Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
Paul's appeal to be received belongs to his direct dealing with the Corinthian believers in the surrounding context. His plain words made them sore and sorry for a time. Their godly sorrow then led them to repentance. In this way the verse stands as an example of gospel preaching that presses the conscience instead of smoothing over sin. The three denials affirm integrity toward those served, that no one was treated unjustly, no one was led astray, and advantage was taken of no one.
Freedom from wrongdoing is a clear conscience before God and other people, able to say that no one has been wronged, corrupted, or defrauded. That honesty governs property and money matters. It requires returning what was unfairly taken or withheld and not keeping wages or property that belong to others. It likewise forbids keeping what belongs to another or withholding workers' wages by fraud.
The same language can be used as a claim to have wronged no one by living law-abidingly. It describes work meant to benefit people rather than to harm them. To do such good and keep the law is to leave no just ground of complaint from others.
Paul's appeal to be received belongs to his direct dealing with the Corinthian believers in the surrounding context. His plain words made them sore and sorry for a time. Their godly sorrow then led them to repentance. In this way the verse stands as an example of gospel preaching that presses the conscience instead of smoothing over sin. The three denials affirm integrity toward those served, that no one was treated unjustly, no one was led astray, and advantage was taken of no one.
Freedom from wrongdoing is a clear conscience before God and other people, able to say that no one has been wronged, corrupted, or defrauded. That honesty governs property and money matters. It requires returning what was unfairly taken or withheld and not keeping wages or property that belong to others. It likewise forbids keeping what belongs to another or withholding workers' wages by fraud.
The same language can be used as a claim to have wronged no one by living law-abidingly. It describes work meant to benefit people rather than to harm them. To do such good and keep the law is to leave no just ground of complaint from others.