2 Corinthians 12:16
New International Version
Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!

New Living Translation
Some of you admit I was not a burden to you. But others still think I was sneaky and took advantage of you by trickery.

English Standard Version
But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit.

Berean Standard Bible
Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery.

Berean Literal Bible
But be it so, I did not burden you; but being crafty, I caught you by trickery.

King James Bible
But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

New King James Version
But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning!

New American Standard Bible
But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, devious person that I am, I took you in by deceit.

NASB 1995
But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit.

NASB 1977
But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit.

Legacy Standard Bible
But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself. Nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit.

Amplified Bible
But be that as it may, I did not burden you [with my support]. But [some say that] I was sly and took you by trickery.

Christian Standard Bible
Now granted, I did not burden you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now granted, I have not burdened you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit!

American Standard Version
But be it so, I did not myself burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And perhaps I was not a burden to you, but as a crafty man I robbed you by treachery.

Contemporary English Version
You agree that I wasn't a burden to you. Maybe that's because I was trying to catch you off guard and trick you.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But be it so: I did not burthen you: but being crafty, I caught you by guile.

English Revised Version
But be it so, I did not myself burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You agree, then, that I haven't been a burden to you. Was I a clever person who trapped you by some trick?

Good News Translation
You will agree, then, that I was not a burden to you. But someone will say that I was tricky, and trapped you with lies.

International Standard Version
Granting that I have not been a burden to you, was I a clever schemer who trapped you by some trick?

Literal Standard Version
And be it [so], I did not burden you, but being crafty, I took you with guile;

Majority Standard Bible
Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery.

New American Bible
But granted that I myself did not burden you, yet I was crafty and got the better of you by deceit.

NET Bible
But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit!

New Revised Standard Version
Let it be assumed that I did not burden you. Nevertheless (you say) since I was crafty, I took you in by deceit.

New Heart English Bible
But be it so, I did not myself burden you. But, being crafty, I caught you with deception.

Webster's Bible Translation
But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

Weymouth New Testament
If I love you so intensely, am I the less to be loved? Be that as it may: I was not a burden to you. But being by no means scrupulous, I entrapped you, they say!

World English Bible
Even so, I myself didn’t burden you. But you might say that being crafty, I caught you with deception.

Young's Literal Translation
And be it so, I -- I did not burden you, but being crafty, with guile I did take you;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Concern for the Corinthians
15And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16 Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery. 17Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?…

Cross References
2 Corinthians 6:8
through glory and dishonor, slander and praise; viewed as imposters, yet genuine;

2 Corinthians 11:9
And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.

2 Corinthians 11:20
In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or exalts himself or strikes you in the face.


Treasury of Scripture

But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

I did not.

2 Corinthians 12:13
For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

2 Corinthians 11:9,10
And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself

being.

2 Corinthians 1:12
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

2 Corinthians 4:2
But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

2 Corinthians 7:2
Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.

Jump to Previous
Better Burden Caught Crafty Deceit Deception Entrapped Fellow Granting Guile Intensely Love Means Nevertheless Someone Trickery Trouble
Jump to Next
Better Burden Caught Crafty Deceit Deception Entrapped Fellow Granting Guile Intensely Love Means Nevertheless Someone Trickery Trouble
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.














(16) But be it so, I did not burden you.--The pronoun is again emphatic. The word for "burden" is not the same as in 2Corinthians 12:13-14, but puts the fact less figuratively. The abruptness of the sentence requires us to trace between the lines the under-currents of unexpressed thoughts. The extreme, almost jealous, sensitiveness of the Apostle's nature leads him to imagine the cynical sneer with which these assertions of disinterested work would be received. "Be it so," he hears them saying; "we admit that he, in his own person, when he was with us, made no demands on our purses; but what are we to think of this 'collection for the saints'? How do we know into whose pockets that money will go? We know him to be subtle enough" (the adjective is that from which we get the "subtlety" of 2Corinthians 4:2; 2Corinthians 11:3) "to take us in somehow: what if the collection be a trap?" There is a specially taunting force in the Greek for "being crafty," as taking the fact for granted, and assuming that it would inevitably lead on to some new development of that character in act.

Verse 16. - But be it so, I did not burden you. The "I" is emphatic. It is shocking to think that, even after Paul has so triumphantly cleared himself from the disgraceful charge of trying to make gain out of the Corinthians, he should still be obliged to meet the slanderous innuendo that, even if he had not personally tried to get anything out of them, still he had done so indirectly through the agency of Titus. Being crafty, I caught you with guile. He is here quoting the sneer of his enemies (see what he has already said in 2 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Corinthians 7:2). The word used for "being" means "being by my very nature."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Be that as it may,
Ἔστω (Estō)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

I
ἐγὼ (egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

was not a burden
κατεβάρησα (katebarēsa)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2599: To burden, oppress, weigh down. From kata and bareo; to impose upon.

to you;
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

but
ἀλλὰ (alla)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

crafty
πανοῦργος (panourgos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3835: Cunning, crafty, skilful, clever. From pas and ergon; all-working, i.e. Adroit.

as I am,
ὑπάρχων (hyparchōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5225: To begin, am, exist, be in possession. From hupo and archomai; to begin under, i.e. Come into existence; expletively, to exist (verb).

I caught
ἔλαβον (elabon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

you
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

by trickery.
δόλῳ (dolō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1388: Deceit, guile, treachery. From an obsolete primary verb, dello; a trick, i.e. wile.


Links
2 Corinthians 12:16 NIV
2 Corinthians 12:16 NLT
2 Corinthians 12:16 ESV
2 Corinthians 12:16 NASB
2 Corinthians 12:16 KJV

2 Corinthians 12:16 BibleApps.com
2 Corinthians 12:16 Biblia Paralela
2 Corinthians 12:16 Chinese Bible
2 Corinthians 12:16 French Bible
2 Corinthians 12:16 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 12:16 But be it so I did not (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)
2 Corinthians 12:15
Top of Page
Top of Page