2nd Corinthians Chapter 12 verse 19 Holy Bible
Ye think all this time that we are excusing ourselves unto you. In the sight of God speak we in Christ. But all things, beloved, `are' for your edifying.
read chapter 12 in ASV
It may seem to you that all this time we have been attempting to put ourselves in the right; but we are saying these things before God in Christ. For all things, dear brothers, are for your profit.
read chapter 12 in BBE
Ye have long been supposing that we excuse ourselves to you: we speak before God in Christ; and all things, beloved, for your building up.
read chapter 12 in DARBY
Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
read chapter 12 in KJV
read chapter 12 in WBT
Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.
read chapter 12 in WEB
Again, think ye that to you we are making defence? before God in Christ do we speak; and the all things, beloved, `are' for your up-building,
read chapter 12 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 19. - Again, think you that we excuse ourselves unto you? The best reading is not palin, again, but palai, long ago. This word with the present is an elegant classical idiom, and means, "You have, perhaps, been imagining all this time that I am pleading with you by way of self-defence. Do not think it! You are no judges of mine. My only object is to speak before God in Christ, not to defend myself since I need no defence so far as you are concerned - but to help in building you up, by removing the falsehoods that alienate you from me."
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(19) Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you?--Many of the best MSS. present the reading palai (long ago), instead of palin (again). In this case the sentence is better taken as an assertion, not as a question--"You are thinking, and have been thinking for a long time, that it is to you that we have been making our defence." The Greek verb for "excuse," is that which is always used of a formal apologia, or vindication (Luke 12:11; Luke 21:14; Acts 19:33; Acts 24:10). St. Paul deprecates the idea that he has any wish to enter on such a vindication. He is anxious to explain his conduct, as in 2Corinthians 1:15-24; 2Corinthians 8:20-24; 2Corinthians 11:7-12, but he does not acknowledge that he stands at the bar before their judgment-seat. He speaks, i.e., in the same tone of independence as in 1Corinthians 4:3-5. The motive which really prompts him to speak as he has spoken is not the wish to clear himself from aspersions, but "before God in Christ,"--under a profound sense that God is his Judge, and that Christ is, as it were, the sphere in which his thoughts revolve,--he is seeking to "edify," i.e., to build them up in the faith or love of God. He has the same end in view in all this perturbed emotion as in the calm liturgical directions of 1Corinthians 14:12-26. . . .
