2 Corinthians 13 6

2 Corinthians 13:6 kjv

But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

2 Corinthians 13:6 nkjv

But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

2 Corinthians 13:6 niv

And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

2 Corinthians 13:6 esv

I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.

2 Corinthians 13:6 nlt

As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority.

2 Corinthians 13 verses

2 Corinthians 13 6 Meaning

The verse expresses Paul's confident expectation that the Corinthians, upon spiritual reflection, will recognize him and his companions as true, genuine, and approved apostles of Christ, not having failed God's test. It implicitly contrasts their discernment of Paul's authenticity with their own spiritual status, suggesting that if they are genuinely in the faith, they should naturally discern who truly belongs to Christ and is thus 'approved.'

2 Corinthians 13 6 Context

This verse stands at a critical point in Paul's defense and exhortation to the Corinthians. In 2 Corinthians 13, Paul anticipates his third visit, warning the Corinthians that he will not spare those who continue in sin (vv. 1-4). He directly challenges them in the preceding verse (v. 5) to "examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith," implying that they might fail the test and be "disapproved" (adokimos). This immediate context highlights a sharp contrast and a mutual test: the Corinthians are examining Paul's apostolic authority, but Paul flips the focus back on their spiritual state. If they are truly discerning Christians, they will recognize his authenticity, confirming both their genuine faith and his genuine apostleship. The whole letter, 2 Corinthians, is saturated with Paul defending his ministry against "super-apostles" who undermine his authority, preach a different gospel, and boast in external appearances rather than true spiritual power. His suffering, weakness, and transparency were marks of his true ministry, ironically interpreted by his critics as signs of adokimos. Culturally, in the Greco-Roman world, "testing" and "approving" (dokimazō and dokimos) were common in various spheres—assaying metals for purity, judging athletes for qualification, or evaluating rhetoric. Paul leverages this familiar concept, applying it to spiritual truth and apostolic authenticity.

2 Corinthians 13 6 Word analysis

• But (δὲ - de): This conjunction serves as a transitional marker. While often implying a contrast, here it smoothly shifts the focus from their self-examination to Paul's confident expectation regarding their eventual judgment of him. It links Paul's desire for their self-examination to their recognition of his approval.
• I trust (ἐλπίζω - elpizō): This word signifies more than a mere wish. In a biblical sense, it denotes a firm and confident expectation or hope, rooted in knowledge of God's character or previous interactions. Paul is not uncertain but has a deep conviction that the Corinthians will come to the correct conclusion. This trust stems from his genuine apostolic heart for them and his conviction that God's truth will prevail.
• that you will know (ὅτι γνώσεσθε - hoti gnōsesthai):
  • that (ὅτι - hoti): A common subordinating conjunction, introducing a clause that states what Paul trusts they will know.
  • you will know (γνώσεσθε - gnōsesthai): This is a future active indicative verb from ginōskō, meaning to know through experience, observation, or deep understanding, rather than just intellectual acquaintance (oida). Paul anticipates a future state where they will fully comprehend or discern his authentic status. It implies spiritual insight and recognition, perhaps after some self-examination or further experience of his ministry.
• that we are not (ὅτι ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἐσμεν - hoti hēmeis ouk esmen):
  • that (ὅτι - hoti): Introduces the direct statement of what Paul expects them to know.
  • we (ἡμεῖς - hēmeis): Paul is speaking of himself and his co-workers (e.g., Timothy, Silas). He presents a unified front in their apostleship.
  • are not (οὐκ ἐσμεν - ouk esmen): A direct and unequivocal negative statement. He affirms their positive status by denying the negative.
• reprobates (ἀδόκιμοι - adokimoi):
  • Transliteration: adokimoi (plural adjective)
  • Meaning: Literally "not approved," "tested and found wanting," "unapproved," "disqualified," "worthless," "counterfeit," "reject."
  • Contextual use: This word carries significant weight. It derives from dokimos ("approved," "tested and found genuine") and the negative prefix a-. It was used for metals that failed the assay test, counterfeit coins, or athletes disqualified from a competition for failing to meet standards. In spiritual terms, it refers to those who fail to stand God's test, revealing a lack of true faith or spiritual authenticity.
  • Significance: Paul’s opponents were essentially branding him as adokimos – an unapproved or counterfeit apostle. By asserting, "we are not adokimoi," Paul vehemently refutes these accusations, standing firm in his divinely appointed and divinely proven ministry. His affirmation simultaneously sets a benchmark: for the Corinthians to be truly dokimoi (approved) in Christ, they must recognize him, a dokimos apostle.

Words-group analysis:

• "But I trust that you will know": This phrase highlights Paul's confidence in the eventual spiritual awakening and discernment of the Corinthians. It's an expectation that through divine work and perhaps their own obedience to the call for self-examination (v. 5), they will arrive at the truth concerning his apostleship.
• "that we are not reprobates": This forms the core assertion. It's a definitive counter-argument against the accusations and doubts raised about Paul's legitimacy. He and his team passed the ultimate divine test, unlike some who opposed them. Their ministry, though marked by weakness, was of God, not failing in sincerity or power.

2 Corinthians 13 6 Bonus section

• Paul uses the term adokimos for himself in a hypothetical sense in 1 Corinthians 9:27, where he drives his body lest he should be "disqualified" or "a castaway." This shows his own rigorous self-examination to ensure his continued spiritual approval.
• The relationship between Paul and the Corinthians was such that their spiritual health was tied to their discernment of his legitimate authority. To reject Paul was, in essence, to reject the message of the true Gospel and by extension, Christ Himself.
• This verse can be understood as a direct response to a charge leveled against Paul. His critics might have openly labeled him adokimos, implying he was a false teacher or lacked divine anointing. Paul turns this around, stating that the Corinthians, if genuine, will see his truthfulness.
• The term adokimos had commercial and military overtones as well. An adokimos coin was counterfeit; an adokimos soldier was discharged for being unfit. Paul is asserting that he is neither counterfeit nor unfit in his divine commission.

2 Corinthians 13 6 Commentary

Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 13:6 is not merely a declaration of his innocence, but a deeply significant apostolic challenge woven into his wider defense. He expresses a strong, Spirit-led confidence that the Corinthian believers, as they grow in genuine faith (v. 5), will come to understand and acknowledge that he and his team are not "disapproved" or "worthless" in God's eyes. This counters the constant accusations by false apostles who presented Paul as lacking authority, substance, or the outward signs of divine approval. For Paul, the proof of his apostleship lay not in worldly commendation or rhetorical prowess, but in his suffering, the Corinthians' conversion itself (1 Cor 9:1-2), and his genuine, sacrificial love for them. He implies a crucial reciprocity: if the Corinthians are truly "in the faith," then they possess the spiritual discernment to recognize true apostleship. Conversely, if they cannot discern his authenticity, it casts doubt upon their own spiritual state, connecting back to his admonition in the previous verse to "examine yourselves." Thus, this verse serves as both an affirmation of Paul's true standing and a profound call for spiritual maturity among the Corinthians.