Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
2 Corinthians 12:21 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 21. 21And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse fears humiliation and mourning over people who have not repented of impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality.
Read It With
- 2 Corinthians 12:19–21
Read 2 Corinthians 12:21 with 12:19–21. This verse fears humiliation and mourning over people who have not repented of impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality. The complete unit establishes this movement: Paul says his whole defense is spoken before God in Christ for the Corinthians' building, then fears a visit marked by mutual disappointment, factional conflict, and grief over people who have not repented of sexual wrongdoing.
Why This Verse Appears Here
The unit reveals the pastoral purpose and feared conditions immediately before formal visit-warning language. Within that movement, this verse fears humiliation and mourning over people who have not repented of impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality.
Follow the Context
- The defense is spoken before God in Christ.
- Everything is for building up the beloved community.
- Paul fears mutual disappointment on arrival.
- Quarrel, jealousy, rage, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder may remain.
- He fears humiliation and mourning over unrepented impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality.
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among”
In plain language: Persistent sexual wrongdoing requires grief and truthful response.
fears humiliation and mourning over people who have not repented of impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality. Persistent sexual wrongdoing requires grief and truthful response.
Why it matters: The wording carries interpretive or ethical risk that requires the full unit and its stated limits.
How certain? strongWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
The verse does not authorize outing, orientation stigma, purity surveillance, or hiding abuse as private sin.
What Remains True
Persistent sexual wrongdoing requires grief and truthful response.
How It Can Shape Life
- Protect people from exploitation, distinguish consent and coercion, and preserve confidentiality.
Teach It Back
Explain 2 Corinthians 12:21's contribution to 2 Corinthians 12:19–21: fears humiliation and mourning over people who have not repented of impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality. Include what the surrounding verses add, the stated uncertainty, and what this verse does not authorize.
Your explanation stays in this browser. It is not sent or saved.
Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read 2 Corinthians 12:19–21 — Defense Serves Building Up Before a Difficult VisitSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: 2 Corinthians 12:19–21, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, repeated terms, and original-language discussion.
Exact location: SBLGNT official text file 2Co.txt, 12:19–21
Open the 2 Corinthians Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible - 2 Corinthians with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005-2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level Greek, syntax, KJV-era wording, textual variants, and interpretive alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible 2 Corinthians chapter print views, 12:19–21, including attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open NET 2 Corinthians 12 notesmodern open commentary
2 Corinthians
Peter Balla
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023
Supports: Whole-letter setting, literary movement, Greek observations, and passage-level evangelical interpretation.
Exact location: Balla, TGC Bible Commentary, 2 Corinthians, introduction and section on 12:19–21
Open source ↗modern annotated new testament
2 Corinthians introduction and annotations in The Jewish Annotated New Testament
Alan J. Avery-Peck; edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler
Oxford University Press, 2011
Supports: Jewish and Greco-Roman context, scriptural echoes, composition questions, and concise verse-level alternatives.
Exact location: Avery-Peck, Jewish Annotated New Testament, print pp. 315–331, introduction and annotations on 12:19–21
Open source ↗peer reviewed open access social scientific study
The Social Construction of Paul's Apostolic Leadership in Corinth
Jack Barentsen
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies 74.4, 2018
Supports: Social-scientific analysis of negotiated authority, community response, suffering, patronage, collection, and unity claims.
Exact location: Barentsen, 'The Social Construction of Paul's Apostolic Leadership in Corinth,' HTS 74.4 (2018), article a5191, pp. 1–13
Open source ↗Lexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: Independent morphology, form, and lexical-range cross-check for material Greek claims.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data repository, Greek morphology and lexical records for 2 Corinthians 12:19–21
Open source ↗