2 Corinthians 12:20 Meaning and Explanation
“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:”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Paul fears that when he arrives he may find quarreling and disorder among them, forcing him to act in ways neither he nor they would wish.
What Does 2 Corinthians 12:20 Mean?
Paul opens his heart about a real concern. He fears that when he comes, he will not find the Corinthians as he would wish, and that he will have to be firm with them in ways they would not welcome. He lists the sins that trouble him: debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, and tumults, all of them breaches of love within the body.
These are the quiet sins that fracture a community from within. Paul names them honestly because love does not ignore what destroys. He longs to come in joy rather than correction. His concern shows that a healthy church is marked not only by sound belief but by peace and humility among its members, the very fruit that Christ's Spirit produces.
2 Corinthians 12:20 in the Original Language
eritheia (ἐριθεία), 'strife' -- selfish ambition or rivalry that puts one's own interest above the common good.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Corinthians 12:20
What does 2 Corinthians 12:20 mean?
Paul fears that when he arrives he may find quarreling and disorder among them, forcing him to act in ways neither he nor they would wish.