2 Corinthians 1:18

1:18 But as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”

2 Corinthians 2:7

2:7 so that now instead¹ you should rather forgive and comfort him.² This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair.³

2 Corinthians 3:1

A Living Letter

3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we?⁴

2 Corinthians 3:9-10

3:9 For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation,⁵ how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness⁶ excel⁷ in glory! 3:10 For indeed, what had been glorious now⁸ has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it.⁹

2 Corinthians 4:17

4:17 For our momentary, light suffering¹⁰ is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison

2 Corinthians 5:21

5:21 God¹¹ made the one who did not know sin¹² to be sin for us, so that in him¹³ we would become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 6:4

6:4 But as God’s servants,¹⁴ we have commended ourselves in every way,¹⁵ with great endurance, in persecutions,¹⁶ in difficulties, in distresses,

2 Corinthians 6:18

6:18 and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,”¹⁷ says the All-Powerful Lord.¹⁸

2 Corinthians 7:6

7:6 But God, who encourages¹⁹ the downhearted, encouraged²⁰ us by the arrival of Titus.

2 Corinthians 8:20

8:20 We did this²¹ as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering.

2 Corinthians 9:1

Preparing the Gift

9:1 For it is not necessary²² for me to write you about this service²³ to the saints,

2 Corinthians 11:32

11:32 In Damascus, the governor²⁴ under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus²⁵ in order to arrest²⁶ me,

2 Corinthians 12:12

12:12 Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance²⁷ by signs and wonders and powerful deeds.²⁸

2 Corinthians 12:16

12:16 But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit!

2 Corinthians 13:1

Paul’s Third Visit to Corinth

13:1 This is the third time I am coming to visit²⁹ you. By the testimony³⁰ of two or three witnesses every matter will be established.³¹

¹tn Grk “so that on the other hand.”

²tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is supplied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted and must be supplied from the context.

³tn Grk “comfort him, lest somehow such a person be swallowed up by excessive grief,” an idiom for a person being so overcome with grief as to despair or give up completely (L&N 25.285). In this context of excessive grief or regret for past sins, “overwhelmed” is a good translation since contemporary English idiom speaks of someone “overwhelmed by grief.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the difficulty of expressing a negative purpose/result clause in English, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

¹tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply (“No, we do not”) which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ at the end, “do we?”

¹tn Grk “the ministry of condemnation”; translated as an objective genitive, “the ministry that produced condemnation.”

²tn Grk “the ministry of righteousness”; translated as an objective genitive, “the ministry that produces righteousness.”

³tn Traditionally, “abound.”

¹tn Grk “in this case.”

²tn The words “of what replaced it” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied to clarify the meaning.

¹tn Grk “momentary lightness of affliction.”

¹tn Grk “He”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

²sn The one who did not know sin is a reference to Jesus Christ.

³sn That is, “in Christ.”

¹tn Or “ministers.”

²tn Or “we have commended ourselves by all things.”

³tn Or “in trouble and suffering.”

¹sn A paraphrased quotation from 2 Sam 7:14 and Isa 43:6.

²tn Traditionally, “the Lord Almighty.” BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…κύριος π. (oft. LXX) 2 Cor 6:18.”

¹tn Or “comforts,” “consoles.”

²tn Or “comforted,” “consoled.”

¹tn “This” refers to sending the brother mentioned in 2 Cor 8:18 to Corinth along with Titus. The words “We did this” have no equivalent in the Greek text, but are necessary to maintain the thought flow in English. The Greek participle that begins v. 20 continues the sentence begun in v. 18 which concerns the sending of the other brother mentioned there.

¹tn Or “it is superfluous.”

²tn Or “this ministry,” “this contribution.”

¹tn Grk “ethnarch.”

²tn Grk “the city of the Damascenes.”

³tn Or “to seize,” “to catch.”

¹tn Or “patience,” “endurance.”

²tn Or “and miracles.”

¹tn The word “visit” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

²tn Grk “By the mouth.”

³sn A quotation from Deut 19:15 (also quoted in Matt 18:16; 1 Tim 5:19).