Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! New Living Translation Some of you admit I was not a burden to you. But others still think I was sneaky and took advantage of you by trickery. English Standard Version But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. Berean Standard Bible Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery. Berean Literal Bible But be it so, I did not burden you⁺; but being crafty, I took you⁺ by trickery. King James Bible But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. New King James Version But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! New American Standard Bible But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, devious person that I am, I took you in by deceit. NASB 1995 But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit. NASB 1977 But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit. Legacy Standard Bible But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself. Nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit. Amplified Bible But be that as it may, I did not burden you [with my support]. But [some say that] I was sly and took you by trickery. Berean Annotated Bible Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you⁺; but crafty as I am, I caught you⁺ by trickery. Christian Standard Bible Now granted, I did not burden you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit! Holman Christian Standard Bible Now granted, I have not burdened you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit! American Standard Version But be it so, I did not myself burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Contemporary English Version You agree that I wasn't a burden to you. Maybe that's because I was trying to catch you off guard and trick you. English Revised Version But be it so, I did not myself burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile. GOD'S WORD® Translation You agree, then, that I haven't been a burden to you. Was I a clever person who trapped you by some trick? Good News Translation You will agree, then, that I was not a burden to you. But someone will say that I was tricky, and trapped you with lies. International Standard Version Granting that I have not been a burden to you, was I a clever schemer who trapped you by some trick? NET Bible But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit! New Heart English Bible But be it so, I did not myself burden you. But, being crafty, I caught you with deception. Webster's Bible Translation But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Weymouth New Testament If I love you so intensely, am I the less to be loved? Be that as it may: I was not a burden to you. But being by no means scrupulous, I entrapped you, they say! Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBe that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery. World English Bible Even so, I myself didn’t burden you. But you might say that being crafty, I caught you with deception. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd be it [so], I did not burden you, but being crafty, I took you with guile; Berean Literal Bible But be it so, I did not burden you⁺; but being crafty, I took you⁺ by trickery. Young's Literal Translation And be it so, I -- I did not burden you, but being crafty, with guile I did take you; Smith's Literal Translation And let it be, I overloaded you not: but being dexterous, I took you by contrivance. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBut be it so: I did not burthen you: but being crafty, I caught you by guile. Catholic Public Domain Version And so be it. I have not burdened you, but instead, being astute, I obtained you by guile. New American Bible But granted that I myself did not burden you, yet I was crafty and got the better of you by deceit. New Revised Standard Version Let it be assumed that I did not burden you. Nevertheless (you say) since I was crafty, I took you in by deceit. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBut be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless as a shrewd man, I caught you with guile: Aramaic Bible in Plain English And perhaps I was not a burden to you, but as a crafty man I robbed you by treachery. NT Translations Anderson New TestamentBe it so, indeed; I did not burden you; but being crafty, I caught you by deceit. Godbey New Testament But let it he so, I did not burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Haweis New Testament But admit it, I was not burdensome to you: but being crafty, I caught you with guile. Mace New Testament 'tis own'd I did not put you to any charges myself: but was so crafty, as to over-reach you, by others. Weymouth New Testament If I love you so intensely, am I the less to be loved? Be that as it may: I was not a burden to you. But being by no means scrupulous, I entrapped you, they say! Worrell New Testament But be it so, I did not burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Worsley New Testament Be it so, that I did not burden you myself, yet, may some say, being crafty I over-reached you by subtilty. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Concern for the Corinthians…15And 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. 17Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?