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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

2 Corinthians 12:15

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you the more, am I to be loved the less?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Love;   Minister, Christian;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Brotherly Love;   Love;   Love-Hatred;   Self-Sacrifice;   Selfishness-Unselfishness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ingratitude;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Mission;   Suffering;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Paul;   Holman Bible Dictionary - 2 Corinthians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Person of Christ;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Brotherly Love;   Mercy;  

Devotionals:

- My Utmost for His Highest - Devotion for February 24;  

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
Legacy Standard Bible
So I will most gladly spend and be fully spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
Simplified Cowboy Version
I'll give everything I have for y'all. But I'll be honest, it seems like the more I care for y'all, the less you care about me.
Bible in Basic English
And I will gladly give all I have for your souls. If I have the more love for you, am I to be loved the less?
Darby Translation
Now *I* shall most gladly spend and be utterly spent for your souls, if even in abundantly loving you I should be less loved.
Christian Standard Bible®
I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
World English Bible
I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And I will most gladly spend, and be spent for your souls, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
Weymouth's New Testament
And as for me, most gladly will I spend all I have and be utterly spent for your salvation.
King James Version (1611)
And I wil very gladly spend and bee spent for you, though the more abundantly I loue you, the lesse I bee loued.
Literal Translation
But I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls, even if loving you more and more, I am loved the less.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I wil very gladly bestowe, and wyl be bestowed for youre soules: though ye more I loue you, the lesse am I loued agayne.
Mace New Testament (1729)
I shall be glad to sacrifice myself and all I have for your service, even tho' it should happen that the more I love you, the less I should be beloved.
Amplified Bible
But I will very gladly spend [my own resources] and be utterly spent for your souls. If I love you greatly, am I to be loved less [by you]?
American Standard Version
And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I will very gladly bestowe and wilbe bestowed for youre soules: though the moare I love you ye lesse I am loved agayne.
Update Bible Version
And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?
Webster's Bible Translation
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
Young's Literal Translation
and I most gladly will spend and be entirely spent for your souls, even if, more abundantly loving you, less I am loved.
New Century Version
So I am happy to give everything I have for you, even myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?
New English Translation
Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
Berean Standard Bible
And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?
Contemporary English Version
So I will gladly give all that I have and all that I am. Will you love me less for loving you too much?
Complete Jewish Bible
And as for me, I will most gladly spend everything I have and be spent myself too for your sakes. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
English Standard Version
I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
Geneva Bible (1587)
And I will most gladly bestow, and will be bestowed for your soules: though the more I loue you, the lesse I am loued.
George Lamsa Translation
I will gladly pay my expenses, and I will even give myself for the sake of your souls; though the more I love you, the less you love me.
Hebrew Names Version
I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?
International Standard Version
I will be very glad to spend my money and myself for you. Do you love me less because I love you so much?John 10:11; 2 Corinthians 1:6; 6:12-13; Philippians 2:17; Colossians 1:24; 1 Thessalonians 2:8; 2 Timothy 2:10;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But I gladly the expenses will spend, and also myself will I give for the sake of your souls: though, while the more I love you, you the less love me.
Murdock Translation
15 And cheerfully will I both pay [fn] expenses, and also give myself for your souls; although the more I love you, the less ye love me.
New King James Version
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
New Living Translation
I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.
New Life Bible
I am glad to give anything I have, even myself, to help you. When I love you more, it looks as if you love me less.
English Revised Version
And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?
New Revised Standard
I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, I, most gladly, will spend, and be fully spent, for your souls: - If I, exceedingly, love you, am I, the less, loved?
Douay-Rheims Bible
But I most gladly will spend and be spent myself for your souls: although loving you more, I be loved less.
King James Version
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
Lexham English Bible
But I will spend and be expended most gladly for your lives. If I love you much more, am I to be loved less?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I wyll very gladly bestowe, & wylbe bestowed for your sakes, though the more aboundauntly I loue you, the lesse I am loued agayne.
Easy-to-Read Version
So I am happy to give everything I have for you. I will even give myself for you. If I love you more, will you love me less?
New American Standard Bible
I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
Good News Translation
I will be glad to spend all I have, and myself as well, in order to help you. Will you love me less because I love you so much?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For Y schal yyue moost wilfuli, and Y my silf schal be youun aboue for youre soulis; thouy Y more loue you, and be lesse louyd.

