The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 12:18 Explained

2 Corinthians 12:18

KJV: I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

YLT: I entreated Titus, and did send with him the brother; did Titus take advantage of you? in the same spirit did we not walk? -- did we not in the same steps?

Darby: I begged Titus, and sent the brother with him: did Titus at all make gain of you? have we not walked in the same spirit? have we not in the same steps?

ASV: I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I desired  Titus,  and  with [him] I sent  a brother.  Did  Titus  make a gain  of you?  walked we  not  in the same  spirit?  [walked we] not  in the same  steps? 

What does 2 Corinthians 12:18 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Corinthians 12:11-21 - "i Seek Not Yours, But You"
"The long burst of passionate self-vindication has now at last expended itself," says Dean Stanley, and Paul returns to the point whence he diverged at 2 Corinthians 10:7, where he was avowing his intention to repress the disobedience of those who still resisted his authority at Corinth. "Now," he says, "my folly is over. That I should have indulged in it is your fault, not mine." What a comfort it is that he lays such repeated stress on his weakness! Instead of complaining of it, he used it as an argument with Christ that He should put forth more grace, and as an argument with his converts, that the results of his work had been granted as the divine endorsement of his apostolate.
Paul felt that his paternal relation to this church gave him the right to rebuke them, as a father rebukes his children. But he realized that they did not reciprocate his love, probably because they permitted the evil things enumerated in the closing verses. Often moral obliquity accounts for the decline and failure of love. Among other things, they had even accused him of getting money, if not directly, yet through Titus. But there were worse things still that needed to be dealt with, 2 Corinthians 12:20-21. Would that we were more often humbled to the dust by the sins of our brethren! [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 12

1  For commending of his apostleship, though he might glory of his wonderful revelations,
9  yet he rather chooses to glory of his infirmities;
11  blaming the Corinthians for forcing him to this vain boasting
14  He promises to come to them again; but yet altogether in the affection of a father;
20  although he fears he shall to his grief find many offenders, and public disorders there

Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 12:18

The brother [τον αδελπον]
Probably the brother of Titus (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:18). [source]
Did Titus take advantage of you? [μητι επλεονεκτησεν υμας Τιτοσ]
That puts the issue squarely. By the same Spirit (τωι αυτωι πνευματι — tōi autōi pneumati). That translation refers to the Holy Spirit and makes the case instrumental. The locative case, “in the same spirit,” makes it mean that Paul‘s attitude is the same as that of Titus and most likely is correct, for “in the same steps” (τοις αυτοις ιχνεσιν — tois autois ichnesin) is in locative case. [source]
By the same Spirit [τωι αυτωι πνευματι]
That translation refers to the Holy Spirit and makes the case instrumental. The locative case, “in the same spirit,” makes it mean that Paul‘s attitude is the same as that of Titus and most likely is correct, for “in the same steps” (τοις αυτοις ιχνεσιν — tois autois ichnesin) is in locative case. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 12:18