… Cross References Be that as it may, 2 Corinthians 11:1 I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that. 2 Corinthians 11:16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 2 Corinthians 11:17 In this confident boasting of mine, I am not speaking as the Lord would, but as a fool. I was not a burden to you; 2 Corinthians 11:9 And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so. 2 Corinthians 11:8 I robbed other churches by accepting their support in order to serve you. 1 Thessalonians 2:9 Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. but crafty as I am, 2 Corinthians 11:3 I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ. Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” Matthew 10:16 Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. I caught you by trickery. 2 Corinthians 11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. Ephesians 4:14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. 2 Corinthians 4:2 Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 2 Corinthians 11:20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or exalts himself or strikes you in the face. 1 Thessalonians 2:5 As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness! 1 Corinthians 9:12 If others have this right to your support, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 1 Corinthians 9:18 What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it. Treasury of Scripture But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. I did not. 2 Corinthians 12:13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. 2 Corinthians 11:9,10 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself… being. 2 Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. 2 Corinthians 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 2 Corinthians 7:2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. Jump to Previous Better Burden Caught Crafty Deceit Deception Entrapped Fellow Granting Guile Intensely Love Means Nevertheless Someone Trickery TroubleJump to Next Better Burden Caught Crafty Deceit Deception Entrapped Fellow Granting Guile Intensely Love Means Nevertheless Someone Trickery Trouble2 Corinthians 12 1. For commending of his apostleship, though he might glory of his wonderful revelations,9. yet he rather chooses to glory of his infirmities; 11. blaming the Corinthians for forcing him to this vain boasting. 14. He promises to come to them again; but yet altogether in the affection of a father; 20. although he fears he shall to his grief find many offenders, and public disorders there. Be that as it may This phrase indicates a transition in Paul's argument, acknowledging a point but moving beyond it. Paul often uses rhetorical techniques to address potential objections or misunderstandings. Here, he is likely addressing concerns or accusations from the Corinthian church regarding his conduct or intentions. I was not a burden to you but crafty as I am I caught you by trickery Persons / Places / Events 1. Paul the ApostleThe author of 2 Corinthians, addressing the church in Corinth. He is defending his ministry and integrity against accusations. 2. The Corinthian Church The recipients of the letter, a Christian community in Corinth that Paul had founded. They were dealing with internal conflicts and external influences questioning Paul's authority. 3. False Apostles Individuals who were challenging Paul's authority and questioning his motives, suggesting that he was deceitful. 4. Macedonia A region from which Paul received support, allowing him to minister to the Corinthians without being a financial burden to them. 5. Titus A fellow worker of Paul, who was sent to Corinth and is mentioned in the context of Paul's defense of his actions and intentions. Teaching Points Integrity in MinistryPaul’s example shows the importance of maintaining integrity and transparency in ministry. He chose not to be a financial burden to the Corinthians to avoid any hindrance to the Gospel. Misunderstanding and Accusation Even when acting with pure motives, misunderstandings and accusations can arise. Paul faced false accusations of deceit, yet he remained steadfast in his mission. Sacrificial Service Paul’s willingness to sacrifice his rights for the sake of others is a model for Christian service. We are called to serve others selflessly, even when it requires personal sacrifice. Discernment in Leadership The Corinthians were swayed by false apostles. This highlights the need for discernment in recognizing true spiritual leadership based on character and adherence to the Gospel. Trust in God’s Provision Paul’s reliance on God’s provision through other means (like the support from Macedonia) teaches us to trust God to meet our needs as we focus on His work. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 2 Corinthians 12:16?2. How does 2 Corinthians 12:16 demonstrate Paul's approach to spreading the Gospel? 3. What does "crafty fellow" in 2 Corinthians 12:16 reveal about Paul's character? 4. How can we apply Paul's strategy in 2 Corinthians 12:16 to evangelism today? 5. What other scriptures highlight Paul's commitment to serving without burdening others? 6. How does 2 Corinthians 12:16 challenge us to examine our motives in ministry? 7. What does 2 Corinthians 12:16 reveal about Paul's approach to spreading the Gospel? 8. How does 2 Corinthians 12:16 challenge our understanding of honesty in ministry? 9. Why does Paul mention deceit in 2 Corinthians 12:16, and what does it imply? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Corinthians 12? 11. What is soul winning and how is it done? 12. What is the Bible's view on solidarity? 13. Why does Paul focus on faith over Jesus' actual teachings? 