2 Corinthians 12:20 (GNV)

Passage

For I feare least when I come, I shall not finde you such as I would: and that I shalbe found vnto you such as ye woulde not, and least there be strife, enuying, wrath, contentions, backebitings, whisperings, swellings and discord.

Nearby Context

2 Corinthians 12:18 I haue desired Titus, and with him I haue sent a brother: did Titus pill you of any thing? walked we not in the selfe same spirit? walked we not in the same steppes?

2 Corinthians 12:19 Againe, thinke yee that wee excuse our selues vnto you? we speake before God in Christ. But wee doe all thinges, dearely beloued, for your edifying.

2 Corinthians 12:20 For I feare least when I come, I shall not finde you such as I would: and that I shalbe found vnto you such as ye woulde not, and least there be strife, enuying, wrath, contentions, backebitings, whisperings, swellings and discord.

2 Corinthians 12:21 I feare least when I come againe, my God abase me among you, and I shall bewaile many of them which haue sinned already, and haue not repented of the vncleannesse, and fornication, and wantonnesse which they haue committed.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "feare", "least", "come", "shall", "finde", "such", "shalbe", and "found". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "feare" and "least", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "Againe thinke yee that wee excuse our..." into verse 21's "I feare least when I come againe...", so "feare" and "least" 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 "feare" and "least" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.