2 Corinthians 12:20 “For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and yo…”

2 Corinthians 12:20

For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

World English Bible

For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that perhaps there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots,

American Standard Version

For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means there should be strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults;

Geneva Bible 1599

For I feare least when I come, I shall not finde you such as I would: and that I shalbe found vnto you such as ye woulde not, and least there be strife, enuying, wrath, contentions, backebitings, whisperings, swellings and discord.

Darby Translation

For I fear lest perhaps coming I find you not such as I wish, and that I be found by you such as ye do not wish: lest [there might be] strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, puffings up, disturbances;

Young's Literal Translation

for I fear lest, having come, not such as I wish I may find you, and I — I may be found by you such as ye do not wish, lest there be strifes, envyings, wraths, revelries, evil-speakings, whisperings, puffings up, insurrections,

Bible in Basic English

For I have a fear that, when I come, you may not be answering to my desire, and that I may not be answering to yours; that there may be fighting, hate, angry feeling, divisions, evil talk about others, secrets, thoughts of pride, outbursts against authority;

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Cross references

“I shall not”

2 Corinthians 12:21 2 Corinthians 13:9

2 Corinthians 12:21 · BSB

I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.

2 Corinthians 13:9 · BSB

In fact, we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong, and our prayer is for your perfection.

“and that”

1 Corinthians 4:18–21 1 Corinthians 5:3–5 2 Corinthians 10:2 2 Corinthians 13:2 2 Corinthians 10:6 2 Corinthians 1:23

1 Corinthians 4:18–21 · BSB

Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.

1 Corinthians 5:3–5 · BSB

Although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present.

2 Corinthians 10:2 · BSB

I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh.

2 Corinthians 13:2 · BSB

I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone,

2 Corinthians 10:6 · BSB

And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.

2 Corinthians 1:23 · BSB

I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.

“debates”

Galatians 5:19–21 1 Peter 2:1 1 Corinthians 1:11 Galatians 5:15 James 4:1–5 1 Corinthians 4:6–8

Galatians 5:19–21 · BSB

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;

1 Peter 2:1 · BSB

Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.

1 Corinthians 1:11 · BSB

My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.

Galatians 5:15 · BSB

But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

James 4:1–5 · BSB

What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?

1 Corinthians 4:6–8 · BSB

Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.

“whisperings”

Romans 1:29 Proverbs 16:28 Psalm 41:7

Romans 1:29 · BSB

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,

Proverbs 16:28 · BSB

A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.

Psalm 41:7 · BSB

All who hate me whisper against me; they imagine the worst for me:

“swellings”

Jude 1:16 2 Peter 2:18

Jude 1:16 · BSB

These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.

2 Peter 2:18 · BSB

With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.

Also

1 Corinthians 14:33

1 Corinthians 14:33 · BSB

For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

19Have 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.

21I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.

Read 2 Corinthians 12