Contextual Overview

11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these superlative apostles, even though I am nothing. 12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you in all patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you; for children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you the more, am I to be loved the less? 16 But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by guile. 17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? 19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. 20 For I fear that perhaps I may come and find you not what I wish, and that you may find me not what you wish; that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

will: 2 Corinthians 12:9, 2 Corinthians 1:6, 2 Corinthians 1:14, 2 Corinthians 2:3, 2 Corinthians 7:3, John 10:10, John 10:11, Galatians 4:10, Philippians 2:17, Colossians 1:24, 1 Thessalonians 2:8, 2 Timothy 2:10

you: Gr. your souls, 2 Corinthians 12:14, Hebrews 13:17

though: 2 Corinthians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 6:13, 2 Samuel 13:39, 2 Samuel 17:1-4, 2 Samuel 18:33, 1 Corinthians 4:8-18

Reciprocal: Exodus 18:18 - Thou wilt surely wear away Exodus 28:30 - upon his heart Deuteronomy 22:4 - thou shalt surely Psalms 109:4 - For my Isaiah 49:4 - spent Matthew 20:27 - whosoever Mark 10:21 - loved 1 Corinthians 4:14 - my 1 Corinthians 10:14 - my 1 Corinthians 16:24 - love 2 Corinthians 1:12 - not 2 Corinthians 2:4 - not 2 Corinthians 3:2 - in 2 Corinthians 4:12 - death 2 Corinthians 4:16 - though 2 Corinthians 6:6 - love 2 Corinthians 6:11 - our heart 2 Corinthians 11:11 - because 2 Corinthians 12:19 - dearly Galatians 5:13 - but Philippians 2:30 - nigh 1 Peter 5:2 - not for

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
Genesis 12:4
So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
Genesis 12:5
And Abram took Sar'ai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions which they had gathered, and the persons that they had gotten in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan,
Genesis 12:16
And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, he-asses, menservants, maidservants, she-asses, and camels.
Genesis 20:2
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abim'elech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
Genesis 40:2
And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker,
Genesis 41:1
After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,
Exodus 2:5
Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, and her maidens walked beside the river; she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to fetch it.
Exodus 2:15
When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh, and stayed in the land of Mid'ian; and he sat down by a well.
1 Kings 3:1
Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt; he took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had finished building his own house and the house of the LORD and the wall around Jerusalem.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I will gladly spend,.... Meaning all his time, talents, and strength, which God had bestowed upon him for their spiritual profit and advantage; yea, all that small pittance of worldly goods that he enjoyed: he not only determined to take nothing from them, but was willing to communicate his little substance to them, or spend it in their service; and not only so, but be spent for them:

and be spent for you, or "for your souls": for the good of them; his sense is, either that he was willing to have his whole substance expended, if it would be of any use to them; or his whole strength exhausted, in laborious preaching to them; or even his life to be laid down for them, was it necessary; which sense is favoured by the Syriac and Arabic versions; all which expressed his tender affection as a spiritual father for them: adding,

