Question 1

What does Paul say his travel intention was “in this confidence,” and what confidence is he referring to?

Accepted Answer

In v.15 Paul links his travel plan to a “confidence” already described just before this section. In the immediate context (1:12–14), he has been talking about sincerity, openness, and a relationship in which both he and the Corinthians can “boast” in one another in a straightforward way. So the phrase signals that his plan was not random or manipulative; it was formed within that posture of transparent relationship. The text itself does not restate the confidence in v.15, but it clearly points backward to his integrity claim and forward to the defense that follows.

Question 2

According to vv.15–16, what itinerary did Paul originally intend?

Accepted Answer

Paul describes a multi-step route. First, he intended to come to Corinth “first” (v.15). Second, he planned to pass onward “by you” into Macedonia (v.16), meaning Corinth would be an initial stop on the way. Third, he planned to come to Corinth again “from Macedonia,” so Corinth would receive him twice in the course of that larger trip. Finally, after that second time with them, he expected them to “send [him] forward” on the journey toward Judea, which implies practical assistance for the next leg of travel.

Question 3

What does Paul likely mean by “that you might have a second benefit” (v.15), based on the immediate context?

Accepted Answer

The immediate context is Paul’s plan to see them on the way to Macedonia and then again coming back (v.16). That makes “second benefit” most naturally fit the idea of an added advantage connected to an additional visit rather than only one. The text does not specify the content of the “benefit,” but it implies that his presence would be good for them and that two contacts (before and after Macedonia) would increase that good. Some readers keep it strictly about the second visit; others treat it as broader help that would have come through that planned pattern.

Question 4

What accusation does Paul raise in v.17, and how does he frame his response?

Accepted Answer

Paul anticipates that some interpret his unrealized plan as “fickleness” (v.17), meaning instability or unreliability. He also raises a deeper version of the charge: that his “purposes” are made “according to the flesh,” suggesting merely human impulse or self-serving motives. He frames the issue as a credibility problem in speech and intention: that with him there is both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at once—promising and withdrawing so that his words cannot be trusted. His response begins as rhetorical questions that deny the accusation.

Question 5

How does the word “purpose” in v.17 shape the meaning of Paul’s defense?

Accepted Answer

Paul is not only talking about a casual idea; he describes his intention with a verb that can mean deliberate planning and decision-making (purpose). That matters because the criticism might be that his commitments are light and easily reversed. By using “purpose,” Paul presents himself as someone who forms real plans and can be evaluated on whether he is acting with integrity in making and revising them. The verse still leaves room for explanation about why the plan changed (which comes in the surrounding context), but it shows that he denies having contradictory intentions.

Question 6

What does “to be sent forward by you” (v.16) imply about Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians?

Accepted Answer

The phrase suggests more than a polite goodbye. In ancient travel, being “sent forward” commonly included support like provisions, money, companions, or arrangements for the next stage. In this itinerary Paul expected the Corinthians to take part in launching him toward Judea after his return from Macedonia. That expectation assumes some level of partnership and goodwill: they are not merely an audience but a community he can rely on for practical help. This also heightens the relational stakes—if they doubt his reliability, the partnership implied in “send forward” is threatened.

Question 7

How do vv.15–17 set up the argument that continues in 1:18–22?

Accepted Answer

These verses create the problem Paul must address: he had a stated plan, it did not happen as expected, and critics interpret that as unreliability or mixed messages (“yes” and “no”). By asking whether his plans are “according to the flesh,” Paul introduces the theme of consistency and trustworthiness that continues immediately afterward, where he will argue that his message and conduct are not characterized by contradictory commitments. So vv.15–17 supply the concrete trigger (changed itinerary) and the charge (fickleness), preparing for a broader defense of his reliability and motives in the next paragraph.

2 Corinthians 1:15-17

Scripture