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Friday, July 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

2 Corinthians 6:3

We don't want anyone to find fault with our work, and so we try hard not to cause problems.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Minister, Christian;   Obedience;   Resignation;   Self-Denial;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Discretion;   Helps-Hindrances;   Leaders;   Ministers;   Offences;   Prudence-Rashness;   Religious;   Tact;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ministers;   Offence;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Stumbling block;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Corinthians, First and Second, Theology of;   Leadership;   Wealth;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Corinth;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Offense;   Thorn in the Flesh;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Corinthians, Second Epistle to;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Minister Ministry;   Offence;   Temperance ;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Corinthians, Second Epistle to the;   Offence;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
We are not giving anyone an occasion for offense, so that the ministry will not be blamed.
King James Version (1611)
Giuing no offence in any thing, that the ministery be not blamed:
King James Version
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
English Standard Version
We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
New American Standard Bible
giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
New Century Version
We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so nothing we do will be a problem for anyone.
Amplified Bible
we put no obstruction in anyone's path, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
Legacy Standard Bible
giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
Berean Standard Bible
We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.
Complete Jewish Bible
We try not to put obstacles in anyone's path, so that no one can find fault with the work we do.
Darby Translation
giving no manner of offence in anything, that the ministry be not blamed;
Easy-to-Read Version
We don't want people to find anything wrong with our work. So we do nothing that will be a problem to others.
Geneva Bible (1587)
We giue no occasion of offence in any thing, that our ministerie shoulde not be reprehended.
George Lamsa Translation
Give no occasion for offence to any one in anything, so that there be no blemish in our ministry:
Good News Translation
We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so we try not to put obstacles in anyone's way.
Lexham English Bible
We are giving no one an occasion for taking offense in anything, in order that our ministry will not have fault found with it,
Literal Translation
We are not giving a cause of stumbling, in nothing, that the ministry may not be blamed,
American Standard Version
giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed;
Bible in Basic English
Giving no cause for trouble in anything, so that no one may be able to say anything against our work;
Hebrew Names Version
We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,
International Standard Version
We do not put an obstacle in anyone's way. Otherwise, fault may be found with our ministry.Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 9:12; 10:32;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
Nor in any thing give to any man occasion of stumbling, that no blemish may be upon our ministry;
Murdock Translation
Give ye no occasion of offence to any one in any thing, that there may be no reproach on our ministry.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Let vs geue none occasion of euyll in any thyng, that the ministerie be not blamed:
English Revised Version
giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed;
World English Bible
We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed, But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God,
Weymouth's New Testament
We endeavour to give people no cause for stumbling in anything, lest the work we are doing should fall into discredit.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Yyue we to no man ony offencioun, that oure seruyce be not repreued;
Update Bible Version
giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service not be blamed;
Webster's Bible Translation
Giving no offense in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
New English Translation
We do not give anyone an occasion for taking an offense in anything, so that no fault may be found with our ministry.
New King James Version
We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
New Living Translation
We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry.
New Life Bible
We do not want to put anything in the way that would keep people from God. We do not want to be blamed.
New Revised Standard
We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Giving, no single, occasion of stumbling, in anything, that the ministry be not blamed;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Giving no offence to any man, that our ministry be not blamed.
Revised Standard Version
We put no obstacle in any one's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Let vs geve no man occasion of evyll that in oure office be founde no faute:
Young's Literal Translation
in nothing giving any cause of offence, that the ministration may be not blamed,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Let vs geue no man occasion of euell, that oure office be not euell spoken of:
Mace New Testament (1729)
as for us, we give no occasion of offence, that our ministry may not be blamed:
Simplified Cowboy Version
We never ride in a way that would cause someone else to doubt who we are. We don't ride in front of anyone or do anything that would make someone question who we were.

Contextual Overview

1 We work together with God, and we beg you to make good use of God's kindness to you. 2 In the Scriptures God says, "When the time came, I listened to you, and when you needed help, I came to save you." That time has come. This is the day for you to be saved. 3 We don't want anyone to find fault with our work, and so we try hard not to cause problems. 4 But in everything and in every way we show that we truly are God's servants. We have always been patient, though we have had a lot of trouble, suffering, and hard times. 5 We have been beaten, put in jail, and hurt in riots. We have worked hard and have gone without sleep or food. 6 But we have kept ourselves pure and have been understanding, patient, and kind. The Holy Spirit has been with us, and our love has been real. 7 We have spoken the truth, and God's power has worked in us. In all our struggles we have said and done only what is right. 8 Whether we were honored or dishonored or praised or cursed, we always told the truth about ourselves. But some people said we did not. 9 We are unknown to others, but well known to you. We seem to be dying, and yet we are still alive. We have been punished, but never killed, 10 and we are always happy, even in times of suffering. Although we are poor, we have made many people rich. And though we own nothing, everything is ours.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

2 Corinthians 1:12, 2 Corinthians 8:20, Matthew 17:27, Matthew 18:6, Romans 14:13, 1 Corinthians 8:9-13, 1 Corinthians 9:12, 1 Corinthians 9:22, 1 Corinthians 10:23, 1 Corinthians 10:24, 1 Corinthians 10:32, 1 Corinthians 10:33