though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved; though he loved them more than he did other churches, or than the false apostles loved them, and yet were loved by them less than he was by other churches; or by them, than the false apostles were; or rather the meaning is, that though he increased in his love, and in the expressions of it to them, and they grew colder and more indifferent to him, yet this should not hinder his warmest desires and most earnest endeavours after their spiritual and eternal welfare. This way of speaking strongly expresses his love to them, and tacitly implies the lukewarmness of theirs to him; and yet that it should be no discouragement to him to proceed in doing them all the service he was capable of.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I will very gladly spend - I am willing to spend my strength, and time, and life, and all that I have, for your welfare, as a father cheerfully does for his children. Any expense which may be necessary to promote your salvation I am willing to submit to. The labor of a father for his children is cheerful and pleasant. Such is his love for them that he delights in toil for their sake, and that he may make them happy. The toil of a pastor for his flock should be cheerful. He should be willing to engage in unremitted efforts for their welfare; and if he has any right feeling he will find a pleasure in that toil He will not grudge the time demanded; he will not be grieved that it exhausts his strength, or his life, anymore than a father will who toils for his family. And as the pleasures of a father who is laboring for his children are among the purest and most pleasant which people ever enjoy, so it is with a pastor. Perhaps, on the whole, the pleasantest employment in life is that connected with the pastoral office; the happiest moments known on earth are the duties, arduous as they are, of the pastoral relation. God thus, as in the relation of a father, tempers toil and pleasure together; and accompanies most arduous labors with present and abundant reward.

Be spent - Be exhausted and worn out in my labors. So the Greek word means. Paul was willing that his powers should be entirely exhausted and his life consumed in this service.

For you - Margin, as in the Greek, for your souls. So it should have been rendered. So Tyndale renders it. The sense is, that he was willing to become wholly exhausted if by it he might secure the salvation of their souls.

Though the more abundantly I love you ... - This is designed doubtless as a gentle reproof. It refers to the fact that notwithstanding the tender attachment which he had evinced for them, they had not manifested the love in return which he had a right to expect. It is possible that there may be an allusion to the case of a fond, doting parent. It sometimes happens that a parent fixes his affections with undue degree on some one of his children; and in such cases it is not uncommon that the child evinces special ingratitude and lack of love. Such may be the allusion here - that Paul had fixed his affections on them like a fond, doting father, and that he had met with a return by no means corresponding with the fervour of his attachment; yet still he was willing, like such a father, to exhaust his time and strength for their welfare. The doctrine is, that we should be willing to labor and toil for the good of others, even when they evince great ingratitude. The proper end of laboring for their welfare is not to excite their gratitude, but to obey the will of God; and no matter whether others are grateful or not; whether they love us or not; whether we can promote our popularity with them or not, let us do them good always. It better shows the firmness of our Christian principle to endeavor to benefit others when they love us the less for all our attempts, than it does to attempt to do good on the swelling tide of popular favor.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 15. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you — I will continue to act as a loving father, who spends all he has upon his children, and expends his own strength and life in providing for them the things necessary for their preservation and comfort.

Though the more abundantly I love you — I will even act towards you with the most affectionate tenderness, though it happen to me, as it often does to loving fathers, that their disobedient children love them less, in proportion as their love to them is increased. Does it not frequently happen that the most disobedient child in the family is that one on which the parents' tenderness is more especially placed? See the parable of the prodigal son. It is in the order of God that it should be so, else the case of every prodigal would be utterly deplorable. The shepherd feels more for the lost sheep than for the ninety-nine that have not gone astray.

If I be asked, "Should Christian parents lay up money for their children?" I answer: It is the duty of every parent who can, to lay up what is necessary to put every child in a condition to earn its bread. If he neglect this, he undoubtedly sins against God and nature. "But should not a man lay up, besides this, a fortune for his children, if he can honestly?" I answer: Yes, if there be no poor within his reach; no good work which he can assist; no heathen region on the earth to which he can contribute to send the Gospel of Jesus; but not otherwise. God shows, in the course of his providence, that this laying up of fortunes for children is not right; for there is scarcely ever a case where money has been saved up to make the children independent and gentlemen, in which God has not cursed the blessing. It was saved from the poor, from the ignorant, from the cause of God; and the canker of his displeasure consumed this ill-saved property.


 
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