14. What is the biblical basis for small group ministry? What Does 2 Corinthians 12:16 Mean Be that as it may“Be that as it may” signals that Paul is conceding nothing essential yet moving the conversation forward. • Earlier he had stressed his love and apostolic authority (2 Corinthians 12:14–15). • Even if some Corinthian critics refused to accept his motives, Paul presses on, much like Nehemiah who kept building despite opposition (Nehemiah 6:3). • The phrase reminds readers that truth is not altered by opinion; Paul’s conduct stands regardless of their suspicions (Galatians 1:10). I was not a burden to you Paul again emphasizes that he never imposed financial strain on the church. • He had taken support from other congregations so the Corinthians could hear the gospel free of charge (2 Corinthians 11:8-9; Philippians 4:15-16). • By refusing aid, he mirrored Jesus’ description of a true shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11-13). • His tent-making (Acts 18:3) shows ministry should never be leveraged for personal profit (1 Thessalonians 2:9). but crafty as I am The wording is ironic; Paul quotes his detractors who labeled him “crafty.” • He had already rejected any hint of deceit (2 Corinthians 4:2). • Like Samuel, who asked, “Whose ox have I taken?” (1 Samuel 12:3), Paul’s life invited scrutiny. • Accusations of cunning often come when light exposes darkness (John 3:20-21). I caught you by trickery Paul uses sarcasm to show the absurdity of the charge that he secretly exploited them. • His only “trap” was the gospel itself, which captures hearts for Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). • He never sought their money but their growth (2 Corinthians 12:14, 19). • Just as Jesus’ enemies twisted His words (Matthew 22:15), Paul’s foes distorted his sacrifice, claiming ulterior motives. summary Paul’s statement is a masterful blend of defense and gentle irony: though some called him crafty, his record proves otherwise. He refused financial support to keep the message clear, lived transparently before them, and relied on the power of truth rather than manipulation. Any “trickery” was simply the gracious gospel drawing believers into wholehearted devotion to Christ. (16) But be it so, I did not burden you.--The pronoun is again emphatic. The word for "burden" is not the same as in 2Corinthians 12:13-14, but puts the fact less figuratively. The abruptness of the sentence requires us to trace between the lines the under-currents of unexpressed thoughts. The extreme, almost jealous, sensitiveness of the Apostle's nature leads him to imagine the cynical sneer with which these assertions of disinterested work would be received. "Be it so," he hears them saying; "we admit that he, in his own person, when he was with us, made no demands on our purses; but what are we to think of this 'collection for the saints'? How do we know into whose pockets that money will go? We know him to be subtle enough" (the adjective is that from which we get the "subtlety" of 2Corinthians 4:2; 2Corinthians 11:3) "to take us in somehow: what if the collection be a trap?" There is a specially taunting force in the Greek for "being crafty," as taking the fact for granted, and assuming that it would inevitably lead on to some new development of that character in act.Verse 16. - But be it so, I did not burden you. The "I" is emphatic. It is shocking to think that, even after Paul has so triumphantly cleared himself from the disgraceful charge of trying to make gain out of the Corinthians, he should still be obliged to meet the slanderous innuendo that, even if he had not personally tried to get anything out of them, still he had done so indirectly through the agency of Titus. Being crafty, I caught you with guile. He is here quoting the sneer of his enemies (see what he has already said in 2 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Corinthians 7:2). The word used for "being" means "being by my very nature."Parallel Commentaries ... Greek Be that as it may,Ἔστω (Estō) Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist. I ἐγὼ (egō) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I. was not a burden κατεβάρησα (katebarēsa) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular Strong's 2599: To burden, oppress, weigh down. From kata and bareo; to impose upon. to you; ὑμᾶς (hymas) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. but ἀλλὰ (alla) Conjunction Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise. crafty πανοῦργος (panourgos) Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 3835: Cunning, crafty, skilful, clever. From pas and ergon; all-working, i.e. Adroit. as I am, ὑπάρχων (hyparchōn) Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 5225: To begin, am, exist, be in possession. From hupo and archomai; to begin under, i.e. Come into existence; expletively, to exist (verb). I caught ἔλαβον (elabon) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of. you ὑμᾶς (hymas) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. by trickery. δόλῳ (dolō) Noun - Dative Masculine Singular Strong's 1388: Deceit, guile, treachery. From an obsolete primary verb, dello; a trick, i.e. wile. Links 2 Corinthians 12:16 NIV2 Corinthians 12:16 NLT 2 Corinthians 12:16 ESV 2 Corinthians 12:16 NASB 2 Corinthians 12:16 KJV 2 Corinthians 12:16 BibleApps.com 2 Corinthians 12:16 Biblia Paralela 2 Corinthians 12:16 Chinese Bible 2 Corinthians 12:16 French Bible 2 Corinthians 12:16 Catholic Bible NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 12:16 But be it so I did not (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor) |
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