2 Corinthians 6:11
in 2 Corinthians 6We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians. Our hearts are open wide.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Our mouth is open unto you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged.
KJV
O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 6
Commentary
12 notes on this verseHaving enumerated his labors and through the order of his narrative shown the Corinthians how they ought to imitate him, he wishes, finally, to reproach them as not loving him enough. But before this he shows them his own love, and says: I always desire …
This site's exposition
We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians
on 2 Corinthians 6:11-13
The defense breaks into direct address, We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, Paul naming the church itself. Any coldness lies on their side, so Paul pleads as a father, I ask you as my children: Open wide your hearts also.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Our mouth is open unto you, O ye Corinthians." And what kind of sign of love is this? or what meaning even have the words at all? 'We cannot endured' he says, 'to be silent towards you, but are always desiring and longing to speak to and converse with you;' which is the wont of those who love. For what grasping of the hands is to the body, that is interchange of language to the soul. And along with this he implies another thing also. Of what kind then is this? That 'we discourse unto nothing.' For since afterwards he proposes to rebuke, he asks forgiveness, using the rebuking them with freedom as itself a proof of his loving them exceedingly. Moreover the addition of their name is a mark of great love and warmth and affection; for we are accustomed to be repeating continually the bare names of those we love. "Our heart is enlarged." For as that which warmeth is wont to dilate; so also to enlarge is the work of love. For virtue is warm and fervent. This both opened the mouth of Paul and enlarged his heart. For, 'neither do I love with the mouth only,' saith he, 'but I have also a heart in union. Therefore I speak with openness, with my whole mouth, with my whole mind.' For nothing is wider than was Paul's heart which loved all the faithful with all the vehemence that one might bear towards the object of his affection; this his love not being full entireness with each.
Paul is saying this because of the freedom he enjoyed in a pure conscience. A mind with a bad conscience is afraid to speak, loses its train of thought and makes verbal slips. People whose heart is enlarged are happy with themselves because they are …
The Medieval Church1 voice
After teaching them the use of grace as to good outward actions, the Apostle now instructs them about this use in regard to internal devotion, which consists in joy of heart, which causes the heart to enlarge. In regard to this he does three things. …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
O ye Corinthians - He seldom uses this appellation. But it has here a peculiar force. Our mouth is opened toward you - With uncommon freedom, because our heart is enlarged - In tenderness.
O ye Corinthians,....
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Though the apostle was happy in a great fluency of expressions, yet he seemed to want words to express the warm affections he had for these Corinthians.
In these verses we have an account of the apostle's general errand and exhortation to all to whom he preached in every place where he came, with the several arguments and methods he used. The errand or exhortation itself, namely, to comply with the gospel offers of reconciliation--that, being favoured with the gospel, they would not receive this grace of God in vain,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you - We speak freely, and fully. This is an affectionate address to them, and has reference to what he had just said. It means that, when the heart was full on the subject, words would flow freely, and that he had given vent to the fervid language which he had just used because his heart was full. He loved them; he felt deeply; and he spoke to them with the utmost freedom of what he had thought, and purposed, and done.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The enlargement of his heart towards them (2Co 7:3) produced his openness of mouth, that is, his unreserved expression of his inmost feelings. As an unloving man is narrow in heart, so the apostle's heart is enlarged by love, so as to take in his converts at Corinth, not only with their graces, but with their many shortcomings (compare 1Ki 4:29;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you - I speak to you with the utmost freedom and fluency, because of my affection for you. Our heart is enlarged - It is expanded to take you and all your interests in; and to keep you in the most affectionate remembrance. The preceding verses contain a very fine specimen of a very powerful and commanding eloquence.
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Τὸ | to | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| στόμα | stoma | mouth | G4750 → | |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἀνέῳγεν | aneogen | has been opened | G455 → | |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς, | humas | you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| Κορίνθιοι, | korinthioi | Corinthians, | G2881 → | |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καρδία | kardia | heart | G2588 → | 156 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| πεπλάτυνται· | peplatuntai | has been expanded; | G4115 → |
ΤὸThe
toG3588 →19766 times
στόμαmouth
stomaG4750 →
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ἀνέῳγενhas been opened
aneogenG455 →
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶς,you,
humasG4771 →2973 times
Κορίνθιοι,Corinthians,
korinthioiG2881 →
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
καρδίαheart
kardiaG2588 →156 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
πεπλάτυνται·has been expanded;
peplatuntaiG4115 →
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 12:15And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 2:8
We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:8
Through
Psalms 119:32I run in the path of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 4:29
And God gave Solomon wisdom, exceedingly deep insight, and understanding beyond measure, like the sand on the seashore.
- 2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
- John 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
- John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
- 1 Kings 4:29
Through
2 Corinthians 2:4For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 7:12
So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong or the one who was harmed, but rather that your earnestness on our behalf would be…
- Proverbs 27:5–6
Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed.
- 2 Corinthians 7:12
Through
Philippians 1:8God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- Romans 1:9
God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
- Romans 1:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
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 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; Frederic Godet, Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 13 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; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.