2 Corinthians 12:17

17 Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?

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 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?

16 Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery.

17 Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?

18 I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps?

19 Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up.