You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
Parallel Translations
-
You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
-
ye are in no strayte in vs but are in a strayte in youre awne bowelles:
-
Ye are not kept strait in vs, but ye are kept strait in your owne bowels.
Cross-references (7)
Passages linked to 2 Corinthians 6:12 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Corinthians 7:2 Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one.
- Micah 2:7 Shall it be said, O house of Jacob: “Is Yahweh’s Spirit angry? Are these his doings? Don’t my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?”
- Philippians 1:8 For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.
- Job 36:16 Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, into a wide place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.
- 1 John 3:17 But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?
- Proverbs 4:12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
- Ecclesiastes 6:9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 12. Ye are not straitened in us That is,…
12. Ye are not straitened in us That is, “It is owing to your own fault that you are not able to share in this feeling of cheerfulness, which I entertain towards you. My mouth is opened, so that I deal familiarly with you, my very heart would willingly pour itself forth, but you shut up your bowels.” He means to say, that it is owing to their corrupt judgment, that the things that he utters are not relished by them.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain After the manner of the Hebrews, he calleth those…
After the manner of the Hebrews, he calleth those tender affections which rest in the heart, bowels.
You are in mine heart, as in an house, and that no narrow or strait house, for I have opened my whole heart to you, but you are inwardly straitlaced to me-ward.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye…
12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
Ver. 12. Ye are not straitened in us] Non habitatis anguste in nobis; so Piscator renders it.
Read full note →
But ye are straitened] Ye are bankrupts in love, ye comply not, ye do not reciprocate. Plain things will join every point one with another; not so round and rugged things.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Ye are not straitened in us; if you cannot…
Ye are not straitened in us; if you cannot mutually rejoice in me, and what I write, or if you do not repay me the like affection, the fault is not in me; I have done my duty, and that too from a true principle of love to you.
But ye are straitened in your own bowels; but it is through mistakes and misapprehensions in yourselves, your not aright conceiving of me in the discharge of my apostolical office. Or the cause of your trouble and sorrow is from yourselves, upon your suffering the incestuous person, and other scandalous persons, to abide in your communion; which was an error I could not but take notice of, according to that apostolical authority which God hath committed to me.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Now for a recompence in the same,.... That your…
Now for a recompence in the same,.... That your love to me may answer mine to you; that as you have my heart, I may have yours, and the same room in your heart, as you have in mine. The Vulgate Latin version reads, "having the same recompence"; and the Arabic version renders it, "grant to me the same recompence"; and the Syriac version, "recompense to me my usuries that are with you"; that is, repay me with affection, let love be returned for love.
I speak as unto my children; which relation subsisting between us requires mutual affection; for as a father should love his children, so children should love their father:
Read full note →
be ye also enlarged; in your love to me, as I am to you; and then, as if he should say, you will bear with, and take in good part the following exhortation and advice.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Ye are not straitened in us - Our heart…
Ye are not straitened in us - Our heart is wide enough to receive you all. But ye are straitened in your own bowels - Your hearts are shut up, and so not capable of the blessings ye might enjoy.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 12. Ye are not straitened in us] That…
Verse 12. Ye are not straitened in us] That is, Ye have not a narrow place in our affections: the metaphor here is taken from the case of a person pent up in a small or narrow place, where there is scarcely room to breathe.
Ye are straitened in your own bowels.] I have not the same place in your affections which you have in mine. The bowels are used in Scripture to denote the most tender affections. See Clarke on Mt 9:36.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Ye are not straitened in us - That is,…
Ye are not straitened in us - That is, you do not possess a narrow or contracted place in our affections. We love you fully, ardently, and are ready to do all that can be done for your welfare. There is no lack of room in our affections toward you. It is not narrow, confined, pent up. It is ample and free.
But ye are straitened in your own bowels - That is, in the affections of your hearts. The word used here (σπλάγχνα splangchna) commonly means in the Bible the tender affections. The Greek word properly denotes the upper viscera; the heart, the lungs, the liver. It is applied by Greek writers to denote those parts of victims which were eaten during or after the sacrifice - Robinson (Lexicon). Hence, it is applied to the heart, as the seat of the emotions and passions; and especially the gentler emotions, the tender affections, compassion, pity, love, etc. Our word “bowels” is applied usually to the lower viscera, and by no means expresses the idea of the word which is used in Greek. The idea here is, that they were straitened, or were confined in their affections for him. It is the language of reproof, meaning that he had not received from them the demonstrations of attachment which he had a right to expect, and which was a fair and proportionate return for the love bestowed on them. Probably he refers to the fact that they had formed parties; had admitted false teachers; and had not received his instructions as implicitly and as kindly as they ought to have done.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Any constraint ye feel towards me, or narrowness of…
Any constraint ye feel towards me, or narrowness of heart, is not from want of largeness of heart on my part towards you, but from want of it on your part towards me.
bowels--that is, affections (compare Co2 12:15).
