The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 1:23 Explained

2 Corinthians 1:23

KJV: Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

YLT: And I for a witness on God do call upon my soul, that sparing you, I came not yet to Corinth;

Darby: But I call God to witness upon my soul that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth.

ASV: But I call God for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I forbare to come unto Corinth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Moreover  I  call  God  for a record  upon  my  soul,  that  to spare  you  I came  not as yet  unto  Corinth. 

What does 2 Corinthians 1:23 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Paul"s use of an oath should not disturb us.
"Our Lord"s prohibition of swearing in Matthew 5:33 ff. is directed against the casuistry that was prevalent among the Jews of His time, in accordance with which not only was swearing frequent in ordinary speech, but also oaths were regarded as not binding provided the Divine Name had not been invoked and even lies were condoned if unaccompanied by an oath. Such a situation was a grave scandal in the name of religion and truth." [1]
Swearing refers to using an oath, not to using "dirty" words. Paul staked his soul on the truthfulness of his claim here. He made his decision to postpone his visit because he believed a visit then would not be in the Corinthians" best interests.
"The gravity of his words indicates that Paul"s absence from Corinth remained a matter of deep hurt." [2]

Context Summary

2 Corinthians 1:23-24 - Tender-Hearted And Forgiving
In these opening words Paul evidently refers to the sin mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. His judgment had been strong and stringent, the Corinthian church had acted upon it, and the offender had suffered severely in consequence. But the result had been more than satisfactory. He had repented with great brokenness of spirit. Indeed, it seemed as if he would be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, 2 Corinthians 2:7.
The Apostle desires the Corinthians to understand that he also had shed many tears over the case, 2 Corinthians 2:4. His was a very affectionate and tender disposition, which shrank from inflicting pain, and yet was resolute at all costs to maintain truth. We get a sidelight here as to the heart of God. May we not believe that whenever He chastens us, it is with profound pity? Whom He loves He chastens; and whom He receives, He scourges. But when there is full and frank repentance, there should be forgiveness. The penitent offender was to be restored to church fellowship and received with brotherly welcome. The Savior Himself speaks through forgiveness. It is His love that moves, His voice that declares; while an unforgiving spirit sets an open door to the entrance of Satan. [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 1:23

But I call God for a witness upon my soul [Εγω δε μαρτυρα τον τεον επικαλουμαι επι την εμην πσυχην]
Solemn attestation, “calling heaven to witness is frequent in literature from Homer onwards” (Plummer). Thus God is described above (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:5, 1 Thessalonians 2:10; Romans 1:9; Galatians 1:20; Philemon 1:8). [source]
To spare you [πειδομενος υμων]
Present middle participle (causal rather than final) of πειδομαι — pheidomai old verb, to hold back, to spare. Ablative case υμων — humōn f0). [source]
I call God for a record [τὸν Θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι]
Rev., better, witness. A common classical idiom. Compare Plato: “Next will follow the choir of young men under the age of thirty, who will call upon the god Paean to testify to the truth of these words” (“Laws,” 664). Homer: “For the gods will be the best witnesses” (“Iliad,” xxii., 254). Compare Romans 1:9; Galatians 1:20; Philemon 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:5, 1 Thessalonians 2:10; Genesis 31:50, Sept. This particular form of expression occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The verb is often translated appeal, as Acts 25:11, Acts 25:12. Also to call upon, in the sense of supplication, Romans 10:12, Romans 10:13, Romans 10:14; 1 Corinthians 1:2. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 1:23

