2 Corinthians 12:15 kjv
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
2 Corinthians 12:15 nkjv
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
2 Corinthians 12:15 niv
So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?
2 Corinthians 12:15 esv
I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
2 Corinthians 12:15 nlt
I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.
2 Corinthians 12 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 12:15 | gladly spend and be spent for you. | Core Principle of Selfless Giving |
| Acts 20:35 | "It is more blessed to give than to receive." | Principle of Generosity Echoed |
| Phil 2:17 | "If I am being poured out as a drink offering..." | Analogy of Willing Sacrifice |
| Phil 2:30 | "...for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life..." | Personal Risk for Ministry |
| Gal 6:6 | "...let the one who is taught the word share all good things..." | Reciprocity in Teaching and Support |
| 1 Thess 2:8 | "So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share..." | Desire to Share Personal Resources |
| 1 Tim 5:17 | "...especially those who labor in the word and teaching." | Support for Church Leaders |
| Rom 15:27 | "...for their spiritual blessings. And if the Gentiles have shared..." | Sharing Spiritual and Material Blessings |
| 1 Cor 9:11 | "If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we..." | Reciprocity for Spiritual Labor |
| 2 Cor 8:2 | "...their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of liberality." | Generosity in Poverty |
| 2 Cor 8:7 | "But as you excel in everything, in faith, in speech, in knowledge..." | Excellence in Generosity |
| Matt 10:8 | "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons..." | Divine Provision and Ministry Expectations |
| Mark 6:37 | "But he answered them, 'You give them something to eat.'" | Responsibility to Provide for Others |
| John 6:12 | "And when they had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples..." | Stewardship and Provision |
| Acts 4:34-35 | "There was no Bxfiil-poverty among them..." | Communal Sharing in the Early Church |
| Titus 3:14 | "...and let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds..." | Practicing Good Deeds |
| Heb 13:16 | "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have..." | Command to Do Good and Share |
| 1 Peter 4:10 | "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another..." | Serving One Another with Gifts |
| 1 John 3:16-18 | "By this we know love..." | Love Demonstrated Through Action |
| 1 Cor 13:4-7 | "Love is patient and kind..." | Qualities of Love, including Generosity |
| Col 1:29 | "For this I toil, struggling with all his energy..." | Laboring Diligently for the Church |
| Eph 3:7-8 | "...as a minister according to the gift of God's grace..." | Ministry by Grace |
| Phil 1:21 | "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." | Christ as the Ultimate Motivation |
| Gal 2:20 | "I have been crucified with Christ..." | Dying to Self for Christ |
2 Corinthians 12 verses
2 Corinthians 12 15 Meaning
This verse expresses a willingness and even eagerness to spend and be spent for the spiritual well-being of others. It highlights a selfless attitude of giving, both material possessions ("spend") and personal resources or energy ("be spent"), without expecting personal return. This generosity is motivated by love and a desire to see the recipients grow in their faith.
2 Corinthians 12 15 Context
In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul recounts his thorn in the flesh and the powerful revelations God gave him. He demonstrates his apostleship through his suffering and God's grace, contrasting his weaknesses with Christ's power that rests upon him. In chapter 13, he continues to warn the Corinthians about sin and promises to visit them again. Chapter 12, verse 15 falls within this concluding section where Paul addresses the Corinthians' spiritual state and his relationship with them. He addresses their accusations and his own apostleship, emphasizing his fatherly care and concern for their spiritual maturity. The principle of willingly spending and being spent is the core of his apostolic ministry towards them, rooted in love and commitment, despite any potential hardships this might entail.
2 Corinthians 12 15 Word Analysis
- ἐγὼ (egō): "I" - First person singular pronoun, emphatic. Highlights Paul's personal declaration and commitment.
- δὲ (de): "but" or "and" - Conjunction, here it often acts to contrast or connect, serving as a mild transition from the previous thought of assessing his ministry.
- μάλιστα (malista): "especially," "most of all," "very gladly" - Adverb of degree. It intensifies the following action, indicating that Paul's greatest pleasure or willingness is in this particular aspect of his ministry. It signifies a superlative degree of willingness.
- εὐφράνω (euphraino): "to make glad," "to delight," "to rejoice greatly." Here in the passive voice participle form (εὐφραινόμενος - euphrainomenos), it means "being delighted" or "rejoicing." It speaks of inner joy and satisfaction.
- ὑμᾶς (hymas): "you" - Second person plural pronoun, referring to the Corinthian believers.
- περισσοτέρως (perissoterōs): "more abundantly," "more gladly," "excessively." Comparative adverb, modifying "spend." It means not just to spend, but to spend liberally and without reservation, going beyond what is ordinary or expected. It links closely with the idea of "euphraino."
- δαπανῶ (dapanō): "to spend," "to consume," "to expend." A strong verb indicating the expenditure of resources, energy, or even life itself. It's about actively using up something valuable.
- ἀναδαπανηθήσομαι (anadapanēthēsomai): "I will be spent," "I will be consumed." Future passive voice of the verb
anadapanáō. This emphasizes Paul's willingness to be entirely used up, depleted, or sacrificed for the Corinthians' sake. The prefixana-can imply "up," "back," or "throughout," suggesting a thorough or complete expenditure.
Group by Group:
- "μάλιστα δὲ ὑμᾶς περισσοτέρως εὐφρανθέντα": "especially and very gladly delighting in you." This phrase underscores the delight Paul finds in the Corinthians, making his willingness to spend for them an outflow of that joy and affection.
- "δαπανῶ καὶ ἀναδαπανηθήσομαι": "I will spend and be spent." This is a powerful rhetorical structure, using active and passive voices of a related verb. It shows a proactive giving ("spend") and a willing submission to be entirely consumed ("be spent") for their benefit.
2 Corinthians 12 15 Bonus Section
The concept of being "spent" or poured out (related to Phil 2:17 - "poured out as a drink offering") evokes the Levitical sacrifices in the Old Testament, specifically the libations or drink offerings. This imagery portrays the minister's life as a sacrifice pleasing to God, offered for the spiritual nourishment and strengthening of the church. Paul’s willingness to be spent is not a sign of weakness but a demonstration of strength, revealing the transformative power of Christ’s love working through him, especially as he addresses criticisms against him in Corinth. This also foreshadows the ultimate "spending" of Christ himself on the cross.
2 Corinthians 12 15 Commentary
Paul's statement in 2 Corinthians 12:15 is a profound declaration of selfless love and ministerial commitment. He is essentially saying that his greatest joy comes from seeing the Corinthians flourish, and to that end, he is willing to pour out everything he has – his time, energy, possessions, and even his very life. This is not a grudging duty but a heartfelt desire, a supreme gladness in being able to serve them. The idea of being "spent" suggests a total dedication where one is depleted for the sake of another, a concept echoing Christ's own sacrifice. It reflects a mature faith where the focus shifts from personal comfort or recognition to the well-being and spiritual growth of the beloved community. This principle challenges believers to evaluate their own generosity, not just in material terms, but in the willing expenditure of themselves for others.
Practical application examples:
- A leader consistently investing extra hours and personal effort to mentor a struggling team member, not out of obligation but out of genuine love for their development.
- A volunteer dedicating significant personal time and resources to a ministry, enduring exhaustion and inconvenience because of a deep concern for the people served.
- A parent cheerfully giving up personal leisure time, comforts, and sleep to care for the needs of their children.