2 Corinthians 13:9

Syriac Peshitta (NT Only)

ܚܳܕ݂ܶܝܢܰܢ ܕ݁ܶܝܢ ܡܳܐ ܕ݁ܰܚܢܰܢ ܟ݁ܪܺܝܗܺܝܢ ܘܰܐܢ݈ܬ݁ܽܘܢ ܚܰܝܠܬ݂ܳܢܺܝܢ ܗܳܕ݂ܶܐ ܓ݁ܶܝܪ ܐܳܦ݂ ܡܨܰܠܶܝܢܰܢ ܕ݁ܰܐܢ݈ܬ݁ܽܘܢ ܬ݁ܶܬ݁ܓ݁ܰܡܪܽܘܢ ܀

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

when: 2 Corinthians 13:8, 2 Corinthians 11:30, 2 Corinthians 12:5-10, 1 Corinthians 4:10

even: 2 Corinthians 13:7, 2 Corinthians 13:11, 2 Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 4:13, Philippians 3:12-15, Colossians 1:28, Colossians 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 3:10, 2 Timothy 3:17, Hebrews 6:1, Hebrews 12:23, Hebrews 13:21, 1 Peter 5:10

Reciprocal: Matthew 5:48 - ye 1 Corinthians 4:8 - ye did 2 Corinthians 4:12 - death 2 Corinthians 11:29 - is weak 2 Corinthians 12:10 - for when 2 Corinthians 12:20 - I shall not Philippians 1:8 - how

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For we are glad when we are weak,.... Appear to be so, look like persons disarmed of all power and authority; the apostles rejoiced when they had no occasion of exerting themselves, and of exercising that high office, and extraordinary commission they had received of Christ Jesus:

and ye are strong; stand fast in the doctrine of faith, and are lively and active in the exercise of the grace of faith; are strong in Christ, and in his grace, and in the power of his might, to withstand every temptation of Satan, every corruption of their own hearts, and to perform every duty aright.

And this also we wish, even your perfection; or restoration, or jointing in again; a metaphor taken from the setting of bones that are dislocated and out of joint; for the church at Corinth was like a disjointed body, and the apostle's wish was, that their animosities might cease, their divisions be healed, their disorders rectified, and each member be in its proper place, behaving as became the Gospel of Christ; see 1 Corinthians 1:10.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For we are glad when we are weak ... - We rejoice in your welfare, and are willing to submit to self-denial and to infirmity if it may promote your spiritual strength. In the connection in which this stands it seems to mean, “I am content to appear weak, provided you do no wrong; I am willing not to have occasion to exercise my power in punishing offenders, and had rather lie under the reproach of being actually weak, than to have occasion to exercise my power by punishing you for wrongdoing; and provided you are strong in the faith and in the hope of the gospel, I am very willing, nay, I rejoice that I am under this necessity of appearing weak.”

And this also we wish - I desire this in addition to your doing no evil.

Even your perfection - The word used here (κατάρτισις katartisis) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, though the verb from which it is derived (καταρτίζω katartizō) occurs often; Matthew 4:21; Matthew 21:16; Mark 1:19; Luke 6:40; Romans 9:22; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Galatians 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:10, et al.; see the note on 2 Corinthians 13:11. On the meaning of the word see Romans 9:22. The idea of restoring, putting in order, fitting, repairing, is involved in the word “always,” and hence, the idea of making perfect; that is, of completely restoring anything to its proper place. Here it evidently means that Paul wished their entire reformation - so that there should be no occasion for exercising discipline. Doddridge renders it, “perfect good order.” Macknight, “restoration.” For this restoration of good order Paul had diligently labored in these epistles; and this was an object near to his heart.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 13:9. For we are glad, when we are weak — It will give me indescribable pleasure that I should still appear to be poor, despicable, and destitute of this extraordinary power with which God has clothed me, so that you be strong in all the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit.

And this also we wish, even your perfection. — We cannot be satisfied that persons, with such eminent endowments, and who have once received the truth as it is in Jesus, should be deficient in any of the graces that constitute the mind of Christ; such as brotherly love, charity, harmony, unity, and order. I have given the above paraphrase to this verse, because of the last term καταρτισιν, which we render perfection. καταρτισις, from κατα, intensive, and αρτιζω, to fit or adapt, signifies the reducing of a dislocated limb to its proper place; and hence, as Beza says on this passage: "The apostle's meaning is, that whereas the members of the Church were all, as it were, dislocated and out of joint, they should be joined together in love; and they should endeavour to make perfect what was amiss among them, either in faith or morals."

It is a metaphor, also, taken from a building; the several stones and timbers being all put in their proper places and situations, so that the whole building might be complete, and be a proper habitation for the owner. The same figure, though not in the same terms, the apostle uses, Ephesians 2:20-22.

The perfection or rejointing which the apostle wishes is that which refers to the state of the Church in its fellowship, unity, order, c. And perfection in the soul is the same, in reference to it, as perfection in the Church is to its order and unity. The perfection or rejointing of the soul implies its purification, and placing every faculty, passion, and appetite in its proper place so that the original order, harmony, unity, and purity of the soul may be restored; and the whole builded up to be a habitation of God through the Spirit, Ephesians 2:22.