2 Corinthians 5:12
We commend not ourselves again to you, but give you occasion to glory in our behalf; that you may have somewhat to answer them who glory in face, and not in heart.
Open 2 Corinthians 5:12 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Non iterum commendamus nos vobis, sed occasionem damus vobis gloriandi pro nobis : ut habeatis ad eos qui in facie gloriantur, et non in corde.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- οὐ πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς συνιστάνομεν ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ ἀφορμὴν διδόντες ὑμῖν καυχήματος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα ἔχητε πρὸς τοὺς ἐν προσώπῳ καυχωμένους καὶ μὴ ἐν καρδίᾳ.
Haydock's commentary
We commend not, nor desire to commend ourselves, but they who may do harm to others, and to the progress of the gospel, make it necessary to speak what may give you an occasion to answer their objections, and even to glory in my behalf against those who glory in face, in outward appearances of learning and talents, but not in heart, being sensible themselves that they have no solid grounds of boasting in this manner. (Witham)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily VI
He anticipates and puts himself an objection which others would have urged against him, ‘Thou vauntest thyself;’ and this though he had before employed so strong a corrective in the expressions, “Who is sufficient for these things?” and, “of sincerity…speak we.” ( 2 Cor. ii. 16, 17 .) Howbeit he is not satisfied with these. For such is his character. From appearing to say any thing great of himself he is far removed, and avoids it even to great superfluity and excess. And mark, I pray thee, by this instance also, the abundance of his wisdom. For a thing of woeful aspect, I mean tribulations, he so much exalted and showed to be bright and lustrous, that out of what he said the present objection rose up against him. And he does so also towards the end. …
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily XI
Ver. 12 . “We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion of glorying in our behalf.” See how he is continually obviating the suspicion of appearing to praise himself. For nothing is so offensive to the hearers as for any one to say great and marvellous things about himself. Since then he was compelled in what he said to fall upon that subject, he uses a corrective, saying, ‘we do this for your sakes, not for ours, that ye may have somewhat to glory of, not that we may.’ And not even this absolutely, but because of the false Apostles. …
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily XXI
Having completed, in such sort as behoved his discourse of almsgiving, and having shown that he loves them more than he is loved, and having recounted the circumstances of his patience and trials, he now opportunely enters upon points involving more of reproof, making allusion to the false apostles, and concluding his discourse with more disagreeable matter, and with commendations of himself. For he makes this his business also throughout the Epistle. Which also perceiving, he hence oftentimes corrects himself, saying in so many words; “Do we begin again to commend ourselves?” ( Ch. iii. 1 .) and further on; “We commend not ourselves again, but give you occasion to glory:” ( Ch. v. 12 .) and afterwards; “I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me.” ( Ch. xii. 11 .) And many such correctives doth he use. …
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily XXVIII
Seest thou how he is continually in fear, lest he should incur the suspicion of flattery? Seest thou an Apostle’s prudence, how constantly he mentions this? For he said before, “We commend not ourselves again, but give you occasion to glory;” ( 2 Cor. v. 12 .) and in the commencement of the Epistle, “Do we need letters of commendation?” ( ib. iii. 1 .)
St John Chrysostom The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and Ephesians, Galatians 1:1--3
Granting, says he, that I might deceive you by these doctrines, could I deceive God, who knows my yet unuttered thoughts, and to please whom is my unceasing endeavor? See here the Apostolical spirit, the Evangelical loftiness! So too he writes to the Corinthians, “For we are not again commending ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion of glorying;” ( 2 Cor. v. 12 .) and again, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment.” ( 1 Cor. iv. 3 .) For since he is compelled to justify himself to his disciples, being their teacher, he submits to it; but he is grieved at it, not on account of chagrin, far from it, but on account of the instability of the minds of those led away and on account of not being fully trusted by them. …