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Sunday, August 24th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

2 Corinthians 6:13

I speak to you as if you were my children. Do the same as we have done—open your hearts also.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Love;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Family;   Reconciliation;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Corinth;   Holman Bible Dictionary - 2 Corinthians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Reward;   Reward (2);  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Enlarge;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I speak as to my children; as a proper response, open your heart to us.
King James Version (1611)
Nowe for a recompense in the same, (I speake as vnto my children) be ye also inlarged.
King James Version
Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
English Standard Version
In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.
New American Standard Bible
Now in the same way in exchange—I am speaking as to children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.
New Century Version
I speak to you as if you were my children. Do to us as we have done—open your hearts to us.
Amplified Bible
Now in the same way as a fair exchange [for our love toward you]—I am speaking as [I would] to children—open wide [your hearts] to us also.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also.
Berean Standard Bible
As a fair exchange, I ask you as my children: Open wide your hearts also.
Contemporary English Version
I speak to you as I would speak to my own children. Please make room in your hearts for us.
Complete Jewish Bible
So, just to be "fair" (I am using the language of children), open wide your hearts too.
Darby Translation
but for an answering recompense, (I speak as to children,) let *your* heart also expand itself.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe for the same recompence, I speake as to my children, Be you also inlarged.
George Lamsa Translation
I speak as to my children, render me my reward which is with you, increase your love toward me.
Good News Translation
I speak now as though you were my children: show us the same feelings that we have for you. Open your hearts wide!
Lexham English Bible
Now the same way in exchange (I am speaking as to children), you open wide your hearts also.
Literal Translation
But for the same reward, I speak as to children, you also be made larger.
American Standard Version
Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged.
Bible in Basic English
Now to give me back payment of the same sort (I am talking as to my children), let your hearts be wide open to me.
Hebrew Names Version
Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also be enlarged.
International Standard Version
Do us a favor - I ask you as my children - and open wide your hearts.1 Corinthians 4:14;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But as unto (my) children, I say to you, Render to me my gains which are with you, and expand your love towards me.
Murdock Translation
13 I speak as to [fn] children, Pay me the debt which ye owe, and expand your love towards me.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I promise you lyke rewarde as vnto children: Set your selues at large,
English Revised Version
Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto [my] children), be ye also enlarged.
World English Bible
Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also be enlarged.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now for a recompence of the same, (I speak as to my children) be ye also inlarged.
Weymouth's New Testament
And in just requital--I speak as to my children--let your hearts expand also.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y seie as to sones, ye that han the same reward, be ye alargid.
Update Bible Version
Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as to [my] children), be also enlarged.
Webster's Bible Translation
Now for a recompense in the same (I speak as to [my] children,) be ye also enlarged.
New English Translation
Now as a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts to us also.
New King James Version
Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.
New Living Translation
I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!
New Life Bible
I am speaking to you now as if you were my own children. Open your hearts wide to us! That will pay us back for what we have done for you.
New Revised Standard
In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Howbeit, by way of the like recompense - as, unto children, I speak, be enlarged, even, ye.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But having the same recompense (I speak as to my children): be you also enlarged.
Revised Standard Version
In return--I speak as to children--widen your hearts also.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I promyse you lyke rewarde with me as to my childre.
Young's Literal Translation
and [as] a recompense of the same kind, (as to children I say [it],) be ye enlarged -- also ye!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I speake to you, as to childre, that haue like rewarde with vs.
Mace New Testament (1729)
I address myself to you as a parent, be not you wanting in the returns of filial respect to me.
Simplified Cowboy Version
I feel like a father who has given everything to his kids, but they show no gratitude or love. Pop your dallies on whatever is holding you back and open your hearts to us.