Romans 4:12 But who also walk [αλλα και τοις στοιχουσιν]
The use of τοις — tois here is hard to explain, for ου μονον — ou monon and αλλα και — alla kai both come after the preceding τοις — tois All the MSS. have it thus. A primitive error in a copyist is suggested by Hort who would omit the second τοις — tois Lightfoot regards it less seriously and would repeat the second τοις — tois in the English: “To those who are, I do not say of circumcision only, but also to those who walk.” In the steps (τοις ιχνεσιν — tois ichnesin). Locative case. See note on 2 Corinthians 12:18. Stoicheō is military term, to walk in file as in Galatians 5:25; Philemon 3:16. [source]
Romans 4:12 In the steps [τοις ιχνεσιν]
Locative case. See note on 2 Corinthians 12:18. Stoicheō is military term, to walk in file as in Galatians 5:25; Philemon 3:16. [source]
2 Corinthians 8:20 Avoiding this [στελλόμενοι τοῦτο]
The verb, which occurs only here and 2 Thessalonians 3:6, means to arrange or provide for. As preparation involves a getting together of things, it passes into the meaning of collect, gather: then contract, as the furling of sails; so, to draw back, draw one's self away, as 2 Thessalonians 3:6. Connect with we have sent, 2 Corinthians 8:18. Compare 2 Corinthians 12:17, 2 Corinthians 12:18, where it appears that he had been charged with collecting money for his own purposes. [source]
2 Corinthians 12:17 By any one of them [τιναδι αυτου]
An anacoluthon for τινα — tina is left in the accusative without a verb and δι αυτου — di' autou takes up the idea, “as to any one by him.” Whom (ων — hōn). The genitive relative is attracted from the accusative ους — hous into the case of the unexpressed antecedent τουτον — touton). Μη — Mē expects the negative answer as does μητι — mēti in 2 Corinthians 12:18. [source]
2 Corinthians 12:17 Whom [ων]
The genitive relative is attracted from the accusative ους — hous into the case of the unexpressed antecedent τουτον — touton). Μη — Mē expects the negative answer as does μητι — mēti in 2 Corinthians 12:18. [source]
2 Corinthians 8:18 The brother [τον αδελπον]
This may be, probably is, Luke who may also be the brother of Titus (see also 2 Corinthians 12:18) according to a common Greek idiom where the article is used as “his.” But this idiom is not necessary. As a matter of fact, we do not know who this brother is. Is spread through all the churches (δια πασων των εκκλησιων — dia pasōn tōn ekklēsiōn). No verb in the Greek (ellipsis). [source]
1 Peter 2:21 Because [οτι]
The fact that Christ suffered Present active participle of the late Ionic verb υπολιμπανω — hupolimpanō (in the papyri) for the common υπολειπω — hupoleipō to leave behind (under), here only in N.T. υπογραμμος — Hupogrammos is also a late and rare word (from υπογραπω — hupographō to write under), a writing-copy for one to imitate, in 2 Macc. 2:28; Philo, Clement of Rome, here only in N.T. Clement of Alex. (Strom. V. 8. 49) uses it of the copy-head at the top of a child‘s exercise book for the child to imitate, including all the letters of the alphabet. The papyri give many examples of υπογραπη — hupographē and υπογραπω — hupographō in the sense of copying a letter.That ye should follow his steps Purpose clause with ινα — hina and first aorist active subjunctive of επακολουτεω — epakoloutheō old verb, to follow closely upon, with the associative-instrumental (1 Timothy 5:10, 1 Timothy 5:24) or the locative here. Ιχνος — Ichnos is old word (from ικω — hikō to go), tracks, footprints, in N.T. only here, 2 Corinthians 12:18; Romans 4:12. Peter does not mean that Christ suffered only as an example (1 Peter 1:18), but he did leave us his example for our copying (1 John 2:6). [source]
1 Peter 2:21 That ye should follow his steps [ινα επακολουτησητε τοις ιχνεσιν αυτου]
Purpose clause with ινα — hina and first aorist active subjunctive of επακολουτεω — epakoloutheō old verb, to follow closely upon, with the associative-instrumental (1 Timothy 5:10, 1 Timothy 5:24) or the locative here. Ιχνος — Ichnos is old word (from ικω — hikō to go), tracks, footprints, in N.T. only here, 2 Corinthians 12:18; Romans 4:12. Peter does not mean that Christ suffered only as an example (1 Peter 1:18), but he did leave us his example for our copying (1 John 2:6). [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 12:18 mean?

I urged Titus [to go] and sent with [him] the brother Not did exploit you Titus Not in the same spirit did we walk in the same steps
παρεκάλεσα Τίτον καὶ συναπέστειλα τὸν ἀδελφόν μήτι ἐπλεονέκτησεν ὑμᾶς Τίτος οὐ τῷ αὐτῷ Πνεύματι περιεπατήσαμεν τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἴχνεσιν

παρεκάλεσα  I  urged 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: παρακαλέω  
Sense: to call to one’s side, call for, summon.
Τίτον  Titus  [to  go] 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Τίτος  
Sense: a Gentile Christian an Paul’s companion in some of his journeys.
συναπέστειλα  sent  with  [him] 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: συναποστέλλω  
Sense: to send with.
ἀδελφόν  brother 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
ἐπλεονέκτησεν  did  exploit 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πλεονεκτέω  
Sense: to have more, or a greater part or share.
Τίτος  Titus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Τίτος  
Sense: a Gentile Christian an Paul’s companion in some of his journeys.
τῷ  in  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
αὐτῷ  same 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Πνεύματι  spirit 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
περιεπατήσαμεν  did  we  walk 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: περιπατέω  
Sense: to walk.
τοῖς  in  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
αὐτοῖς  same 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Neuter 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἴχνεσιν  steps 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Plural
Root: ἴχνος  
Sense: a footprint, track, footstep.