],
theosG2316 →1312 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
λόγοςword
logosG3056 →329 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἔστινwas
estinG1510 →2333 times
ναὶYes
naiG3483 →33 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οὔ·No;
ouG3756 →1664 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
Revelation 3:7To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut,…
it leads to
- Isaiah 22:22
I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
- Matthew 16:19
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
- Isaiah 22:22
Through
1 Corinthians 1:9God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
- Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
- Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.
- 1 John 1:3
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will…
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3
Through
Revelation 3:14To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation.
it leads to
- Colossians 1:15
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
- Colossians 1:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
On this verse
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; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians; 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.