2 Corinthians 1:23

Why Paul Postponed His Visit

1:23 Now I appeal to God as my witness, ¹  that to spare ²  you I did not come again to Corinth. ³ 

2 Corinthians 3:1-2

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  3:2 You yourselves are our letter, ⁵  written on our hearts, known and read by everyone,

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

5:20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea ⁶  through us. We plead with you ⁷  on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” 5:21 God ⁸  made the one who did not know sin ⁹  to be sin for us, so that in him ¹⁰  we would become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 6:9

6:9 as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying and yet – see! – we continue to live; as those who are scourged ¹¹  and yet not executed;

2 Corinthians 11:2

11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, ¹²  to present you as a pure ¹³  virgin to Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:15

12:15 Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! ¹⁴  If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

¹ tn Grk “I call upon God as witness against my soul.” Normally this implies an appeal for help (L&N 33.176).

² tn Here φειδόμενος (feidomeno") has been translated as a telic participle.

³ sn Paul had promised to come again to visit (see 2 Cor 1:15, 24) but explains here why he had changed his plans.

⁴ tn 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?”

⁷ tn That is, “letter of recommendation.”

¹⁰ tn Or “as though God were begging.”

¹¹ tn Or “we beg you.”

¹³ tn Grk “He”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁴ sn The one who did not know sin is a reference to Jesus Christ.

¹⁵ sn That is, “in Christ.”

¹⁶ tn Grk “disciplined,” but in this context probably a reference to scourging prior to execution (yet the execution is not carried out).

¹⁹ tn That is, to Christ.

²⁰ tn Or “chaste.”

²² tn Grk “souls.”