2 Corinthians 7:15
in 2 Corinthians 7And his affection for you is even greater when he remembers that you were all obedient as you welcomed him with fear and trembling.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And his affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
KJV
And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 7
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThe other reason is on the part of the Corinthians. For friends desire that those whom they love be loved by everyone. Therefore, because Titus loved the Corinthians for their devotion, the Apostle rejoices over this and says, and his heart goes out all the …
This site's exposition
our boasting, which I made before Titus
on 2 Corinthians 7:14-16
For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth: Paul had evidently praised the Corinthians to Titus before the visit, risking embarrassment if the church failed to live up to it, and the bench reads his relief as proof of how much confidence the severe letter had cost him to send. And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him: Titus's own heart is now bound to the church that received him so carefully, the phrase fear and trembling naming the seriousness with which they treated his visit and Paul's authority behind it. I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things closes the chapter on full restoration, the estrangement that opened the letter now entirely resolved before the collection appeal of chapters 8 and 9 begins.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
He says that the mind and affection of Titus are in them, because he has seen their progress; for a holy mind is in all good. Remembering the obedience of all of you, how with fear and trembling you received him. The Corinthians, knowing that …
"And his inward affection is more abundant toward you." What follows is in commendation of him, as exceedingly consumed with love and attached to them. And he said not 'his love.' Then that he may not appear to be flattering, he everywhere mentions the causes of his affection; in order that he may, as I said, both escape the imputation of flattery and the more encourage them by making the praise redound unto them, and by showing that it was they who had infused into him the beginning and ground of this so great love. For having said, "his inward affection is more abundant toward you;" he added, "Whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all." Now this both shows that Titus was grateful to his benefactors, seeing he had returned, having them all in his heart, and continually remembereth them, and beareth them on his lips and in his mind; and also is a greater distinction to the Corinthians, seeing that so vanquished they sent him away. Then he mentions their obedience also, magnifying their zeal: wherefore also he addeth these words, "How with fear and trembling ye received him." Not with love only, but also with excessive honor. Seest thou how he bears witness to a twofold virtue in them, both that they loved him as a father and had feared him as a ruler, neither for fear dimming love, nor for love relaxing fear. He expressed this also above, "That ye sorrow after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you; yea what fear, yea what longing."
The Medieval Church1 voice
With these words he praises Titus, so that they too might come to love him, as one bound to him and ardently loving them. Therefore he also said: "his heart," in order to show the strength and fervor of his disposition and sincere love for …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Note, Great comfort and joy follow upon godly sorrow. As sin occasions general grief, so repentance and reformation occasion general joy. Paul was glad, and Titus was glad, and the Corinthians were comforted, and the penitent ought to be comforted; and well may all this joy be on earth, when there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.
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
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And his inward affection is more abundant toward you,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And his inward affection ... - He has become deeply and tenderly attached to you. His affectionate regard for you has been greatly increased by his visit. On the meaning of the word here rendered “inward affection” (σπλάγχια splangchia, Margin, bowels) see the note on 2Co 6:12. It denotes here: deep, tender attachment, or love. How with fear and trembling ye received him - With fear of offending, and with deep apprehension of the consequences of remaining in sin.
And his inward affection - Τα σπλαγχνα αυτου· Those bowels of his - his most tender affection. For the meaning of this word see the note on Mat 9:36. Whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all - This is a very natural picture; he represents Titus as overjoyed even while he is delivering his account of the Corinthian Church. He expatiated on it with extreme delight, and thereby showed at once both his love for St. Paul and his love for them. He loved them because they so loved the apostle; and he loved them because they had shown such kindness to himself; and he loved them because he found so many excellent and rare gifts, joined to so much humility, producing such an exemplary and holy life. With fear and trembling ye received him - Ye reverenced his authority; ye were obedient to his directions; and ye dreaded lest any thing should be undone or ill done which he had delivered to you in the name of God.
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 |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σπλάγχνα | splagchna | affections | G4698 → | |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| περισσοτέρως | perissoteros | more abundantly | G4056 → | 12 times |
| εἰς | eis | toward | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἀναμιμνῃσκομένου | anamimneskomenou | remembering | G363 → | |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πάντων | panton | of all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ὑπακοήν, | hupakoen | obedience, | G5218 → | 14 times |
| ὡς | hos | how | G5613 → | 500 times |
| μετὰ | meta | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| φόβου | phobou | fear | G5401 → | 46 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τρόμου | tromou | trembling | G5156 → | |
| ἐδέξασθε | edexasthe | you received | G1209 → | 56 times |
| αὐτόν. | auton | him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
σπλάγχναaffections
splagchnaG4698 →
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
περισσοτέρωςmore abundantly
perissoterosG4056 →12 times
εἰςtoward
eisG1519 →1755 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
ἐστινare
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἀναμιμνῃσκομένουremembering
anamimneskomenouG363 →
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
πάντωνof all
pantonG3956 →1235 times
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
ὑπακοήν,obedience,
hupakoenG5218 →14 times
ὡςhow
hosG5613 →500 times
μετὰwith
metaG3326 →461 times
φόβουfear
phobouG5401 →46 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τρόμουtrembling
tromouG5156 →
ἐδέξασθεyou received
edexastheG1209 →56 times
αὐτόν.him.
autonG846 →5565 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
Philippians 2:12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 1:5–10
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
- Luke 13:23–24
“Lord,” someone asked Him, “will only a few people be saved?” Jesus answered,
- 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
- Hebrews 4:11
Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.
- 1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.
- 2 Peter 1:5–10
Through
1 John 3:17If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:16
And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- Hebrews 13:16
Through
Isaiah 66:2Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles…
it leads to
- Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit,…
- Psalms 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.
- Isaiah 57:15
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 Second Epistle to the Corinthians; 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 Chrysostom, Homily 16 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.