2 Corinthians 12:17

17 How? Did I take advantage of you through any of the messengers I sent?

2 Corinthians 12:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Corinthians 12:17

Did I make a gain of you
He appeals to the Corinthians against such calumnies and false insinuations, whether ever he had circumvented them in such a manner, or had ever used such artful methods to pillage them; or whether ever he had discovered any covetous disposition towards anything of theirs; or had employed any persons to draw out their substance from them, and get it for himself: he owns he had sent some persons to them on different errands, and asks if he had dealt fraudulently with them,

by any of them whom,
says he,

I have sent to you:
he desires them to name one single person of the many who came to them from him, that had received any money from them for him; or that they had any reason to believe he had employed for such purposes; and if they could not pitch on a single instance, they ought therefore to look upon this as a downright slander and calumny.

2 Corinthians 12:17 In-Context

15 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?
16 You will agree, then, that I was not a burden to you. But someone will say that I was tricky, and trapped you with lies.
17 How? Did I take advantage of you through any of the messengers I sent?
18 I begged Titus to go, and I sent the other believer with him. Would you say that Titus took advantage of you? Do not he and I act from the very same motives and behave in the same way?
19 Perhaps you think that all along we have been trying to defend ourselves before you. No! We speak as Christ would have us speak in the presence of God, and everything we do, dear friends, is done to help you.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.