For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
I'm honestly worried that when I show up, you won't be the people I'm hoping to see, and I won't be the leader you're hoping for either. I'm scared I'll find arguments, jealousy, anger, fighting, people talking behind each other's backs, gossip, pride, and straight-up chaos.
Paul's basically saying 'I really hope I don't walk into a mess when I visit you guys.'
📚 Historical Context
In the first century AD, the Apostle Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthians from Macedonia, addressing ongoing conflicts and moral lapses in a church plagued by divisions and external influences from Greco-Roman culture. He expressed fear that upon his visit, he would find the believers still entangled in sins like arguments and jealousy, which were common in the early Christian communities struggling with unity. This verse highlights the challenges Paul faced in guiding young churches amid societal pressures that encouraged discord.
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