Romans 9:1 In Christ []
Not by Christ, as the formula of an oath, Christ being never used by the apostles in such a formula, but God. Romans 1:9; 2 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 11:31; Philemon 1:8. For this favorite expression of Paul, see Galatians 2:17; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 12:19, etc. [source]
Romans 11:3 Life [ψυχήν]
From ψύχω tobreathe or blow. In classical usage it signifies life in the distinctness of individual existence, especially of man, occasionally of brutes. Hence, generally, the life of the individual. In the further development of the idea it becomes, instead of the body, the seat of the will, dispositions, desires, passions; and, combined with the σῶμα bodydenotes the constituent parts of humanity. Hence the morally endowed individuality of man which continues after death. Scripture. In the Old Testament, answering to nephesh primarily life, breath; therefore life in its distinct individuality; life as such, distinguished from other men and from inanimate nature. Not the principle of life, but that which bears in itself and manifests the life-principle. Hence spirit (ruach πνεῦμα ) in the Old Testament never signifies the individual. Soul ( ψυχή ), of itself, does not constitute personality, but only when it is the soul of a human being. Human personality is derived from spirit ( πνεῦμα ), and finds expression in soul or life ( ψυχή ). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
The New-Testament usage follows the Old, in denoting all individuals from the point of view of individual life. Thus the phrase πᾶσα ψυχή everysoul, i.e., every person (Romans 2:9; Romans 13:1), marking them off from inanimate nature. So Romans 11:3; Romans 16:4; 2 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 12:15; Philemon 2:30; 1 Thessalonians 2:8, illustrate an Old-Testament usage whereby the soul is the seat of personality, and is employed instead of the personal pronoun, with a collateral notion of value as individual personality. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
These and other passages are opposed to the view which limits the term to a mere animal life-principle. See Ephesians 6:6; Colossians 3:23; the compounds σύμψυχοι withone soul; ἰσοψύχον like-minded(Philemon 1:27; Philemon 2:20), where personal interest and accord of feeling are indicated, and not lower elements of personality. See, especially 1 Thessalonians 5:23. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
As to the distinction between ψυχή souland πνεῦμα spiritit is to be said:-DIVIDER-
1. That there are cases where the meanings approach very closely, if they are not practically synonymous; especially where the individual life is referred to. See Luke 1:47; John 11:33, and John 12:27; Matthew 11:29, and 1 Corinthians 16:18. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
2. That the distinction is to be rejected which rests on the restriction of ψυχή to the principle of animal life. This cannot be maintained in the face of 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Corinthians 2:14, in which latter the kindred adjective ψυχικός naturalhas reference to the faculty of discerning spiritual truth. In both cases the antithesis is πνεῦμα spiritin the ethical sense, requiring an enlargement of the conception of ψυχικός naturalbeyond that of σαρκικός fleshlyThat ψυχή soulmust not be distinguished from πνεῦμα ; spirit as being alone subject to the dominion of sin, since the πνεῦμα is described as being subject to such dominion. See 2 Corinthians 7:1. So 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 7:34, imply that the spirit needs sanctification. Compare Ephesians 4:23. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
4. Ψυχή soulis never used of God like πνεῦμα spiritIt is used of Christ, but always with reference to His humanity. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Whatever distinction there is, therefore, is not between a higher and a lower element in man. It is rather between two sides of the one immaterial nature which stands in contrast with the body. Spirit expresses the conception of that nature more generally, being used both of the earthly and of the non-earthly spirit, while soul designates it on the side of the creature. In this view ψυχή soulis akin to σάρξ , flesh, “not as respects the notion conveyed by them, but as respects their value as they both stand at the same stage of creatureliness in contradistinction to God.” Hence the distinction follows that of the Old Testament between soul and spirit as viewed from two different points: the soul regarded as an individual possession, distinguishing the holder from other men and from inanimate nature; the spirit regarded as coming directly from God and returning to Him. “The former indicates the life-principle simply as subsistent, the latter marks its relation to God.” Spirit and not soul is the point of contact with the regenerating forces of the Holy Spirit; the point from which the whole personality is moved round so as to face God. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Ψυχή soulis thus:-DIVIDER-
1. The individual life, the seat of the personality. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
2. The subject of the life, the person in which it dwells. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
3. The mind as the sentient principle, the seat of sensation and desire. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

1 Corinthians 15:31 I protest by that glorying in you [νη την υμετεραν καυχησιν]
No word for “I protest.” Paul takes solemn oath by the use of νη — nē (common in Attic) with the accusative. Only here in N.T., but in lxx (Genesis 42:15f.). For other solemn oaths by Paul see 2 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 11:10.; 2 Corinthians 11:31; Romans 9:1. For καυχησις — kauchēsis see note on 1 Thessalonians 2:19. The possessive pronoun (υμετεραν — humeteran) is objective as εμην — emēn in 1 Corinthians 11:24. [source]
2 Corinthians 2:1 In heaviness [ἐν λύπῃ]
Meaning, apparently, the apostle's own sorrowful state of mind. This is wrong. He refers to the sorrow which his coming would bring to the Church. Compare to spare, 2 Corinthians 1:23. Rev., with sorrow. [source]
2 Corinthians 11:31 I am not lying [ου πσευδομαι]
The list seems so absurd and foolish that Paul takes solemn oath about it (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:23). For the doxology see note on Romans 1:25, note on Romans 9:5. [source]
1 Thessalonians 2:5 God is witness [θεὸς μάρτυς]
Comp. Romans 1:9; 2 Corinthians 1:23; Philemon 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:10. God or the Lord is witness is a common O.T. formula: see Genesis 31:44, Genesis 31:50; 1 Samuel 12:5, 1 Samuel 12:6; 1 Samuel 20:23, 1 Samuel 20:42; Wisd. 1:6. For testimony to his conduct, he appeals to the Thessalonians (as ye know )testimony to his motives, he appeals to God. Comp. 1 Thessalonians 2:10, where there is the double appeal. [source]
1 Thessalonians 2:5 Nor a cloke of covetousness [ουτε προπασει πλεονεχιας]
Pretext This is the charge of self-interest rather than the mere desire to please people. Pretext of greediness is Frame‘s translation. Πλεονεχια — Pleonexia is merely “having more” from πλεονεκτης — pleonektēs one eager for more, and πλεονεκτεω — pleonekteō to have more, then to over-reach, all old words, all with bad meaning as the result of the desire for more. In a preacher this sin is especially fatal. Paul feels so strongly his innocence of this charge that he calls God as witness as in 2 Corinthians 1:23; Romans 9:1; Philemon 1:8, a solemn oath for his own veracity. [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 1:23 mean?

I however as witness - God call upon - my soul that sparing you not yet have I come to Corinth
Ἐγὼ δὲ μάρτυρα τὸν Θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν ὅτι φειδόμενος ὑμῶν οὐκέτι ἦλθον εἰς Κόρινθον

δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
μάρτυρα  as  witness 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: μάρτυς 
Sense: a witness.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεὸν  God 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ἐπικαλοῦμαι  call 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐπικαλέω  
Sense: to put a name upon, to surname.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
τὴν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐμὴν  my 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Feminine 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐμός  
Sense: my, mine, etc.
ψυχήν  soul 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ψυχή  
Sense: breath.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
φειδόμενος  sparing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: φείδομαι  
Sense: to spare.
οὐκέτι  not  yet 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐκέτι  
Sense: no longer, no more, no further.
ἦλθον  have  I  come 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
Κόρινθον  Corinth 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Κόρινθος  
Sense: an ancient and famous city of Greece, on the Isthmus of Corinth, and about 40 miles (65 km) west of Athens.