Contextual Overview

11 We have spoken freely to you people in Corinth. We have opened our hearts to you. 12 Our feelings of love for you have not stopped. It is you who have stopped your feelings of love for us. 13 I speak to you as if you were my children. Do the same as we have done—open your hearts also. 14 You are not the same as those who don't believe. So don't join yourselves to them. Good and evil don't belong together. Light and darkness cannot share the same room. 15 How can there be any unity between Christ and the devil? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 God's temple cannot have anything to do with idols, and we are the temple of the living God. As God said, "I will live with them and walk with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people." 17 "So come away from those people and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don't touch anything that is not clean, and I will accept you." 18 "I will be your father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord All-Powerful."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I speak: 1 Corinthians 4:14, 1 Corinthians 4:15, Galatians 4:19, 1 Thessalonians 2:11, Hebrews 12:5, Hebrews 12:6, 1 John 2:1, 1 John 2:12-14, 1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:18, 3 John 1:4

be: 2 Kings 13:14-19, Psalms 81:10, Matthew 9:28, Matthew 9:29, Matthew 17:19-21, Mark 6:4-6, Mark 11:24, James 1:6, James 1:7, 1 John 5:14, 1 John 5:15

Reciprocal: 2 Corinthians 12:15 - though

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
The number of people on earth continued to increase. When these people had daughters, the sons of God saw how beautiful they were. So they chose the women they wanted. They married them, and the women had their children. Then the Lord said, "People are only human. I will not let my Spirit be troubled by them forever. I will let them live only 120 years." During this time and also later, the Nephilim people lived in the land. They have been famous as powerful soldiers since ancient times.
Genesis 6:6
The Lord was sorry that he had made people on the earth. It made him very sad in his heart.
Genesis 6:7
So the Lord said, "I will destroy all the people I created on the earth. I will destroy every person and every animal and everything that crawls on the earth. And I will destroy all the birds in the air, because I am sorry that I have made them."
Genesis 6:10
Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 6:11
When God looked at the earth, he saw that people had ruined it. Violence was everywhere, and it had ruined their life on earth.
Genesis 7:23
In this way God wiped the earth clean—he destroyed every living thing on the earth—every human, every animal, everything that crawls, and every bird. All that was left was Noah and his family and the animals that were with him in the boat.
Genesis 49:5
"Simeon and Levi are brothers. They are violent with their swords.
Jeremiah 51:13
Babylon, you live near much water. You are rich with treasures, but your end as a nation has come. It is time for you to be destroyed.
Amos 8:2
He said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the Lord said to me, "The end has come to my people Israel. I will not ignore their sins anymore.
Hebrews 11:7
Noah was warned by God about things that he could not yet see. But he had faith and respect for God, so he built a large boat to save his family. With his faith, Noah showed that the world was wrong. And he became one of those who are made right with God through faith.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now for a recompence in the same,.... That your love to me may answer mine to you; that as you have my heart, I may have yours, and the same room in your heart, as you have in mine. The Vulgate Latin version reads, "having the same recompence"; and the Arabic version renders it, "grant to me the same recompence"; and the Syriac version, "recompense to me my usuries that are with you"; that is, repay me with affection, let love be returned for love.

I speak as unto my children; which relation subsisting between us requires mutual affection; for as a father should love his children, so children should love their father:

be ye also enlarged; in your love to me, as I am to you; and then, as if he should say, you will bear with, and take in good part the following exhortation and advice.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now for a recompence in the same - “By way of recompence, open your hearts in the same manner toward me as I have done toward you. It is all the reward or compensation which I ask of you; all the return which I desire. I do not ask silver or gold, or any earthly possessions. I ask only a return of love, and a devotedness to the cause which I love, and which I endeavor to promote.”

I speak as unto my children - I speak as a parent addressing his children. I sustain toward you the relation of a spiritual father, and I have a right to require and expect a return of affection.

Be ye also enlarged - Be not straitened in your affections. Love me as I love you. Give to me the same proofs of attachment which I have given you. The idea in this verse is, that the only compensation or remuneration which he expected for all the love which he had shown them, and for all his toils and self-denials in their behalf 2 Corinthians 6:4-5, was, that they would love him, and yield obedience to the laws of the gospel requiring them to be separate from the world, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. One ground of the claim which he had to their affection was, that he sustained toward them the relation of a father, and that he had a right to require and to expect such a return of love. The Syriac renders it well: “Enlarge your love toward me.” Tyndale renders it: “I speak unto you as unto children, which have like reward with us; stretch yourselves therefore out; bear not the yoke with unbelievers.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 6:13. Now for a recompense in the same — That you may, in some sort, repay me for my affection towards you, I speak to you as unto my children, whom I have a right to command, be ye also enlarged-love me as I love you.


 
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