“Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you?”
The full verse · 2 Corinthians 12:19 · KJV
, think we excuse unto ? we : we do all , dearly , .
Asked by
Paul: the apostle writing to the church at Corinth, who has just answered the suggestion that he gained from them through Titus and the brother he sent (2 Corinthians 12:16-18)
Asked to
Corinthians: the church at Corinth, whom Paul calls "dearly beloved" and plans to visit a third time (2 Corinthians 12:14, 19)
The Scene
Paul has asked whether he or Titus ever made a gain of the Corinthians, as part of a long defense of his ministry against those who questioned him (2 Corinthians 12:16-18).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionAfter chapters of defending himself, Paul expects the Corinthians might think he is pleading his case before them as if they were his judges. His question heads off that idea. Barnes paraphrases Paul's question this way: "Do not suppose that this is said from mere anxiety to obtain your favor, or to ingratiate ourselves into your esteem." Gill says Paul "had no view to cover himself by studied apologies, and set orations." Paul's real audience is God, and his real goal is their good.
The Response
What Scripture recordsPaul answers immediately: "we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying" (2 Corinthians 12:19). Then he explains why it matters: he fears that when he comes he may find "debates, envyings, wraths, strifes" (2 Corinthians 12:20), and that he will "bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented" (2 Corinthians 12:21).
Historical Context
The world behind the wordsThe Greek behind "excuse ourselves" is apologoumetha, which the BibleHub interlinear glosses "we have been making a defense." The ESV's "Have you been thinking all along" reflects the Greek palai, "all along." "Edifying" translates oikodomē, "building up" (ESV "upbuilding"). Paul uses the same idea for his authority, which the Lord gave him "for edification, and not for your destruction" (2 Corinthians 10:8; see 2 Corinthians 13:10).
Gill explains "we speak before God in Christ" as speaking "in all sincerity and uprightness of soul, without colour, guile, or deceit, calling God and Christ to witness the truth of what was said."
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyPaul's question shows what kept his ministry honest: he lived and spoke "before God." He was not trying to win a verdict from the Corinthians. Barnes puts Paul's meaning this way: "I disguise nothing; I conceal nothing." He had said something similar earlier: "in the sight of God speak we in Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:17).
His defense was also an act of love. Matthew Henry writes that Paul "did all things for edifying," and "This was his great aim and design, to do good, to lay the foundation well, and then with care and diligence to build the superstructure." Even his self-defense was for their building up. Barnes says Paul's vindication of his character was meant to give them "unwavering confidence in the gospel."
Look Closer
Before whom does Paul say he speaks?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord, I want to speak before You and not just before people; where am I more concerned with defending myself than with building others up?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- How can you tell whether you are explaining yourself for someone else's good or just to protect your image?
- Tell about a time someone corrected or defended something in a way that clearly built you up.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
There are times you need to explain yourself, as Paul did. Before you do, ask two questions: Am I speaking honestly, as before God? And will this help build the other person up? If the answer is yes, you can speak freely and without fear of what people think.
This doesn't mean you should never care what others think of you. Paul did care, because he loved the Corinthians and wanted them to trust the gospel. But their approval was not his master. He spoke "before God in Christ," and he did it "for your edifying" (2 Corinthians 12:19).
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“Did Titus make a gain of you? Walked we not in the same spirit? Walked we not in the same steps?”
“Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?”
“Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?”
“Though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved”