2 Corinthians 1:17

1:17 Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? ¹  Or do I make my plans ²  according to mere human standards ³  so that I would be saying ⁴  both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

2 Corinthians 2:17

2:17 For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, ⁵  but we are speaking in Christ before ⁶  God as persons of sincerity, ⁷  as persons sent from God.

2 Corinthians 10:1

Paul’s Authority from the Lord

10:1 Now I, Paul, appeal to you ⁸  personally ⁹  by the meekness and gentleness ¹⁰  of Christ (I who am meek ¹¹  when present among ¹²  you, but am full of courage ¹³  toward you when away!) –

2 Corinthians 13:4

13:4 For indeed he was crucified by reason of weakness, but he lives because of God’s power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him, because of God’s power toward you.

¹ tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative answer. This is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question “did I?” at the end of the sentence.

² tn Grk “the things that I plan, do I plan (them).”

³ tn Grk “according to the flesh.”

⁴ tn Grk “so that with me there should be.”

⁵ tn The participle καπηλεύοντες (kaphleuonte") refers to those engaged in retail business, but with the negative connotations of deceptiveness and greed – “to peddle for profit,” “to huckster” (L&N 57.202). In the translation a noun form (“hucksters”) has been used in combination with the English verb “peddle…for profit” to convey the negative connotations of this term.

⁶ tn Or “in the presence of.”

⁷ tn Or “persons of pure motives.”

⁹ tn The Greek pronoun (“you”) is plural.

¹⁰ tn The word “personally” is supplied to reflect the force of the Greek intensive pronoun αὐτός (autos) at the beginning of the verse.

¹¹ tn Or “leniency and clemency.” D. Walker, “Paul’s Offer of Leniency of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:1): Populist Ideology and Rhetoric in a Pauline Letter Fragment (2 Cor 10:1-13:10)” (Ph.D. diss., University of Chicago, 1998), argues for this alternative translation for three main reasons: (1) When the two Greek nouns πραΰτης and ἐπιείκεια (prauth" and ejpieikeia) are used together, 90% of the time the nuance is “leniency and clemency.” (2) “Leniency and clemency” has a military connotation, which is precisely what appears in the following verses. (3) 2 Cor 10-13 speaks of Paul’s sparing use of his authority, which points to the nuance of “leniency and clemency.”

¹² tn Or “who lack confidence.”

¹³ tn Or “when face to face with.”

¹⁴ tn Or “but bold.”