19 All this time [a]you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, (A)it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and (B)all for building you up, (C)beloved. 20 For I am afraid that perhaps (D)when I come I may find you to be not what I wish, and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be (E)strife, jealousy, (F)angry tempers, (G)selfishness, (H)slanders, (I)gossip, (J)arrogance, (K)disturbances; 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have (L)sinned in the past and not repented of the (M)impurity, sexual immorality, and indecent behavior which they have practiced.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 12:19 Or have you been thinking...?

19 Have you been thinking all this time that we are defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and all these things, dear friends, are for your edification. 20 For I am afraid lest somehow when I[a] arrive, I will not find you as I want, and I may be found by you as you do not want. I am afraid[b] lest somehow there will be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, pride, disorder. 21 I am afraid lest when I[c] come again my God will humiliate me in your presence[d], and I will grieve over many of those who sinned previously and have not repented because of their impurity and sexual immorality and licentiousness that they have practiced.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 12:20 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“arrive”) which is understood as temporal
  2. 2 Corinthians 12:20 The words “I am afraid” are not in the Greek text, but are an understood repetition from the previous clause
  3. 2 Corinthians 12:21 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“come”) which is understood as temporal
  4. 2 Corinthians 12:21 Literally “with you”