Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Corinthians 12:20

"For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means [there should be] strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults;" — 2 Corinthians 12:20 (ASV)

For I fear, lest, when I come (2 Corinthians 12:14).

I shall not find you such as I would. This means he feared he would not find them walking in the truth and order of the gospel. He feared that the disorders would not be removed and that they would not have corrected the errors that prevailed, for which he had rebuked them. It was on this account that he had said so much to them. His desire was that all these disorders might be removed, and that he might be saved from the necessity of exercising severe discipline when he came among them.

And that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not. This means that he would be compelled to administer discipline, and that his visit might not be as pleasant to them as they would desire. For this reason, he wished all disorder corrected and all offenses removed, so that everything might be pleasant when he came. See 1 Corinthians 4:21. See also the note on 2 Corinthians 10:2.

Lest there be debates. He feared that debates and similar things might be present there, which would require the intervention of an apostle's authority. For the meaning of the word debate, see the note on Romans 1:29.

Envyings. See the note on 1 Corinthians 3:3.

Wraths. Anger or animosities between contending factions, the usual effect of forming parties.

Strifes. Between contending factions. See the note on 1 Corinthians 3:3.

Backbitings. See the note on Romans 1:30.

Whisperings. See the note on Romans 1:29.

Swellings. Undue elation; being puffed up (see the notes on 2 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 4:6, 18, 19; and 1 Corinthians 5:2), such as would be produced by vain self-confidence.

Tumults. This means disorder and confusion arising from the existence of parties. Paul, deeply sensible of the evil of all this, had endeavored in this correspondence to suppress it, so that all things might be pleasant when he came among them.