2 Corinthians 12:21

Repentance Purity Grief

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.

²⁰ 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.

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: 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.
KJV: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
WEB: that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness, sexual immorality, and lustfulness which they committed.
ASV: lest again when I come my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they committed.
DARBY: lest my God should humble me as to you when I come again, and that I shall grieve over many of those who have sinned before, and have not repented as to the uncleanness and fornication and licentiousness which they have practised.
BLB: lest [on] my having come again, my God should humble me as to you⁺, and I should mourn many of those having before sinned and not having repented of the impurity and sexual immorality and sensuality that they have practiced.

ÅB: at når jeg kommer, skal min Gud ydmyke meg hos dere igjen, og jeg skal komme til å sørge over mange av dem som før har syndet og ikke har omvendt seg fra urenheten og utukten og skamløsheten som de har drevet.
OTB: Jeg frykter at når jeg kommer igjen, kan min Gud ydmyke meg foran dere, og jeg kan sørge over mange av dem som har syndet tidligere og ikke omvendt seg fra urenheten, seksuell umoral og uanstendig oppførsel som de har praktisert.
B1930: at når jeg kommer, skal min Gud atter ydmyke mig hos eder, og jeg skal komme til å sørge over mange av dem som før har syndet og ikke har omvendt sig fra den urenhet og utukt og skamløshet som de har drevet.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Corinthians 13:2
I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone,
Read in context
Colossians 3:5
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
Read in context
1 Corinthians 5:9–11
I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.
Read in context
1 Peter 4:2–3
Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God.
Read in context
Revelation 21:8
But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
Read in context
Galatians 5:19
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
Read in context
1 Corinthians 5:1
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.
Read in context
Revelation 22:15
But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Read in context