The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 1:13 Explained

2 Corinthians 1:13

KJV: For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;

YLT: for no other things do we write to you, but what ye either do read or also acknowledge, and I hope that also unto the end ye shall acknowledge,

Darby: For we do not write other things to you but what ye well know and recognise; and I hope that ye will recognise to the end,

ASV: For we write no other things unto you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I hope ye will acknowledge unto the end:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  we write  none  other things  unto you,  than  what  ye read  or  acknowledge;  and  I trust  ye shall acknowledge  even  to  the end; 

What does 2 Corinthians 1:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Paul seems to have alluded to a criticism of himself here too. Evidently some were saying that to understand Paul"s letters to them, his readers had to read between the lines. They implied he really intended something other than what he had written, or he was being deliberately obscure. [1] The apostle"s claim here was that what he had intended was self-evident in his correspondence. There were no hidden meanings or messages. Paul wrote some things that were hard to understand ( 2 Peter 3:15-16), and sometimes he was ironical, but he did not write one thing and mean another.
The second part of this verse probably goes with 2 Corinthians 1:14 rather than13. Put a semicolon in the middle of 2 Corinthians 1:13 after "understand" and a comma at the end. There was no punctuation in the original Greek text. "The end" refers to the end of the Corinthians" lives.

Context Summary

2 Corinthians 1:12-22 - Sincere Like His Master
The Apostle laid great emphasis on the witness of his conscience. See Acts 23:1; Acts 24:16. As we pass out of this life, and stand in the revealing dawn of eternity, it will be a blessed thing if we are able to say this much of ourselves.
Paul had thought of visiting Corinth on his way to Macedonia, and again on his return journey; but this purpose had been defeated. He was eager, however, that his friends should understand that the change was not due to vacillation on his part, for this would be unworthy of one who stood for the great certainties of the gospel.
Christ is God's attestation to His promises. All these have received their seal in the words, sufferings and resurrection of our Lord. In Jesus God says Yea to the yearnings and prayers of human hearts, and Amen (verily) to all the ten thousand promises of Scripture. He who rests on Christ stands in the focal point of certainty and assurance. Not one good thing shall fail him of all that has been promised.
2 Corinthians 1:21 is full of comfort. God alone can give us a settled and established position. He anoints us for service; seals us with His Spirit for safety, likeness, and authentication; and in this way gives us the earnest and foretaste of heaven, as the grapes of Eschol were the pledge and foretaste of Canaan. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 1

1  Paul salutes the Corinthians;
3  he encourages them against troubles,
5  by the comforts and deliverances which God had given him,
8  so particularly in his late danger in Asia
12  And calling both his own conscience and theirs,
15  he excuses his not coming to them, as proceeding not of lightness,
23  but of his care for them

Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 1:13

Than what ye read [αλλ η α αναγινωσκετε]
Note comparative conjunction η — ē (than) after αλλ — all' and that after αλλα — alla (other things, same word in reality), “other than.” Read in Greek (αναγινωσκω — anaginōskō) is knowing again, recognizing. See note on Acts 8:30. [source]
Or even acknowledge [ē kai epiginōskete)]
Paul is fond of such a play on words The report of Titus showed that the majority now at last understood Paul. He hopes that it will last (1 Corinthians 1:8). [source]
Unto the end [επι]
The report of Titus showed that the majority now at last understood Paul. He hopes that it will last (1 Corinthians 1:8). [source]
Read - acknowledge [ἀναγινώσκετε - ἐπιγινώσκετε]
The word-play cannot be reproduced in English. [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 1:13 mean?

No for other things we write to you other than what you read or even understand I hope now that to [the] end you will understand
οὐ γὰρ ἄλλα γράφομεν ὑμῖν ἀλλ’ ἀναγινώσκετε καὶ ἐπιγινώσκετε ἐλπίζω δὲ ὅτι ἕως τέλους ἐπιγνώσεσθε

οὐ  No 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐ  
Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer.
ἄλλα  other  things 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἄλλος  
Sense: another, other.
γράφομεν  we  write 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: γράφω 
Sense: to write, with reference to the form of the letters.
ὑμῖν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ἀλλ’  other 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἀλλά  
Sense: but.
  than 
Parse: Conjunction
Root:  
Sense: either, or, than.
ἀναγινώσκετε  you  read 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἀναγινώσκω  
Sense: to distinguish between, to recognise, to know accurately, to acknowledge.
καὶ  even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
ἐπιγινώσκετε  understand 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἐπιγινώσκω  
Sense: to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly.
ἐλπίζω  I  hope 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐλπίζω  
Sense: to hope.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ἕως  to  [the] 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἕως  
Sense: till, until.
τέλους  end 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: τέλος  
Sense: end.
ἐπιγνώσεσθε  you  will  understand 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἐπιγινώσκω  
Sense: to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly.

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