the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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THE MESSAGE
2 Corinthians 5:12
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We ain't bragging about ourselves, but we do hope you are glad we ride with you. We aren't like those other cowboys who are all hat and no cattle. We'd rather have a good heart than a fancy ministry.
We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.
We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an opportunity to boast of us, so that you will have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
We are not again requesting your approval, but we are giving you the chance of taking pride in us, so that you may be able to give an answer to those whose glory is in seeming, and not in the heart.
[For] we do not again commend ourselves to you, but [we are] giving to you occasion of boast in our behalf, that ye may have [such] with those boasting in countenance, and not in heart.
We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance rather than in the heart.
For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart.
We do not again recommend ourselves to you; but we give you an occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have something to answer them, who glory in appearance, and not in heart.
We are not again commending ourselves to your favour, but are furnishing you with a ground of boasting on our behalf, so that you may have a reply ready for those with whom superficial appearances are everything and sincerity of heart counts for nothing.
For we commend not our selues againe vnto you, but giue you occasion to glory on our behalfe, that you may haue somewhat to answere them, which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
For we do not again commend ourselves to you, but are giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that you may have it toward those boasting in appearance and not in heart.
We prayse not oure selues agayne vnto you, but geue you an occasion to reioyse of vs, yt ye maye haue to reioyse agaynst them, which reioyse after the outwarde appearaunce, and not after the hert.
and this I say, not to commend myself again unto you, but to give you an occasion of glorying on my account, that you may confront those who make a false show of glorying.
We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an occasion to be [rightfully] proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in [outward] appearances [the virtues they pretend to have] rather than what is [actually] in heart.
We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart.
We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who pride themselves on a man's position and not on his heart.
We prayse not oure selves agayne vnto you but geve you an occasion to reioyce of vs that ye maye have some what agaynst the whych reioyce in the face and not in the hert.
We are not again commending ourselves to you, but [speak] as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that you may have the means to answer those that glory in appearance, and not in heart.
For we commend not ourselves again to you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to [answer] them who glory in appearance, and not in heart.
for not again ourselves do we recommend to you, but we are giving occasion to you of glorifying in our behalf, that ye may have [something] in reference to those glorifying in face and not in heart;
We are not trying to prove ourselves to you again, but we are telling you about ourselves so you will be proud of us. Then you will have an answer for those who are proud about things that can be seen rather than what is in the heart.
We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who take pride in outward appearance and not in what is in the heart.
We are not commending ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who take pride in appearances rather than in the heart.
We are not trying once more to brag about ourselves. But we want you to be proud of us, when you are with those who are not sincere and brag about what others think of them.
We are not recommending ourselves to you again but giving you a reason to be proud of us, so that you will be able to answer those who boast about a person's appearance rather than his inner qualities.
We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.
For we prayse not our selues againe vnto you, but giue you an occasion to reioyce of vs, that ye may haue to answere against them, which reioyce in the face, and not in the heart.
We are not boasting of ourselves to you, but we give you occasion to be proud of us, before those who glory as hypocrites but who are not sincere in heart.
For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart.
We are not recommending ourselves to you again but are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who are proud of outward things rather than inward character.rather than the heart">[fn]2 Corinthians 1:14; 3:1;">[xr]
12 For we commend [fn] not ourselves again to you, but we give you cause to be boastful of us to them who in appearance boast, but not in heart.
We do not again laud ourselves to you; but we give you occasion to glory in us, to them who glory in appearance and not in heart.
For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart.
We do not want to sound as if we think we are so important. Instead, we are making it easy for you to be proud of us. In that way, you will be able to tell them about us. They always talk about the way people look, but do not care about their hearts.
We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but [speak] as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart.
We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart.
Not again, ourselves, do we commend unto you, but as though an occasion we were giving unto you - something to boast of, in our behalf; that ye may have something suited unto them who, in appearance, are boasting, and not in heart.
We commend not ourselves again to you, but give you occasion to glory in our behalf: that you may have somewhat to answer them who glory in face, and not in heart.
For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to boast about us, in order that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
For we prayse not our selues agayne vnto you, but geue you an occasion to reioyce of vs, that ye may haue somwhat agaynst them which reioyce in the face, and not in the heart.
We are not trying to prove ourselves to you again. But we are telling you about ourselves. We are giving you reasons to be proud of us. Then you will have an answer for those who are proud about what can be seen. They don't care about what is in a person's heart.