Reciprocal: Isaiah 57:14 - take Matthew 15:12 - Knowest Mark 9:42 - offend Acts 19:37 - which Acts 20:18 - after 2 Corinthians 7:2 - we have wronged Ephesians 4:12 - the work Philippians 1:10 - without Philippians 2:4 - General 1 Thessalonians 1:5 - what 1 Thessalonians 2:10 - how 1 Thessalonians 5:22 - General 1 Timothy 3:7 - lest 1 Timothy 4:10 - therefore 2 Timothy 2:15 - a workman

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
More and more people were born, until finally they spread all over the earth. Some of their daughters were so beautiful that supernatural beings came down and married the ones they wanted.
Genesis 6:13
So he told Noah: Cruelty and violence have spread everywhere. Now I'm going to destroy the whole earth and all its people.
Genesis 6:14
Get some good lumber and build a boat. Put rooms in it and cover it with tar inside and out.
Genesis 6:15
Make it four hundred fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high.
Genesis 6:16
Build a roof on the boat and leave a space of about eighteen inches between the roof and the sides. Make the boat three stories high and put a door on one side.
Genesis 6:18
But I solemnly promise that you, your wife, your sons, and your daughters-in-law will be kept safe in the boat.
Numbers 11:17
While I am talking with you there, I will give them some of your authority, so they can share responsibility for my people. You will no longer have to care for them by yourself.
Nehemiah 9:30
For years, you were patient, and your Spirit warned them with messages spoken by your prophets. Still they refused to listen, and you handed them over to their enemies.
Psalms 78:39
God remembered that they were made of flesh and were like a wind that blows once and then dies down.
Isaiah 5:4
What more could I have done for my vineyard? I hoped for sweet grapes, but bitter grapes were all that grew.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Giving no offence in anything,.... These words are in connection with 2 Corinthians 6:1 and to be considered either as a continuation of the exhortation to others, that they would take care to give no offence to any; or rather as an account the apostle gives of himself, and other ministers, by way of example; and is as if he had said, I Paul, Timotheus, Silvanus, and other ministers of the word, take all possible care to lay no stumblingblock in the way of the hearers of the Gospel; to give no offence to them that are without, or to them that are within, to Jew or Gentile, or to the church of God, neither by word nor writing, by doctrine or conversation, or in any way whatever: that the ministry be not blamed; the ministry of the word of reconciliation, which they had received of the Lord Jesus. The apostle knew there were persons enow who were waiting all opportunities, and taking all advantages to vilify and reproach the ministry of the Gospel, and so hinder its progress and spread; and that if that was once brought into contempt by the disagreeable conduct of the preachers of it, there would be but little hope of success from it. Some copies read, "our ministry"; and so the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions; the Ethiopic version reads, "your ministry".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Giving no offence in anything - We the ministers of God, 2 Corinthians 6:1. The word rendered “offence” means, properly, stumbling; then offence, or cause of offence, a falling into sin. The meaning here is, “giving no occasion for contemning or rejecting the gospel;” and the idea of Paul is, that he and his fellow-apostles so labored as that no one who saw or knew them, should have occasion to reproach the ministry, or the religion which they preached; but so that in their pure and self-denying lives, the strongest argument should be seen for embracing it; compare Matthew 10:16; 1Co 8:13; 1 Corinthians 10:32-33. See the Philippians 2:15 note; 1 Thessalonians 2:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:22 notes. How they conducted so as to give no offence he states in the following verses.

That the ministry be not blamed - The phrase, “the ministry,” refers here not merely to the ministry of Paul, that is, it does not mean merely that he would be subject to blame and reproach, but that the ministry itself which the Lord Jesus had established would be blamed, or would be reproached by the improper conduct of anyone who was engaged in that work. The idea is, that the misconduct of one minister of the gospel would bring a reproach upon the profession itself, and would prevent the usefulness and success of others, just as the misconduct of a physician exposes the whole profession to reproach, or the bad conduct of a lawyer reflects itself in some degree on the entire profession. And it is so everywhere. The errors, follies, misconduct, or bad example of one minister of the gospel brings a reproach upon the sacred calling itself, and prevents the usefulness of many others. Ministers do not stand alone. And though no one can be responsible for the errors and failings of others, yet no one can avoid suffering in regard to his usefulness by the sins of others. Not only, therefore, from a regard to his personal usefulness should every minister be circumspect in his walk, but from respect to the usefulness of all others who sustain the office of the ministry, and from respect to the success of religion all over the world. Paul made it one of the principles of his conduct so to act that no man should have cause to speak reproachfully of the ministry on his account. In order to this, he felt; it to be necessary not only to claim and assert honor for the ministry, but to lead such a life as should deserve the respect of people. If a man wishes to secure respect for his calling, it must be by living in the manner which that calling demands, and then respect and honor will follow as a matter of course; see Calvin.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 6:3. Giving no offence — The word προσκοπη, read προσκομμα, Romans 14:13, signifies a stumbling block in general, or any thing over which a man stumbles or falls; and here means any transgression or scandal that might take place among the ministers, or the Christians themselves, whereby either Jews or Gentiles might take occasion of offence, and vilify the Gospel of Christ.


 
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