Lectionary Calendar
Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

2 Corinthians 6:13

I speak now as though you were my children: show us the same feelings that we have for you. Open your hearts wide!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Love;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Family;   Reconciliation;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Corinth;   Holman Bible Dictionary - 2 Corinthians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Reward;   Reward (2);  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Enlarge;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I speak as to my children; as a proper response, open your heart to us.
King James Version (1611)
Nowe for a recompense in the same, (I speake as vnto my children) be ye also inlarged.
King James Version
Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
English Standard Version
In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.
New American Standard Bible
Now in the same way in exchange—I am speaking as to children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.
New Century Version
I speak to you as if you were my children. Do to us as we have done—open your hearts to us.
Amplified Bible
Now in the same way as a fair exchange [for our love toward you]—I am speaking as [I would] to children—open wide [your hearts] to us also.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also.
Berean Standard Bible
As a fair exchange, I ask you as my children: Open wide your hearts also.
Contemporary English Version
I speak to you as I would speak to my own children. Please make room in your hearts for us.
Complete Jewish Bible
So, just to be "fair" (I am using the language of children), open wide your hearts too.
Darby Translation
but for an answering recompense, (I speak as to children,) let *your* heart also expand itself.
Easy-to-Read Version
I speak to you as if you were my children. Do the same as we have done—open your hearts also.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe for the same recompence, I speake as to my children, Be you also inlarged.
George Lamsa Translation
I speak as to my children, render me my reward which is with you, increase your love toward me.
Lexham English Bible
Now the same way in exchange (I am speaking as to children), you open wide your hearts also.
Literal Translation
But for the same reward, I speak as to children, you also be made larger.
American Standard Version
Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged.
Bible in Basic English
Now to give me back payment of the same sort (I am talking as to my children), let your hearts be wide open to me.
Hebrew Names Version
Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also be enlarged.
International Standard Version
Do us a favor - I ask you as my children - and open wide your hearts.1 Corinthians 4:14;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But as unto (my) children, I say to you, Render to me my gains which are with you, and expand your love towards me.
Murdock Translation
13 I speak as to [fn] children, Pay me the debt which ye owe, and expand your love towards me.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I promise you lyke rewarde as vnto children: Set your selues at large,
English Revised Version
Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto [my] children), be ye also enlarged.
World English Bible
Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also be enlarged.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now for a recompence of the same, (I speak as to my children) be ye also inlarged.
Weymouth's New Testament
And in just requital--I speak as to my children--let your hearts expand also.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y seie as to sones, ye that han the same reward, be ye alargid.
Update Bible Version
Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as to [my] children), be also enlarged.
Webster's Bible Translation
Now for a recompense in the same (I speak as to [my] children,) be ye also enlarged.
New English Translation
Now as a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts to us also.
New King James Version
Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.
New Living Translation
I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!
New Life Bible
I am speaking to you now as if you were my own children. Open your hearts wide to us! That will pay us back for what we have done for you.
New Revised Standard
In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Howbeit, by way of the like recompense - as, unto children, I speak, be enlarged, even, ye.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But having the same recompense (I speak as to my children): be you also enlarged.
Revised Standard Version
In return--I speak as to children--widen your hearts also.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I promyse you lyke rewarde with me as to my childre.
Young's Literal Translation
and [as] a recompense of the same kind, (as to children I say [it],) be ye enlarged -- also ye!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I speake to you, as to childre, that haue like rewarde with vs.
Mace New Testament (1729)
I address myself to you as a parent, be not you wanting in the returns of filial respect to me.
Simplified Cowboy Version
I feel like a father who has given everything to his kids, but they show no gratitude or love. Pop your dallies on whatever is holding you back and open your hearts to us.

