What Does 2 Corinthians 7:15 Mean?
And his inward parts overflow more toward you, as he remembers the hearing and responding of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.THE KEY
Here, obedience means hearing that answers, and that response is met with affection that grows.
THE MEANING
Your welcome can be both open and tremblingly serious: receiving another is itself responsive obedience. When that response is remembered, affection toward you grows.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that reverence makes welcome cold: trembling reception and abundant affection occupy the same moment.
THE ROOT
ὑπακοή
hypakoē
GROWS FROM
ἀκούω
akouō
The Greek hearing and listening root; in the family of ὑπακούω (hypakouō), it describes hearing that answers, hence obeying.
“hearing and responding” in this verse is hypakoē. The Greek word for obedience belongs to the family of ἀκούω (akouō), “to hear, to listen,” through ὑπακούω (hypakouō), “to listen and obey.” Their welcome is therefore a response that has heard and answered, and that response is what his inward affection remembers.
ALSO GROWS
hypakouō: To listen to, heed, obey.
ὑπακούω
This verb shows obedience as hearing expressed through a response.
parakoē: Disobedience; failure to heed.
παρακοή
The same hearing-root also names a response that fails to listen.
akoē: Hearing; a report or message heard.
ἀκοή
This branch keeps the root’s connection to hearing visible beneath the English word “obedience.”
THE PATTERN
Scripture joins reverent response with wholehearted service and love.
Serve the LORD in awe, and leap with trembling.Therefore, my beloved, as you have always heard and responded, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own deliverance with fear and trembling.Having cleansed your living souls in the hearing and response to the truth, through the breath, unto a love of the brothers without a mask, love one another from a clean heart, stretched out.THE THREAD
Having cleansed your living souls in the hearing and response to the truth, through the breath, unto a love of the brothers without a mask, love one another from a clean heart, stretched out.This verse uses the same Greek noun, ὑπακοή (hypakoē), “obedience,” and joins it directly to sincere love. That connection opens the movement here: the welcome is remembered as obedience, and obedience stands beside affection.
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