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2 Corinthians 12:16-19

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

16. But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. 17. Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? 18. I desired Titus, and with [him] I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? [walked we] not in the same steps? 19. Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but [we do] all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

2 Corinthians 12:16-19 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on 2 Corinthians 12:16

Theological / Devotional

Being crafty. In vs. 16–19 Paul emphatically denies having made any gain from them, either openly or in a crafty, underhanded way. He apparently supposes his enemies to say, “Grant that Paul did not take money from you directly. But did he not do it indirectly when he sent Titus to gather funds for the great collection [chs. 8; 9]? How do you know that he is not secretly rewarding himself and his companions out of this fund?”

Caught you. As a hunter takes his game. Commentators generally hold that Paul here quotes what his enemies were saying.

Guile. Or, “craft,” “deceit,” literally, “bait” (cf. chs. 4:2; 11:3).

By SdaBc