Read full note →
not straitened in us--that is, for want of room in our hearts to take you in.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 12. Straitened—Narrowed; as being closely squeezed by a narrow…
12. Straitened—Narrowed; as being closely squeezed by a narrow entrance or small apartment.
In us—In our hearts. The Corinthians were tightened, but not by or in the narrowness of the apostolic soul.
Read full note →
Straitened in your own bowels—Narrowed and contracted in your own affections. The apostle is, indeed, aroused to free, bold, copious plainness of declaration.
Bowels—The inwards or intestines, which, being often excited by aroused feeling, become the physical term for the feeling or its abode.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 12. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye…
12. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels] i.e. “our heart is large enough to receive you and give you full possession of our affections, but yours is too narrow to receive any one but yourselves;” for such would seem to be the meaning hinted at, though not fully expressed, by the Apostle. The word bowels is a Hebraism for loving-kindness. As instances of its use in the O. T., take Son_5:4; Isa_16:11; and in the New, Php_2:1. For straitened (angwischid, Wiclif) see note on ch. 2Co_4:8. The original meaning of the word is to coop up in a narrow space. The word strait in the sense of narrow (Latin, strictus) was a common phrase when the A. V. was made. e.g. Mat_7:13. It survives in modern English in such words as straits, strait-waistcoat.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (12) Ye are not straitened in us.—The word presents…
(12) Ye are not straitened in us.—The word presents a natural contrast to the expansion, the dilatation, of heart of the previous verse. There was no narrowness in him. In that large heart of his there was room for them and for a thousand others. It had, as it were, an infinite elasticity in its sympathies. The narrowness was found in their own “bowels”—i.e., in their own affections. They would not make room for him in those hearts that were so straitened by passions, and prejudices, and antipathies.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Ye are not straitened in us. Any narrowing of…
Ye are not straitened in us. Any narrowing of the sympathy or straining of the relations between us does not rise in any way from me. (For the verb, see 2Co_4:8) Ye are straitened in your own bowels; rather, in your own hearts. Any tightening or pressure of the feelings which should exist between us rises solely from your own hearts. Enlarge and open them, as I have done, and we shall once more love each other aright. The verb has already occurred in 2Co_4:8 ("distressed") Your own bowels. It is to be regretted that the Authorized Version adopted the meaningless and often rather incongruous word "bowels" for the Greek word splagcna used in its Hebraic sense of "feelings," "affections" (Son_5:4; Isa_16:11) This literalism is always out of place, and especially in Phm_1:7, 12, 20.
Where are men straitened?
Read full note →
The apostle, in an intense outburst of feeling, bad just said, "O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged." He was referring to that opening of his ministry, and disclosure of his love for them, which filled the previous part of the chapter. And so he is led to ask from them a worthy response. He would have his love quicken love. He wanted it to break down the barriers and enmities and prejudices which were so sadly limiting the confidence of the Corinthians in St. Paul. So he pleads with them, "Ye are not straitened in us;" there is no limit of our love to you; "but ye are straitened in your own bowels," your own affections, which are sadly kept in bondage by your passions and prejudices and antipathies; by misrepresentations of me and my doings, and the influence of unworthy teachers. Then he urges them to break the bonds, to be enlarged, and to let their hearts express the love they feel. What they needed in their spiritual life was breadth and expansiveness of affection. There is suggested by the apostle"s words a series of contrasts between
I THE LIMITED IDEAS AND AFFECTIONS OF MEN. Who are straitened by ignorance, imperfect character, prejudice, false sentiments, readiness to misjudge and to impute bad motive, etc.
II THE BROAD IDEAS AND AFFECTIONS OF APOSTLES. Who see in men souls to be redeemed unto God, and, labouring for men"s spiritual and eternal well being, can rise above the smaller occasions of difference and separation.
III THE SUBLIME IDEAS AND AFFECTIONS OF GOD IN CHRIST. Who would have all men saved; who loved the world; whose love found expression in self-sacrifice; and whose invitations now are sent to whosoever will. No man is straitened in God. "When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." In his heart and home there "yet is room." Men are straitened, limited, in themselves, not in God, not in the gospel, not in Christian teachers. They forge, and fix on, their own bondages. R.T.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 12. Ye are not straitened in us. Our heart…
12. Ye are not straitened in us. Our heart is large enough to embrace you all. It is you who are straitened; your hearts are confined so that you do not give me free admission. After the noble portraiture of what he suffered for them, he proceeds to affectionate entreaty.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are…
Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections .
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.