2 Corinthians 6:12

Contextual Overview

¹¹We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. ¹¹ We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. ¹¹ Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. ¹¹Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. ¹¹Won't all you cowboys in Corinth listen? I have spoken plainly with an open heart. ¹¹ Our mouth is open to you, O Corinthians, our heart is wide. ¹¹ Our mouth is opened to you, Corinthians, our heart is expanded. ¹¹ We have spoken openly to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide. ¹¹ Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged. ¹¹ O ye Corinthians, our mouth is opened toward you, our heart is inlarged.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

are not: Ecclesiastes 6:9, *marg. Job 36:16, Proverbs 4:12, Micah 2:7

in your: Philippians 1:8, 1 John 3:17

Reciprocal: Exodus 28:30 - upon his heart 2 Corinthians 7:3 - for 2 Corinthians 7:15 - inward affection is 2 Corinthians 11:11 - because 2 Corinthians 12:15 - though Philippians 1:23 - in

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:1
When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:1
Now it happened, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:1
Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:1
And it came to passe, that when men began to be multiplied in the vpper face of the earth, there were daughters borne vnto the:

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 6:1
When men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:1
And whanne men bigunnen to be multiplied on erthe, and hadden gendrid douytris,

Genesis 6:1
And it came to passe, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were borne vnto them:

Genesis 6:1
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ye are not straitened in us,.... The meaning of which is, either you are not brought into straits and difficulties by us; we do not afflict and distress you, or fill you with anguish and trouble;

but ye are straitened in your own bowels; you are distressed by some among yourselves, who ought not to be with you, with whom you should have no fellowship and communion: or thus, you have room enough in our hearts, our hearts are so enlarged with love to you, that they are large enough to hold you all; an expression, setting forth the exceeding great love, and strong affection the apostle bore to the Corinthians; when, on the other hand, they had but very little love to him comparatively; he had a heart to hold them all without being straitened for room; and among all them they could scarce find room enough in their hearts and affections for him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ye are not straitened in us - That is, you do not possess a narrow or contracted place in our affections. We love you fully, ardently, and are ready to do all that can be done for your welfare. There is no lack of room in our affections toward you. It is not narrow, confined, pent up. It is ample and free.

But ye are straitened in your own bowels - That is, in the affections of your hearts. The word used here (σπλάγχνα splangchna) commonly means in the Bible the tender affections. The Greek word properly denotes the upper viscera; the heart, the lungs, the liver. It is applied by Greek writers to denote those parts of victims which were eaten during or after the sacrifice - Robinson (Lexicon). Hence, it is applied to the heart, as the seat of the emotions and passions; and especially the gentler emotions, the tender affections, compassion, pity, love, etc. Our word “bowels” is applied usually to the lower viscera, and by no means expresses the idea of the word which is used in Greek. The idea here is, that they were straitened, or were confined in their affections for him. It is the language of reproof, meaning that he had not received from them the demonstrations of attachment which he had a right to expect, and which was a fair and proportionate return for the love bestowed on them. Probably he refers to the fact that they had formed parties; had admitted false teachers; and had not received his instructions as implicitly and as kindly as they ought to have done.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 6:12. Ye are not straitened in us — That is, Ye have not a narrow place in our affections: the metaphor here is taken from the case of a person pent up in a small or narrow place, where there is scarcely room to breathe.

Ye are straitened in your own bowels. — I have not the same place in your affections which you have in mine. The bowels are used in Scripture to denote the most tender affections. Matthew 9:36; Matthew 9:36.