2 Corinthians 1:17

¹⁵ Confident of this, I planned to visit you first, so that you might receive a double blessing.

¹⁶ I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to return to you from Macedonia, and then to have you help me on my way to Judea.

When I planned this, did I do it carelessly? Or do I make my plans by human standards, so as to say “Yes, yes” when I really mean “No, no”?

¹⁸ But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”

¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in Him it has always been “Yes.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: When I planned this, did I do it carelessly? Or do I make my plans by human standards, so as to say “Yes, yes” when I really mean “No, no”?
KJV: When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?
WEB: When I therefore planned this, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be the “Yes, yes” and the “No, no?”
ASV: When I therefore was thus minded, did I show fickleness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the yea yea and the nay nay?
DARBY: Having therefore this purpose, did I then use lightness? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to flesh, that there should be with me yea yea, and nay nay?
BLB: Therefore, purposing this, then, did I use lightness? Or do I purpose what I purpose according to flesh, so that with me it may be “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?

ÅB: Da jeg nå altså ville dette, gikk jeg da kan hende lettsindig fram? eller hva jeg foresetter meg, foresetter jeg meg det på kjødelig vis, så at der hos meg skulle være både ja, ja og nei, nei?
OTB: Var jeg da ubesluttsom da jeg ville gjøre dette? Eller planlegger jeg det jeg planlegger etter kjødet, så det hos meg skulle være både "Ja, ja" og "Nei, nei"?
B1930: Da jeg nu altså vilde dette, gikk jeg da kan hende lettsindig frem? eller hvad jeg foresetter mig, foresetter jeg mig det på kjødelig vis, så at der hos mig skulde være både ja, ja og nei, nei?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Matthew 5:37
Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.
Read in context
James 5:12
Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.
Read in context
2 Corinthians 10:2–3
I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh.
Read in context
2 Corinthians 1:18–20
But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”
Read in context
John 8:15
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
Read in context
Jeremiah 23:32
“Indeed,” declares the LORD, “I am against those who prophesy false dreams and retell them to lead My people astray with their reckless lies. It was not I who sent them or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all to these people,” declares the LORD.
Read in context
Judges 9:4
So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him.
Read in context
Zephaniah 3:4
Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.
Read in context