2 Corinthians 1:18

But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not “Yes and no.”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

But as God is faithful, our word towards you was not “Yes and no.”

BSB

But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”

KJV

But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.

ASV

But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yea and nay.

BBE

As God is true, our word to you is not Yes and No.

Original Greek

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The early church

"But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not yea and nay." He skillfully overturns a rising objection. For one might say, If after having promised, thou hast put off coming, and yea is not yea, and nay nay, with thee, but what thou sayest now thou unsayest afterwards, as thou didst in the case of this Journey: woe is unto us, if all this were the case in the Preaching too. Now lest they should have these thoughts and be troubled thereat, he says, "But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not yea and nay." This, saith he, was not the case in the Preaching, but only in our travels and journeyings; whereas whatever things we have said in our preaching, these abide steadfast and unmoveable, (for he calleth his preaching here, "word.") Then he bringeth proof of this that cannot be gainsaid, by referring all to God. What he saith is this; "the promise of my coming was my own and I gave that promise from myself: but the preaching is not my own, nor of man, but of God, and what is of God it is impossible should lie." Whereupon also he said, "God is faithful," that is, "true." "Mistrust not then what is from Him, for there is nought of man in it."
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 2 Corinthians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 15–24

The apostle clears himself from the charge of levity and inconstancy, in not coming to Corinth. Good men should be careful to keep the reputation of sincerity and constancy; they should not resolve, but on careful thought; and they will not change unless for weighty reasons. Nothing can render God's promises more certain: his giving them through Christ, assures us they are his promises; as the wonders God wrought in the life, resurrection, and ascension of his Son, confirm faith. The Holy Spirit makes Christians firm in the faith of the gospel: the quickening of the Spirit is an earnest of everlasting life; and the comforts of the Spirit are an earnest of everlasting joy. The apostle desired to spare the blame he feared would be unavoidable, if he had gone to Corinth before he learned what effect his former letter produced. Our strength and ability are owing to faith; and our comfort and joy must flow from faith. The holy tempers and gracious fruits which attend faith, secure from delusion in so important a matter.

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Cross-references

9

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.