2 Corinthians 13:2
in 2 Corinthians 13I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, to them that have sinned heretofore, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare;
KJV
I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 13
Commentary
15 notes on this verseI told you before, etc. - As Calmet maintains that Paul had already been twice at Corinth, it is well to hear his reasons: “St. Paul came to Corinth the latter end of the year of our Lord 52, and remained there eighteen months, Act 18:1, etc. He came there a second time in the year 55, but stayed only a short time, as he had to return speedily to Ephesus, 1Co 16:7; hence it is that St. Luke makes no mention of this second journey in the Acts.
This site's exposition
the third time I am coming to you
on 2 Corinthians 13:1-2
Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses cites Deuteronomy 19:15. Judgment on unrepentant sin at the third visit will follow the law's standard of evidence.
This site's exposition
If I return, I will not spare anyone
Paul repeats a warning already given. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown think these were probably the very words of his earlier threat, spoken again now from a distance. John Chrysostom reads the verse as notice that there would be no further delay if Paul found the church unchanged.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
That all sins may be forgiven him who has turned to God with his whole heart... Also in the same [second Epistle of the blessed Paul to the Corinthians]: "I told you before, and foretell you as I sit present; and absent now from those who before have sinned, and to all others; as, ill shall come again, I will not spare."
"For if at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word shall be established, and I have come twice and spoken, and speak now also by this Epistle; it follows, I must after this keep my word. For think not, I pray you, that my writing is of less account than my coming; for as I spoke when present, so now I write also when absent." Seest thou his fraternal solicitude? Seest thou forethought becoming a teacher? He neither kept silence nor punished, but he both foretells often, and continues ever threatening, and puts off the punishment, and if they should continue unamended, then he threatens to bring it to the proof. But what didst thou tell them before when present, and when absent writest? "That if I come again, I will not spare."
Having showed before that he is unable to do this unless he is compelled, and having called the thing a mourning, and a humbling; (for he saith, "lest my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for them that have sinned heretofore, and not repented;") and having made his excuse unto them, namely, that he had told them before, once and twice and thrice, and that he does and contrives all he can so as to hold back the punishment, and by the fear of his words to make them better, he then used this unpleasing and terrifying expression, "If I come again, I will not spare." He did not say, "I will avenge and punish and exact satisfaction:" but again expresses even punishment itself in paternal language; showing his tender affection, and his heart to be grieved along with them; because that he always to "spare" them put off.
Then that they may not think now also that there will be again a putting off, and merely a threat in words, therefore he both said before, "At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word be established;" and [now], "If I come again, I will not spare." Now what he means is this: "I will no longer put off, if (which God forbid) I find you unamended; but will certainly visit it, and make good what I have said."
Is he then the same God as He who gave Satan power over the person of Job that his "strength might be made perfect in weakness? " How is it that the censurer of the Galatians still retains the very formula of the law: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established? " How again is it that he threatens sinners "that he will not spare" them -he, the preacher of a most gentle god? Yea, he even declares that "the Lord hath given to him the power of using sharpness in their presence!"
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
I previously told you, and I say again: as during my second visit, being with you, I said, so now also through this epistle I declare to you — to those who have sinned, as being in need of correction, and to the rest, as …
But he threatens a severe sentence, saying: I warned those who sinned before and all the others. Here he first suggests the judicial process to be followed, which requires that three warnings have been given. In regard to this he says: I have warned you …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Note, Though it is God's gracious method to bear long with sinners, yet he will not bear always; at length he will come, and will not spare those who remain obstinate and impenitent, notwithstanding all his methods to reclaim and reform them. The apostle assigns a reason why he would be thus severe, namely, for a proof of Christ's speaking in him, which they sought after,
All the rest - Who have since then sinned in any of these kinds.
I told you before, and foretell you as if I were present a second time,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The antithesis between "the second time" and "now" is palpable. if I come again, &c.--that is, whensoever I come again (Ac 20:2). These were probably the very words of his former threat which he now repeats again.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I told you before - That I would not spare offenders; that I would certainly punish them. He had intimated this before in the First Epistle 1Co 4:21; 1Co 5:1-13. And foretell you - Now apprise you of my fixed determination to punish every offender as he deserves. As if I were present, the second time - The mention of the second time here proves that Paul had been with them but once before. He had formed the resolution to go to them, but had been disappointed. The time when he had been with them is recorded in Act 18:1 ff. He now uses the same language to them which he says he would use if he were with them, as he had expected to be, the second time. See the remarks of Paley on this passage, referred to above. And being absent - see the note on 1Co 5:3. To them which have heretofore sinned - To all the offenders in the church. They had supposed that he would not come to them 1Co 4:18, or that if he came he would not dare to inflict punishment, 2 Cor. 9-11. They had, therefore, given themselves greater liberty, and had pursued their own course, regardless of his authority and commands. I will not spare - I will punish them. They shall not escape.
The words behind it
24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| προείρηκα | proeireka | I have warned | G4280 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| προλέγω, | prolego | I warn, | G4302 → | |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| παρὼν | paron | being present | G3918 → | 25 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δεύτερον | deuteron | second time | G1208 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀπὼν | apon | being absent | G548 → | 7 times |
| νῦν | nun | now | G3568 → | 145 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| προημαρτηκόσιν | proemartekosin | having sinned before | G4258 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λοιποῖς | loipois | rest | G3062 → | |
| πᾶσιν, | pasin | all, | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἐὰν | ean | if | G1437 → | 352 times |
| ἔλθω | eltho | I may come | G2064 → | 628 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸ | to | the [same] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πάλιν | palin | again | G3825 → | 139 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| φείσομαι. | pheisomai | I will spare [anyone]. | G5339 → | 10 times |
προείρηκαI have warned
proeirekaG4280 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
προλέγω,I warn,
prolegoG4302 →
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
παρὼνbeing present
paronG3918 →25 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
δεύτερονsecond time
deuteronG1208 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀπὼνbeing absent
aponG548 →7 times
νῦνnow
nunG3568 →145 times
τοῖςto those
toisG3588 →19766 times
προημαρτηκόσινhaving sinned before
proemartekosinG4258 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τοῖςto the
toisG3588 →19766 times
λοιποῖςrest
loipoisG3062 →
πᾶσιν,all,
pasinG3956 →1235 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἐὰνif
eanG1437 →352 times
ἔλθωI may come
elthoG2064 →628 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸthe [same]
toG3588 →19766 times
πάλινagain
palinG3825 →139 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
φείσομαι.I will spare [anyone].
pheisomaiG5339 →10 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
1 Corinthians 5:5hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 1:20
Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:14–15
Take note of anyone who does not obey the instructions we have given in this letter. Do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed.
- Galatians 6:1–2
Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
- James 5:19–20
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,
- Job 2:6
“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.”
- 1 Timothy 1:20
Through
2 Corinthians 1:23I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.
it leads to
- Galatians 1:20
I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.
- 1 Corinthians 4:21
Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
- 2 Corinthians 13:10
This 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…
- Galatians 1:20
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 2 Corinthians
This page draws on 12 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); Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Cyprian, Pseudo-Cyprian Exhortation to Repentance; 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 (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.