2 Corinthians 12:20
18 I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps?
19 Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up.
For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
21 I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.
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
- For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
- KJV
- For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
- WEB
- For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that perhaps there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots,
- ASV
- For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means [there should be] strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults;
- DARBY
- For I fear lest perhaps coming I find you not such as I wish, and that *I* be found by you such as ye do not wish: lest [there might be] strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, puffings up, disturbances;
- BLB
- For I fear lest somehow, having come, I might not find you⁺ such as I wish, and I might be found by you⁺ such as you⁺ do not wish; lest somehow [there is] strife, jealousy, rage, rivalries, slander, gossip, conceit, disorder;
- ÅB
- For jeg frykter for at når jeg kommer, skal jeg ikke finne dere slik som jeg ønsker, og at jeg skal finnes av dere slik som dere ikke ønsker - at det skal være kiv, avind, vrede, stridigheter, baktalelse, sladder, oppblåsthet, uorden -
- OTB
- For jeg frykter at når jeg kommer, kan jeg ikke finne dere slik jeg ønsker, og dere kan ikke finne meg slik dere ønsker; at det kanskje vil være strid, sjalusi, sinte temperamenter, egoisme, baktalelse, sladder, arroganse, forstyrrelser;
- B1930
- For jeg frykter for at når jeg kommer, skal jeg ikke finne eder slik som jeg ønsker, og at jeg skal finnes av eder slik som I ikke ønsker - at det skal være kiv, avind, vrede, stridigheter, baktalelse, sladder, opblåsthet, uorden -
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Peter 2:1
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.
Read in contextGalatians 5:19–21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
Read in contextRomans 1:29
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,
Read in context1 Corinthians 1:11
My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
Read in contextJude 1:16
These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.
Read in contextGalatians 5:15
But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
Read in contextProverbs 16:28
A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.
Read in contextJames 4:1–5
What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
Read in context