2 Corinthians 7:3

I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.

2 Corinthians 7:3, King James Version

2 Corinthians 7:3 in other translations

BSB	I do not say this to condemn you. I have said before that you so occupy our hearts that we live and die together with you.
WEB	I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.
ASV	I say it not to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die together and live together.
YLT	not to condemn you do I say it, for I have said before that in our hearts ye are to die with and to live with;
DARBY	I do not speak for condemnation, for I have already said that ye are in our hearts, to die together, and live together.
BBE	It is not with the purpose of judging you that I say this: for I have said before that you are in our hearts for life and death together.
Webster	I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.

What does 2 Corinthians 7:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

3. In excusing myself, I do not accuse you, as though you suspected me of such things [Menochius], or as though you were guilty of such things; for I speak only of the false apostles [Estius and Greek commentators]. Rather, "as though you were ungrateful and treacherous" [Beza]. I have said before--in 2Co 6:11, 12; compare Php 1:7. die and live with you--the height of friendship. I am ready to die and live with you and for you (Php 1:7, 20, 24; 2:17, 18). Compare as to Christ, Joh 10:11.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 3. I speak not this to condemn you. I do not speak this with any desire to reproach you. I do not complain of you for the purpose of condemning, or because I have a desire to find fault, though I am competed to speak, in some respect of your want of affection and liberality towards me. It is not because I have no love for you, and wish to have occasion to use words implying complaint and condemnation.

For I have said before. 2Cor 7:11,12.

That ye are in our hearts. That is, we are so much attached to you; or you have such a place in our affections.

To die and live with you. If it were the will of God, we would be glad to spend our lives among you, and to die with you: an expression denoting most tender attachment. A similar well-known expression occurs in Horace:

Tecum vivere amem, teeurn obeam l ibens.
Odes, B. III. IX. 24

With the world I live, with the world I die.

This was an expression of the tenderest attachment. It was true that the Corinthians had not shown themselves remarkably worthy of the affections of Paul, but from the beginning he had felt towards them the tenderest attachment. And if it had been the will of God that he should cease to travel, and to expose himself to perils by sea and land to spread the knowledge of the Saviour, he would gladly have confined his labours to them, and there have ended his days.

(b) "said before" 2Cor 6:11,12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 3 I speak not this to condemn you - I do not speak to reproach but to correct you. I wish you to open your eyes and see how you are corrupted, spoiled, and impoverished by those whom ye have incautiously preferred to the true apostles of Jesus Christ. I have said before, that ye are in our hearts - He has in effect and substance said this, 2Cor 1:6-8 (note); 2Cor 2:4 (note), 2Cor 2:12 (note); 2Cor 3:2 (note), and 2Cor 3:13 (note); where see the passages at length, and the notes. To die and live with you - An expression which points out the strongest affection, as in cases where love blinds us to the faults of those whom we love, and causes us to prefer them to all others; like that in Horace: - Quanquam sidere pulchrior llle est, tu levior cortice, et improbo Iracundior Adria. Tecum vivere amem, tecum obeam tibens. Odar. lib. iii. Od. ix. ver. 21. "Though he exceed in beauty far The rising lustre of a star; Though light as cork thy fancy strays, Thy passions wild as angry seas When vex'd with storms; yet gladly I With thee would live, with thee would die." Francis. From all appearance there never was a Church less worthy of an apostle's affections than this Church was at this time; and yet no one ever more beloved. The above quotation applies to this case in full force.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Corinthians 7:1-4

The promises of God are strong reasons for us to follow after holiness; we must cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. If we hope in God as our Father, we must seek to be holy as he is holy, and perfect as our Father in heaven. His grace, by the influences of his Spirit, alone can purify, but holiness should be the object of our constant prayers. If the ministers of the gospel are thought…

Read the full comment on 2 Corinthians 7:1-4 →

2 Corinthians 7:3 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

πρὸςprosForG4314

κατάκρισινkatakrisincondemnationG2633

οὐounotG3756

λέγω·legōI speak;G3004

προείρηκαproeirēkaI have before saidG4280

γὰρgarforG1063

ὅτιhotithatG3754

ἐνeninG1722

ταῖςtaistheG3588

καρδίαιςkardiaisheartsG2588

ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165

ἐστεesteyou areG1510

εἰςeisfor [us]G1519

τὸto<the>G3588

συναποθανεῖνsunapothaneinto die togetherG4880

καὶkaiandG2532

συζῆν.suzēnto live together.G4800

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Corinthians 7:3

Philippians 1:8-9
For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
2 Corinthians 6:11-12
O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
Ruth 1:16-17
And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
1 Thessalonians 2:8
So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
2 Corinthians 12:15
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 11:11
Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
2 Corinthians 3:2
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
2 Corinthians 7:12
Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
2 Corinthians 2:4-5
For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
2 Corinthians 13:10
Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.
1 Corinthians 4:14-15
I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

to condemn.
12; 2:4,5; 13:10; 1Co 4:14,15
for.
6:11,12
ye.
3:2; 11:11; 12:15; Php 1:8,9
to die.
Ru 1:16,17; 1Th 2:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Corinthians 7:2
Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
2 Corinthians 7:3
I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
2 Corinthians 7:4
Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 7

2 Corinthians 7:3 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	No para condenar os lo digo; que ya he dicho antes que estáis en nuestros corazones, para morir y para vivir juntamente.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Je ne dis pas ceci pour vous condamner, car j’ai déjà dit que vous êtes dans nos cœurs à mourir ensemble et à vivre ensemble.
German Elberfelder 1871	Nicht zur Verurteilung rede ich; denn ich habe vorhin gesagt, daß ihr in unseren Herzen seid, um mit zu sterben und mit zu leben.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Non ad condemnationem vestram dico: prædiximus enim quod in cordibus nostris estis ad commoriendum et ad convivendum.