II Corinthians 13:7

I pray--The oldest manuscripts read, "we pray." not that we should appear approved--not to gain credit for ourselves, your ministers, by your Christian conduct; but for your good [ALFORD]. The antithesis to "reprobates" leads me to prefer explaining with BENGEL, "We do not pray that we may appear approved," by restraining you when ye do evil; "but that ye should do what is right" (English Version, "honest"). though we be as reprobates--though we be thereby deprived of the occasion for exercising our apostolic power (namely, in punishing), and so may appear "as reprobates" (incapable of affording proof of Christ speaking in us).

Here we have, I. The apostle's prayer to God on the behalf of the Corinthians, that they might do no evil, Co2 13:7. This is the most desirable thing we can ask of God, both for ourselves and for our friends, to be kept from sin, that we and they may do no evil; and it is most needful that we often pray to God for his grace to keep us, because without this we cannot keep ourselves. We are more concerned to pray that we may not do evil than that we may not suffer evil. II. The reasons why the apostle put up this prayer to God on behalf of the Corinthians, which reasons have a special reference to their case, and the subject-matter about which he was writing to them. Observe, he tells them, 1. It was not so much for his own personal reputation as for the honour of religion: "Not that we should appear approved, but that you should do that which is honest, or decent, and for the credit of religion, though we should be reproached and vilified, and accounted as reprobates," Co2 13:7. Note, (1.) The great desire of faithful ministers of the gospel is that the gospel they preach may be honoured, however their persons may be vilified. (2.) The best way to adorn our holy religion is to do that which is honest, and of good report, to walk as becomes the gospel of Christ. 2. Another reason was this: that they might be free from all blame and censure when he should come to them. This is intimated in Co2 13:8, We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. If therefore they did not do evil, nor act contrary to their profession of the gospel, the apostle had no power nor authority to punish them. He had said before (Co2 10:8) and says here (Co2 13:10) that the power which the Lord had given him was to edification, not to destruction; so that, although the apostle had great po…

13:7-10 Whatever the problems Paul faced at Corinth, there is no doubt about his chief desire. He cherished the highest good for these people, that they would become mature and strong. Paul was always concerned to promote the welfare of his people, even when rebuking them. 13:7 that you will not do what is wrong: They would do wrong by embracing the false teachers who had appeared on the scene (11:5, 13-15; see study note on 10:1–13:13). • even if that makes it look like we have failed: Paul’s motivation in ministry is to be faithful, not to appear successful (1 Cor 4:2). He patterned his service on Jesus Christ himself (2 Cor 13:4), who was outwardly weak and an apparent failure in dying on the cross, but who is now victorious as he lives by the mighty power of God.