2 Corinthians 13 9

2 Corinthians 13:9 kjv

For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

2 Corinthians 13:9 nkjv

For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete.

2 Corinthians 13:9 niv

We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.

2 Corinthians 13:9 esv

For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for.

2 Corinthians 13:9 nlt

We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature.

2 Corinthians 13 verses

2 Corinthians 13 9 Meaning

Paul expresses profound joy when he perceives himself as "weak"—meaning not needing to exercise his full apostolic authority to discipline them—because it signifies that the Corinthians themselves are spiritually "strong." His fervent prayer is for their complete spiritual restoration, maturity, and full equipping in their faith, aiming for them to be perfect in Christ. This reflects his selfless pastoral heart, prioritizing their spiritual well-being over any need to demonstrate his own power.

2 Corinthians 13 9 Context

The second letter to the Corinthians addresses Paul's difficult relationship with the Corinthian church. They had challenged his apostolic authority, influenced by "super-apostles" who boasted in worldly power, rhetoric, and financial independence, implicitly criticizing Paul's humility, suffering, and refusal to take money from them. Chapter 13 specifically serves as Paul's final warning before his planned third visit. He states his resolve to act decisively if he finds unrepentant sin, demanding that they "examine yourselves" (v. 5) to see if they are in the faith. In this immediate context, Paul declares his inability to work against the truth (v. 8), desiring their repentance and spiritual maturity. Verse 9 illustrates his pastoral heart, showing that his desire for their strength and completeness is paramount, even if it means he appears "weak" by not needing to demonstrate punitive power. It's a desire for their spiritual health to negate the need for disciplinary action.

2 Corinthians 13 9 Word analysis

• For we rejoice (Γὰρ χαίρομεν – Gar chairōmen):

  • "For" (Γὰρ, Gar) acts as a connective, linking this statement to Paul's earlier assertion that he can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.
  • "Rejoice" (χαίρομεν, chairōmen, from chairō) signifies a deep-seated, genuine joy or gladness. This isn't superficial happiness, but a profound satisfaction stemming from seeing spiritual progress and adherence to divine truth among the believers. Paul's joy is aligned with God's purposes.

• when we are weak (ὅταν ἡμεῖς ἀσθενῶμεν – hotan hēmeis asthenōmen):

  • "Weak" (ἀσθενῶμεν, asthenōmen, from asthenos) refers to a state of being powerless, frail, or without strength. In 2 Corinthians, Paul redefines weakness: it encompasses his physical suffering, perceived lack of worldly eloquence, and—most relevant here—his choice to not exercise his apostolic authority forcefully, if they are responding positively. This paradoxically demonstrates reliance on God's power and fosters the Corinthians' internal strength rather than external coercion. His perceived weakness implies they have already come to repentance, hence his joyous prayer.

• and you are strong (ὑμεῖς δὲ δυνατοὶ ἦτε – hymeis de dynatoi ēte):

  • "Strong" (δυνατοὶ, dynatoi) denotes spiritual robustness, maturity, moral integrity, and firm adherence to the gospel. This is the antithesis of the "weakness" requiring Paul's intervention. It contrasts sharply with the worldly "strength" of boasting and false teaching that the Corinthians previously admired. This spiritual strength signifies they have grown past the need for milk and can handle solid food (1 Cor 3:2).

• This we also pray for (Τοῦτο καὶ εὐχόμεθα – Touto kai euchometha):

  • "Pray for" (εὐχόμεθα, euchometha) conveys a solemn and earnest supplication to God. It underscores the sincerity of Paul's desire for their spiritual growth, revealing that this ultimate goal is dependent on divine power and intervention, not merely human effort or Paul's disciplinary actions.

• that you may be made complete (τὴν ὑμῶν κατάρτισιν – tēn hymōn katartisin):

  • "Made complete" (κατάρτισιν, katartisin, a noun derived from katartizō) carries a rich meaning of restoring something to its proper, fully functional, and intended state. It implies equipping, mending (like setting a bone or mending a net), perfecting, bringing into order, or furnishing for service. For the Corinthians, it signifies moving past their current disunity and doctrinal errors to a state of spiritual maturity and full functionality as a healthy body of Christ, lacking nothing essential for their walk with God.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong": This statement vividly illustrates Paul's selfless, Christ-like leadership. His personal joy is directly tied to the spiritual maturity of those he ministers to, turning the world's value system upside down. True leadership, for Paul, is seen in the development of those led, not in the leader's display of dominance. His "weakness" is effectively the barometer of their "strength."
  • "This we also pray for, that you may be made complete": This reveals Paul's ultimate objective and method. His work as an apostle, whether through teaching or corrective action, and his constant intercessory prayers, all converge on one goal: the full restoration, equipping, and perfection of the saints. This is a divine task that human effort can only facilitate through earnest prayer.

2 Corinthians 13 9 Bonus section

• The nuance of Paul's "weakness" often includes his physical infirmities and his deliberately non-boastful, un-ornamented preaching style, which some Corinthians perceived as a lack of apostolic credibility compared to the eloquent "super-apostles." Here, in chapter 13, it primarily refers to his preferred posture of not having to bring strong, disciplinary judgments against them, indicating a triumph for their spiritual health.
• The concept of katartisis (completeness) can also be seen in a communal sense. Paul desires not only the individual members to be complete but the church body itself to be mended, united, and functioning properly, devoid of internal strife, divisions, and false teachings.
• Paul's emphasis on their strength allowing his "weakness" prefigures a pattern where mature churches need less direct oversight and correction, illustrating a goal of missionary work to foster self-governing, self-sustaining, and self-propagating local bodies of believers.

2 Corinthians 13 9 Commentary

2 Corinthians 13:9 succinctly encapsulates Paul's profound pastoral heart and the counter-cultural ethos of true gospel ministry. His joy is radically detached from personal acclaim or the exercise of overt authority. Instead, it finds its source in the spiritual well-being of the believers. For Paul, the optimal state is one where his own perceived "weakness"—meaning he doesn't need to demonstrate strong, corrective authority—is a direct result of the Corinthians' spiritual "strength." This strength is not worldly power, but an inward robustness of faith, character, and adherence to sound doctrine.

His earnest prayer for their "completeness" (katartisis) underlines the depth of this desire. This word evokes images of restoration: mending what is broken, aligning what is disjointed, and equipping what is insufficient, all to bring them to a state of full spiritual maturity and functional readiness for God's purposes. Paul isn't interested in maintaining control, but in fostering Christ-likeness and spiritual self-sufficiency within the church. This completeness is the culmination of sanctification, a lifelong process of being perfected in Christ by the work of God. Paul's intercession highlights that such transformation is ultimately God's work, a testament to his reliance on divine grace rather than human efforts or displays of power.

• Practical Examples:
  • A shepherd who rejoices when the flock is so healthy and well-behaved that the rod and staff are rarely needed for correction.
  • A spiritual mentor whose greatest satisfaction comes from seeing their mentees become mature, independent, and influential in their own walk with God, rather than perpetually relying on the mentor.
  • A team leader who celebrates when the team's cohesion and individual growth mean fewer interventions are necessary, allowing them to achieve their goals collaboratively.