2 Corinthians 11:9-12

11:9 When ¹  I was with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia fully supplied my needs. ²  I ³  kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 11:10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine ⁴  will not be stopped ⁵  in the regions of Achaia. 11:11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! ⁶  11:12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals ⁷  in the things they boast about.

2 Corinthians 12:13-18

12:13 For how ⁸  were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice! 12:14 Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have ⁹  to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 12:15 Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! ¹⁰  If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 12:16 But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit! 12:17 I have not taken advantage of you through anyone I have sent to you, have I? ¹¹  12:18 I urged Titus to visit you ¹²  and I sent our ¹³  brother along with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? ¹⁴  Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Did we not behave in the same way? ¹⁵ 

[11:9]  ¹ tn Grk “you, and when.” A new sentence was started here in the translation.

[11:9]  ² tn If the participle ἐλθόντες (elqonte") is taken as temporal rather than adjectival, the translation would be, “for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, fully supplied my needs” (similar to NASB).

[11:9]  ³ tn Grk “needs, and I kept.” A new sentence was started here in the translation.

[11:10]  ⁴ tn That is, that Paul offers the gospel free of charge to the Corinthians (see 2 Cor 11:7).

[11:10]  ⁵ tn Or “silenced.”

[11:11]  ⁶ tn Grk “God knows!” The words “I do” are supplied for clarity. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[11:12]  ⁷ tn Grk “an opportunity, so that they may be found just like us.”

[12:13]  ⁸ tn Grk “For in what respect.”

[12:14]  ⁹ tn Grk “children ought not,” but this might give the impression that children are not supposed to support sick or aging parents in need of help. That is not what Paul is saying. His point is that children should not have to pay their parent’s way.

[12:15]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “souls.”

[12:17]  ¹¹ tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative answer, indicated by the ‘tag’ question “have I?” at the end of the clause. The question is rhetorical.

[12:18]  ¹² tn The words “to visit you” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, and must be supplied for the modern reader.

[12:18]  ¹³ tn Grk “the.”

[12:18]  ¹⁴ tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative answer, indicated by the ‘tag’ question “did he?” at the end of the clause.

[12:18]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “[Did we not walk] in the same tracks?” This is an idiom that means to imitate someone else or to behave as they do. Paul’s point is that he and Titus have conducted themselves in the same way toward the Corinthians. If Titus did not take advantage of the Corinthians, then neither did Paul.