2 Corinthians 7:12
in 2 Corinthians 7So 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 made clear to you in the sight of God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So although I wrote unto you, I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might be made manifest unto you in the sight of God.
KJV
Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 7
Commentary
11 notes on this verseNot for his cause that had done the wrong - viz. the incestuous person. Nor for his cause that suffered wrong - Some think the apostle means himself; others, that he means the Church at Corinth, the singular being put for the plural; others, the family of the incestuous person; and others, the father of the incestuous person.
This site's exposition
even though I wrote to you
on 2 Corinthians 7:12-13
Paul names the purpose of the severe letter apart from the parties of 2:5 through 11. He wrote so that your earnestness on our behalf would be made clear to you in the sight of God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Paul is making it clear that forgiveness ought to be granted to those who did wrong not only for their sake but for the sake of the church, because when one does wrong many suffer.
For that they might not say, Why then dost thou rebuke us if we were "clear in the matter?" setting himself to meet this even further above, and disposing of it beforehand, he said what he said, namely, "I do not regret, though I did regret." 'For so far,' says he, 'am I from repenting now of what I wrote then, that I repented then more than I do now when ye have approved yourselves.' Seest thou again his vehemence and earnest contention, how he has turned around what was said unto the very opposite. For what they thought would have made him recant in confusion as having rebuked them hastily, by reason of their amendment; that he uses as a proof that it was right in him to speak freely. For neither does he refuse afterwards to humor them fearlessly, when he finds he can do this. For he that said farther above such things as these, "He that is joined to an harlot is one body," and, "Deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh," and, "Every sin that a man doeth is without the body," and such like things; how saith he here, "Not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong?" Not contradicting, but being even exceedingly consistent with, himself. How consistent with himself? Because it was a very great point with him to show the affection he bore towards them. He does not therefore discard concern for him, but shows at the same time, as I said, the love he had for them, and that a greater fear agitated him, [namely] for the whole Church. For he had feared lest the evil should eat further, and advancing on its way should seize upon the whole Church. […]
The Medieval Church2 voices
Lest they should say to him: why then did you rebuke us, if we were clean of transgression? he says: I so respect what was previously written by me and do not repent of rebuking you, that I say: I wrote that so that my …
Here the Apostle assigns the reason why he rejoices over them; then he draws his conclusion, in which he does two things. First, he discloses the intention he had in writing; secondly, he reveals the joy he had over their amendment (v. 13). He says …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. These verses contain a double exhortation:-- I. To make a progress in holiness, or to perfect holiness in the fear of God,
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:27w-of-49
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He acquaints them with the joy of Titus as well as of himself upon the account of their repentance and good behaviour. Titus was rejoiced, and his spirit refreshed, with their comfort, and this comforted and rejoiced the apostle also (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Wherefore, though l wrote unto you,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
ALFORD explains the reading: "He wrote in order to bring out their zeal on his behalf (that is, to obey his command), and make it manifest to themselves in God's sight, that is, to bring out among them their zeal to regard and obey him." But some of the oldest manuscripts and versions (including the Vulgate and old Italian) support English Version.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Wherefore, though I wrote unto you ... - In this verse Paul states the main reason why he had written to them on the subject. It was not principally on account of the man who had done the wrong, or of him who had been injured; but it was from tender anxiety for the whole church, and in order to show the deep interest which he had in their welfare. Not for his cause that had done the wrong - Not mainly, or principally on account of the incestuous person; 1Co 5:1. It was not primarily with reference to him as an individual that I wrote, but from a regard to the whole church. Nor for his cause that suffered wrong - Not merely that the wrong which he had suffered might be rectified, and that his rights might be restored, valuable and desirable as was that object. The offence was that a man had taken his father’s wife as his own 1Co 5:1, and the person injured, therefore, was his father. It is evident from this passage, I think, that the father was living at the time when Paul wrote this Epistle. But that our care ... - I wrote mainly that I might show the deep interest which I had in the church at large, and my anxiety that it might not suffer by the misconduct of any of its members. It is from a regard to the welfare of the whole earth that discipline should be administered, and not simply with reference to an individual who has done wrong, or an individual who is injured. In church discipline such private interests are absorbed in the general interest of the church at large.
The words behind it
28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἄρα | ara | So | G686 → | 49 times |
| εἰ | ei | if | G1487 → | 508 times |
| καὶ | kai | even | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔγραψα | egrapsa | I wrote | G1125 → | 189 times |
| ὑμῖν, | humin | to you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| οὐχ | ouch | [it was] not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἕνεκεν | heneken | for the sake of | G1752 → | 26 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδικήσαντος | adikesantos | having done wrong | G91 → | 28 times |
| οὐδὲ | oude | nor | G3761 → | |
| ἕνεκεν | heneken | for the sake of | G1752 → | 26 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδικηθέντος, | adikethentos | having suffered wrong, | G91 → | 28 times |
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | but rather | G235 → | 635 times |
| ἕνεκεν | heneken | for the sake of | G1752 → | 26 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φανερωθῆναι | phanerothenai | being revealed | G5319 → | 45 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σπουδὴν | spouden | earnestness | G4710 → | 12 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| τὴν | ten | which [is] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | for | G5228 → | 155 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐνώπιον | enopion | before | G1799 → | 94 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ. | theou | God. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
ἄραSo
araG686 →49 times
εἰif
eiG1487 →508 times
καὶeven
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔγραψαI wrote
egrapsaG1125 →189 times
ὑμῖν,to you,
huminG4771 →2973 times
οὐχ[it was] not
ouchG3756 →1664 times
ἕνεκενfor the sake of
henekenG1752 →26 times
τοῦthe [one]
touG3588 →19766 times
ἀδικήσαντοςhaving done wrong
adikesantosG91 →28 times
οὐδὲnor
oudeG3761 →
ἕνεκενfor the sake of
henekenG1752 →26 times
τοῦthe [one]
touG3588 →19766 times
ἀδικηθέντος,having suffered wrong,
adikethentosG91 →28 times
ἀλλ᾽but rather
all᾽G235 →635 times
ἕνεκενfor the sake of
henekenG1752 →26 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
φανερωθῆναιbeing revealed
phanerothenaiG5319 →45 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
σπουδὴνearnestness
spoudenG4710 →12 times
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
τὴνwhich [is]
tenG3588 →19766 times
ὑπὲρfor
huperG5228 →155 times
ἡμῶνus
hemonG3165 →1936 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
ἐνώπιονbefore
enopionG1799 →94 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦ.God.
theouG2316 →1312 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 2:17For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 4:2
Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to…
- 2 Corinthians 1:12
And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom,…
- 2 Peter 2:1–3
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 2 Timothy 4:3–4
For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.
- 1 Timothy 4:1–3
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
- 2 Corinthians 4:2
Through
1 Timothy 3:5For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 3:13
I told him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity of which he knows, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not restrain them.
- Ephesians 5:24
Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
- 1 Samuel 3:13
Through
2 Corinthians 2:9My purpose in writing you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 10:6
And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.
- 2 Corinthians 10:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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 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 15 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.
