What Does 2 Corinthians 13:9 Mean in the King James?
For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The word rendered “perfection” carries the sense of mending and restoration: the aim is your wholeness, not flawlessness.
THE MEANING
The verse welcomes your strength even when the voice beside you is weak; one does not cancel the other. Its desire for your “perfection” is a desire for you to be restored and set in sound order.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that the person guiding you must first appear strong for you to grow strong: the verse calls your strength gladness even amid the speaker’s weakness.
THE ROOT
κατάρτισις
katártisis
GROWS FROM
καταρτίζω
katartizō
To mend, restore, or fit something into working order.
“Perfection” can sound like a demand for flawlessness, but this word carries the sense of being restored and set in order. Its word family describes both mending what is damaged and equipping what is being made ready, so the verse’s wish is for wholeness that can live and work.
ALSO GROWS
katartizō: To mend, restore, or put in order.
καταρτίζω
Matthew 4:21 uses this verb for mending nets: what is restored is made ready for its work again.
katartismos: Equipping or preparation.
καταρτισμός
Ephesians 4:12 uses this related noun for equipping, showing restoration as being made ready for what one is meant to do.
THE PATTERN
Restoration brings what is damaged or depleted back into its proper work and path.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.THE THREAD
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.The word “restore” here comes from the same Greek word family as the noun rendered “perfection” in 2 Corinthians 13:9. The connection makes the wish concrete: wholeness is pictured as a person being restored with gentleness.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us