We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.
We are not trying again to recommend ourselves to you; rather, we are trying to give you a good reason to be proud of us, so that you will be able to answer those who boast about people's appearance and not about their character.
We comenden not vs silf eftsoone to you, but we yyuen to you occasioun to haue glorie for vs, that ye haue to hem that glorien in the face, and not in the herte.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
we: 2 Corinthians 3:1, 2 Corinthians 6:4, 2 Corinthians 10:8, 2 Corinthians 10:12, 2 Corinthians 10:18, 2 Corinthians 12:11, Proverbs 27:2
give: 2 Corinthians 1:14, 2 Corinthians 11:12-16, 2 Corinthians 12:1-9
appearance: Gr. the face, Galatians 6:12-14
Reciprocal: Romans 4:2 - he hath 2 Corinthians 10:7 - ye look 2 Corinthians 12:19 - think Philippians 1:26 - General
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For we commend not ourselves again to you,.... We have no need to do so, being well known to you; nor do we intend it when we thus speak of ourselves, and of our ministrations:
but give you occasion to glory on our behalf; suggest some things to you which you may make use of in our favour, for the vindicating of our characters and conduct:
that you may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart; by whom are meant the false apostles who gloried in an outward show, in their learning, eloquence, and popular applause they had acquired, and not in the sincerity of their hearts, and the testimony of a good conscience, things which the true apostles of Christ were most ambitious of.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For we commend not ourselves again unto you - This refers to what he had said in the previous verse. He had there said that he had such a consciousness of integrity that he could appeal to God, and that he was persuaded that the Corinthians also approved his course, or admitted that he was influenced by right motives. He here states the reason why he had said this. It was not to commend himself to them. It was not to boast of his own character, nor was it in order to secure their praise or favor. Some might be disposed to misrepresent all that Paul said of himself, and to suppose that it was said for mere vain-glory, or the love of praise. He tells them, therefore, that his sole aim was necessary self-defense, and in order that they might have the fullest evidence that he, by whom they had been converted, was a true apostle; and that he whom they regarded as their friend and father in the gospel was a man of whom they need not be ashamed.
But give you occasion - This is a very happy turn of expression. The sense is, “You have been converted under my labors. You profess to regard me as your spiritual father and friend. I have no reason to doubt of your attachment to me. Yet you often hear my name slandered, and hear me accused of wanting the evidence of being an apostle, and of being vain-glorious, and self-seeking. I know your desire to vindicate my character, and to show that you are my friends. I, therefore, say these things in regard to myself in order that you may be thus able to show your respect for me, and to vindicate me from the false and slanderous accusations of my enemies. Thus doing, you will be able to answer them; to show that the man whom you thus respect is worthy of your confidence and esteem.”
On your behalf - For your own benefit, or as it were in self-vindication for adhering to me, and evincing attachment to me.
That ye may have somewhat to answer them - That you may be furnished with a ready reply when you are charged with adhering to a man who has no claims to the apostleship, or who is slandered in any other way.
Which glory in appearance - The false teachers in Corinth. Probably they boasted of their rank, their eloquence, their talents, their external advantages; but not in the qualities of the heart - in sincerity, honesty, real love for souls. Their consciences would not allow them to do this; and they knew themselves that their boasting was mere vain pretence, and that there was no real and solid ground for it. The margin is, “in the face.” The meaning is, probably, that their ground of boasting was external, and was such as can be seen of people, and was not rather the secret consciousness of right, which could exist only in the conscience and the heart. Paul, on the other hand, gloried mainly in his sincerity, his honesty, his desire for their salvation; in his conscious integrity before God; and not in any mere external advantages or professions, in his rank, eloquence, or talent. Accordingly, all his argument here turns on his sincerity, his conscious uprightness, and his real regard for their welfare. And the truth taught here is, that sincerity and conscious integrity are more valuable than any or all external advantages and endowments.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 2 Corinthians 5:12. For we commend not ourselves? — I do not say these things to bespeak your good opinion, to procure your praise; but to give you an occasion to glory - to exult on our behalf; and to furnish you with an answer to all those who either malign us or our ministry, and who only glory in appearance - have no solid ground of exultation, and whose heart is dishonest and impure. St. Paul probably speaks here concerning the false apostle, who had been dividing the Church and endeavouring to raise a party to himself, by vilifying both the apostle and his doctrine.
