2 Corinthians 7:3
ESV
I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
NIV
I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you.
NASB
I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
CSB
I don’t say this to condemn you, since I have already said that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
NLT
I’m not saying this to condemn you. I said before that you are in our hearts, and we live or die together with you.
KJV
I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
NKJV
I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
What does 2 Corinthians 7:3 mean?
Paul has returned to defending and commending himself to the Corinthians. In the previous verse, he urged them to make room in their hearts for him again. He appears to be answering accusations against his character, declaring that he has not wronged, corrupted, or taken advantage of anyone. Most likely, these slanders came from false teachers, or those bitter over being called out for living in sin by Paul's earlier letters.The point of this response is not to make reverse accusations against anyone. Paul is not writing to condemn the Corinthians or demand an ultimatum to get back in his good graces. He repeats again that they are still in his heart. He still loves them and feels great affection for them. He still considers himself to belong with them. He is ready, in fact, to die with them and live with them. In other words, Paul is not rejecting the Corinthians for their partial rejection of him. He wants to be reunited with them in mutual affection.
Second Corinthians 7:2–16 begins with Paul urging the Corinthians to make room in their hearts for him and his co-workers for the gospel. He then describes the great affliction they were under until Titus returned from a visit to Corinth. Titus' report that the Corinthians had responded to a severe rebuke from Paul with sadness and repentance brought Paul great comfort and caused him to rejoice. Titus, too, expressed affection for the Corinthians after seeing their obedience and humility. Paul concludes by declaring his complete confidence in the Corinthians, though he will discuss other difficult issues in the following chapters.
Verse 1 concludes the previous chapter's declaration that believers, as God's holy people, must cleanse their lives of defilement. Next, Paul urges the Corinthians once more to make room in their hearts for him and his co-workers. He expresses his great comfort and joy over Titus' report that they received a letter of rebuke from him with sorrow and repentance, eager to make things right. He is glad to hear that Titus was impressed with their obedience and humble attitude. This hasn't resolved all the issues between Paul and the Corinthians, but he expresses his complete confidence in them.