Contextual Overview

11 Dear friends in Corinth! We have spoken frankly to you; we have opened our hearts wide. 12 It is not we who have closed our hearts to you; it is you who have closed your hearts to us. 13 I speak now as though you were my children: show us the same feelings that we have for you. Open your hearts wide! 14 Do not try to work together as equals with unbelievers, for it cannot be done. How can right and wrong be partners? How can light and darkness live together? 15 How can Christ and the Devil agree? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 How can God's temple come to terms with pagan idols? For we are the temple of the living God! As God himself has said, "I will make my home with my people and live among them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people." 17 And so the Lord says, "You must leave them and separate yourselves from them. Have nothing to do with what is unclean, and I will accept you. 18 I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I speak: 1 Corinthians 4:14, 1 Corinthians 4:15, Galatians 4:19, 1 Thessalonians 2:11, Hebrews 12:5, Hebrews 12:6, 1 John 2:1, 1 John 2:12-14, 1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:18, 3 John 1:4

be: 2 Kings 13:14-19, Psalms 81:10, Matthew 9:28, Matthew 9:29, Matthew 17:19-21, Mark 6:4-6, Mark 11:24, James 1:6, James 1:7, 1 John 5:14, 1 John 5:15

Reciprocal: 2 Corinthians 12:15 - though

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
When people had spread all over the world, and daughters were being born,
Genesis 6:2
some of the heavenly beings saw that these young women were beautiful, so they took the ones they liked.
Genesis 6:4
In those days, and even later, there were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and the heavenly beings. They were the great heroes and famous men of long ago.
Genesis 6:6
he was sorry that he had ever made them and put them on the earth. He was so filled with regret
Genesis 6:7
that he said, "I will wipe out these people I have created, and also the animals and the birds, because I am sorry that I made any of them."
Genesis 6:11
but everyone else was evil in God's sight, and violence had spread everywhere.
Genesis 6:12
God looked at the world and saw that it was evil, for the people were all living evil lives.
Genesis 7:23
The Lord destroyed all living beings on the earth—human beings, animals, and birds. The only ones left were Noah and those who were with him in the boat.
Genesis 49:5
"Simeon and Levi are brothers. They use their weapons to commit violence.
Jeremiah 51:13
That country has many rivers and rich treasures, but its time is up, and its thread of life is cut.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now for a recompence in the same,.... That your love to me may answer mine to you; that as you have my heart, I may have yours, and the same room in your heart, as you have in mine. The Vulgate Latin version reads, "having the same recompence"; and the Arabic version renders it, "grant to me the same recompence"; and the Syriac version, "recompense to me my usuries that are with you"; that is, repay me with affection, let love be returned for love.

I speak as unto my children; which relation subsisting between us requires mutual affection; for as a father should love his children, so children should love their father:

be ye also enlarged; in your love to me, as I am to you; and then, as if he should say, you will bear with, and take in good part the following exhortation and advice.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now for a recompence in the same - “By way of recompence, open your hearts in the same manner toward me as I have done toward you. It is all the reward or compensation which I ask of you; all the return which I desire. I do not ask silver or gold, or any earthly possessions. I ask only a return of love, and a devotedness to the cause which I love, and which I endeavor to promote.”

I speak as unto my children - I speak as a parent addressing his children. I sustain toward you the relation of a spiritual father, and I have a right to require and expect a return of affection.

Be ye also enlarged - Be not straitened in your affections. Love me as I love you. Give to me the same proofs of attachment which I have given you. The idea in this verse is, that the only compensation or remuneration which he expected for all the love which he had shown them, and for all his toils and self-denials in their behalf 2 Corinthians 6:4-5, was, that they would love him, and yield obedience to the laws of the gospel requiring them to be separate from the world, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. One ground of the claim which he had to their affection was, that he sustained toward them the relation of a father, and that he had a right to require and to expect such a return of love. The Syriac renders it well: “Enlarge your love toward me.” Tyndale renders it: “I speak unto you as unto children, which have like reward with us; stretch yourselves therefore out; bear not the yoke with unbelievers.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 6:13. Now for a recompense in the same — That you may, in some sort, repay me for my affection towards you, I speak to you as unto my children, whom I have a right to command, be ye also enlarged-love me as I love you.


 
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