Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
Look, I'm getting ready to visit you for the third time, and I'm not going to ask you for anything or put you out. I'm not after your stuff, I want YOU. It's like this: kids shouldn't have to take care of their parents financially, but parents should provide for their kids.
Paul's coming back and he's not looking for handouts, he just wants genuine relationship with them.
📚 Historical Context
In the first century AD, the Apostle Paul was writing his second letter to the Corinthians to address ongoing church conflicts, defend his authority against false teachers, and prepare for his third visit to them. He emphasized that he would not burden them financially, as he sought their spiritual growth rather than their material resources. Paul drew from the cultural understanding of family roles, using the parent-child relationship to illustrate that spiritual leaders, like parents, should give to those under their care.
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