2 Corinthians 12:13
“For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.”
What does 2 Corinthians 12:13 mean?
Paul is gently pointing out something that might sound backwards at first: the Corinthian church lacked nothing compared to other churches, except for one thing. He didn't accept financial support from them the way he had from other communities, choosing instead to work with his own hands to support himself. Rather than seeing this as a gift, some Corinthians apparently interpreted it as rejection, as though Paul didn't trust them or value them enough to receive their generosity. His closing line carries a tender irony. He's asking forgiveness not for something he did wrong, but for doing something right. He's inviting them to reconsider their hurt feelings and see his sacrifice differently. Sometimes the most loving thing we can do for people is precisely what they'll struggle to understand at first.