2 Corinthians 6:13 means that Paul is asking the Corinthian believers to respond to his affection with affection of their own. He has been speaking to them as a father speaks to his children, and he wants them to open their hearts to him in the same warm, honest way. The verse is a plea for reciprocal love rather than a teaching about doctrine or behavior.
The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the church in Corinth, a congregation he had founded and which had given him considerable trouble. Here he is pleading with them after defending his ministry and describing the hardships he has endured for their sake.
Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also open your hearts.
2 Corinthians 6:13 (WEB)
What 2 Corinthians 6:13 Means
The opening words, “Now in return,” signal that Paul is answering something. Just before this he has said that his heart is wide open to the Corinthians, that he has spoken to them freely, and that they have pulled back from him. So the verse is his reply to their coolness: he has given them openness, and he asks for it back.
“I speak as to my children” shows the tone he has taken. He is not writing as a distant authority or a stranger seeking favor. He is speaking with the frankness, tenderness, and loyalty a parent uses with a child. The phrase “you also open your hearts” is a request, and the word “also” points back to his own openness. The verse does not promise the Corinthians any particular outcome, nor does it claim that they will always respond well. It states a hope and a plea.
The Context of 2 Corinthians 6:13
Second Corinthians is one of Paul’s most personal letters. In it he defends his apostleship against critics in Corinth, describes his suffering and weakness, and repeatedly expresses deep feeling for the believers there. The letter was written to a church that was both beloved and troubled, so its tone often moves between affection and firm correction.
The verses immediately before this one describe Paul’s life as sorrowful yet rejoicing, poor yet enriching others, and having nothing yet possessing all things. He then says plainly that his mouth is open to them and his heart is enlarged. Verse 13 is the hinge where he moves from describing his own generosity to asking for theirs. The next verses, starting in verse 14, warn against being unequally yoked with unbelievers, so the appeal for an open heart is set within a larger concern for the church’s faithfulness. Read this way, the verse is an invitation to close relationship, not a loose sentiment.
Key Phrases in 2 Corinthians 6:13
1 John 4:19
We love him, because he first loved us.
(WEB)
This verse reminds believers that love begins with God’s love for us and then flows outward. It helps explain why Paul’s request for affection rests on the love he has already shown, and why reciprocal love within the church is a response to God’s prior love.
Ephesians 4:32
And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
(WEB)
This verse calls believers to kindness and forgiveness toward one another. It complements Paul’s plea by describing the kind of tender, open-hearted relationship within the church that he hopes the Corinthians will embrace.
A Short Prayer From 2 Corinthians 6:13
Father, you have opened your heart to us in Christ, and you have never asked us to earn your love. Help me to be honest and warm with the people you have placed around me, even when it feels risky. When I have been guarded or distant, soften my heart and show me where I have held back. Give me the courage to speak as a loving friend and the humility to receive others as they open up to me. Make my relationships a reflection of your faithful love. Amen.
