2 Corinthians 12:20 (DBY)

Passage

For I fear lest perhaps coming I find you not such as I wish, and that *I* be found by you such as ye do not wish: lest [there might be] strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, puffings up, disturbances;

Nearby Context

2 Corinthians 12:18 I begged Titus, and sent the brother with [him]: did Titus at all make gain of you? have we not walked in the same spirit? [have we] not in the same steps?

2 Corinthians 12:19 Ye have long been supposing that we excuse ourselves to you: we speak before God in Christ; and all things, beloved, for your building up.

2 Corinthians 12:20 For I fear lest perhaps coming I find you not such as I wish, and that *I* be found by you such as ye do not wish: lest [there might be] strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, puffings up, disturbances;

2 Corinthians 12:21 lest my God should humble me as to you when I come again, and that I shall grieve over many of those who have sinned before, and have not repented as to the uncleanness and fornication and licentiousness which they have practised.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "fear", "lest", "perhaps", "coming", "find", "such", "wish", and "found". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "fear" and "lest", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "Ye have long been supposing that we..." into verse 21's "lest my God should humble me as...", so "fear" and "lest" belong inside that flow. In 2 Corinthians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "fear" and "lest" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.