2 Corinthians 12:13
New International Version
How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

New Living Translation
The only thing I failed to do, which I do in the other churches, was to become a financial burden to you. Please forgive me for this wrong!

English Standard Version
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!

Berean Standard Bible
In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Berean Literal Bible
For in what is it that you were inferior beyond the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

King James Bible
For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

New King James Version
For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

New American Standard Bible
For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

NASB 1995
For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

NASB 1977
For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Legacy Standard Bible
For in what respect were you treated as less than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Amplified Bible
For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except [for the fact] that I did not burden you [with my financial support]? Forgive me [for doing you] this injustice!

Christian Standard Bible
So in what way are you worse off than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me for this wrong!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So in what way were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

American Standard Version
For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the churches, except it be that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this wrong.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For what did you lack of other churches, except only in this, that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrongdoing!

Contemporary English Version
You missed out on only one blessing the other churches received. That is, you didn't have to support me. Forgive me for doing you wrong.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For what is there that you have had less than the other churches, but that I myself was not burthensome to you? Pardon me this injury.

English Revised Version
For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the churches, except it be that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this wrong.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
How were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I didn't bother you for help? Forgive me for this wrong!

Good News Translation
How were you treated any worse than the other churches, except that I did not bother you for financial help? Please forgive me for being so unfair!

International Standard Version
How were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I did not bother you for help? Forgive me for this wrong!

Literal Standard Version
for what is there in which you were inferior to the rest of the assemblies, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!

Majority Standard Bible
In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

New American Bible
In what way were you less privileged than the rest of the churches, except that on my part I did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

NET Bible
For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!

New Revised Standard Version
How have you been worse off than the other churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

New Heart English Bible
For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the churches, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.

Webster's Bible Translation
For what is that in which ye were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

Weymouth New Testament
In what respect, therefore, have you been worse dealt with than other Churches, except that I myself never hung as a dead weight upon you? Forgive the injustice I thus did you!

World English Bible
For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Young's Literal Translation
for what is there in which ye were inferior to the rest of the assemblies, except that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this injustice!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Concern for the Corinthians
12The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance. 13 In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! 14See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.…

Cross References
Acts 18:3
and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.

1 Corinthians 9:12
If others have this right to your support, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:18
What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it.

2 Corinthians 11:7
Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

2 Corinthians 11:9
And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.

2 Corinthians 12:14
See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.


Treasury of Scripture

For what is it wherein you were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

I myself.

2 Corinthians 12:14
Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

2 Corinthians 11:8,9
I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service…

1 Corinthians 9:6,12,15-18
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? …

forgive.

2 Corinthians 11:7
Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

Jump to Previous
Assemblies Burden Burdensome Charge Churches Dead Dealt Except Favored Forgive Forgiveness Hung Inferior Injury Injustice Less Respect Rest Treated Trouble Unless Weight Wherein Worse Wrong
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Assemblies Burden Burdensome Charge Churches Dead Dealt Except Favored Forgive Forgiveness Hung Inferior Injury Injustice Less Respect Rest Treated Trouble Unless Weight Wherein Worse Wrong
2 Corinthians 12
1. For commending of his apostleship, though he might glory of his wonderful revelations,
9. yet he rather chooses to glory of his infirmities;
11. blaming the Corinthians for forcing him to this vain boasting.
14. He promises to come to them again; but yet altogether in the affection of a father;
20. although he fears he shall to his grief find many offenders, and public disorders there.














(13) What is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches?--His mind travels back to the insinuation that he cared less for them than he did for the churches of Macedonia, because he had maintained his independence and had received no gifts from them. If they complained of this, they should, at least, remember that this was the only point of inferiority. They had experienced fully all the advantages that flowed from his special power as an Apostle. For that wrong, so far as it was a wrong, he asks their forgiveness.

That I myself was not burdensome.--He uses here, and in the next verse, the same characteristic word for "sponging" on them, which has been commented on in the Note on 2Corinthians 11:9. He obviously dwells on it with a touch of irony, as a word that had been used of him by some of his rivals.

Verse 13. - I was not burdensome. The same word as in 2 Corinthians 11:9. Forgive me this wrong. There is an exquisite dignity and pathos mixed with the irony of this remark.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
In what way
τί (ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

were you inferior
ἡσσώθητε (hēssōthēte)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2274: From the same as hetton; to make worse, i.e. Vanquish; by implication, to rate lower.

to
ὑπὲρ (hyper)
Preposition
Strong's 5228: Gen: in behalf of; acc: above.

the
τὰς (tas)
Article - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

other
λοιπὰς (loipas)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3062: Left, left behind, the remainder, the rest, the others. Masculine plural of a derivative of leipo; remaining ones.

churches,
ἐκκλησίας (ekklēsias)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1577: From a compound of ek and a derivative of kaleo; a calling out, i.e. a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation.

except
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

I
ἐγὼ (egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

was not a burden
κατενάρκησα (katenarkēsa)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2655: (properly a medical term: I stupefy, hence) I burden, encumber. From kata and narkao; to grow utterly torpid, i.e. slothful.

to you?
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

Forgive
χαρίσασθέ (charisasthe)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Middle - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 5483: (a) To show favor to, (b) To pardon, forgive, (c) To show kindness.

me
μοι (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

this
ταύτην (tautēn)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

wrong!
ἀδικίαν (adikian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 93: Injustice, unrighteousness, hurt. From adikos; injustice; morally, wrongfulness.


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NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 12:13 For what is there in which you (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)
2 Corinthians 12:12
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