2 Corinthians 9:4
Lest, when the Macedonians shall come with me, and find you unprepared, we (not to say ye) should be ashamed in this matter.
Open 2 Corinthians 9:4 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- ne cum venerint Macedones mecum, et invenerint vos imparatos, erubescamus nos (ut non dicamus vos) in hac substantia.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- μή πως ἐὰν ἔλθωσιν σὺν ἐμοὶ Μακεδόνες καὶ εὕρωσιν ὑμᾶς ἀπαρασκευάστους καταισχυνθῶμεν ἡμεῖς, ἵνα μὴ λέγωμεν ὑμεῖς, ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει ταύτῃ.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily XIX
Ver. 4 . “Lest by any means if there come with me any from Macedonia, we, (that we say not ye,) should be put to shame in this confidence.” The shame is greater when the spectators he has arrayed against them are many, even those same persons who had heard [his boasting.] And he did not say, ‘for I am bringing with me Macedonians;’ ‘for there are Macedonians coming with me;’ lest he should seem to do it on purpose; but how [said he?] “Lest by any means, if there come with me any from Macedonia?” ‘For this may happen,’ he says, ‘it is matter of possibility.’ For thus he also made what he said unsuspected, but had he expressed himself in that other way, he would have even made them the more contentious. See how he leads them on, not from spiritual motives only, but from human ones as well. …
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily XXIV
Seest thou how glorying is not “after the Lord?” For He saith, “When ye shall have done all, say, We are unprofitable servants.” ( Luke xvii. 10 .) Howbeit, by itself indeed it is not “after the Lord,” but by the intention it becomes so. And therefore he said, “That which I speak,” not accusing the motive, but the words. Since his aim is so admirable as to dignify the words also. For as a manslayer, though his action be of those most strictly forbidden, has often been approved from the intention; and as circumcision, although it is not ‘after the Lord,’ has become so from the intention, so also glorying. …