2 Corinthians 7:3

3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.

2 Corinthians 7:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Corinthians 7:3

I speak not this to condemn you
Referring either to the exhortations before given, to have no sinful conversation with unbelievers, and to cleanse themselves from all impurity, external and internal; and to go on in a course of holiness, in the fear of God, to the end of life; or to the account just given of himself and fellow ministers; and his sense is this, the exhortations I have given must not be so understood, as though I charged and accused you with keeping company with unbelievers, or as though you were not concerned for purity of life and conversation; or when I remove the above mentioned things from myself and others, I mean not to lay them upon you, as if I thought that you had wronged, corrupted, or defrauded any; when I clear myself and others, I do not design to accuse or condemn you; my view is only to the false apostles, who have done these things, when we have not, and therefore we have the best claim to your affections:

for I have said before, you are in our hearts;
you are inscribed on our hearts, engraven there, "ye are our epistle written in our hearts", ( 2 Corinthians 3:2 ) ye are not straitened in us, ( 2 Corinthians 6:12 ) you have a place and room enough in our affections, which are strong towards you, insomuch that it is our desire and resolution

to die and live with you;
or together: neither death nor life shall separate our love, or destroy our friendship; there is nothing we more desire than to live with you; and should there be any occasion for it, could freely die with you, and for you.

2 Corinthians 7:3 In-Context

1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.

2 Open your hearts to us; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.

3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.

4 I have great confidence in you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. With all our affliction, I am overjoyed.

5 For even when we came into Macedo'nia, our bodies had no rest but we were afflicted at every turn--fighting without and fear within.