2 Corinthians 1:15

A Visit Postponed

15 In this confidence, I planned to come to you first, so you could have a double benefit,^[a]

2 Corinthians 1:15 Meaning and Commentary

2 Corinthians 1:15

And in this confidence I was minded
Being fully persuaded of your affection for me, as having been instrumental in the conversion of many of you, and of your esteem of me as a faithful and upright minister of the word, and of your being my rejoicing in the day of Christ, I was desirous, and had determined, and so promised,

to come to you before;
when I sent my first epistle to you, or before now, or before I went into Macedonia; and what I now say was the sincere intention of my mind; I thought really to have done what I had such an inclination to: and my view in it was,

that you might have a second benefit;
the meaning of which according to some is, first by his letter to them, and then by his presence with them; or as others, one benefit when he should pass by them to Macedonia, and a second, when he should return to them from thence, according to the following verse; or rather, as the first benefit which they received from him, and under his ministry, was their conversion, so this second benefit may design their edification, and establishment in the faith, their growth in grace, and improvement in spiritual knowledge.

2 Corinthians 1:15 In-Context

13 Now we are writing you nothing other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely-

14 as you have partially understood us-that we are your reason for pride, as you are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

15 In this confidence, I planned to come to you first, so you could have a double benefit,

16 and to go on to Macedonia with your help, then come to you again from Macedonia and be given a start by you on my journey to Judea.

17 So when I planned this, was I irresponsible? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human way so that I say "Yes, yes" and "No, no" [simultaneously]?

Footnotes

• [a]. Other mss read a second joy