2 Corinthians 1:8

1:8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, ¹  regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, ²  that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living.

2 Corinthians 1:12

Paul Defends His Changed Plans

1:12 For our reason for confidence ³  is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives ⁴  and sincerity which are from God ⁵  – not by human wisdom ⁶  but by the grace of God – we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more ⁷  toward you.

2 Corinthians 7:8

7:8 For even if I made you sad ⁸  by my letter, ⁹  I do not regret having written it ¹⁰  (even though I did regret it, ¹¹  for ¹²  I see that my letter made you sad, ¹³  though only for a short time).

2 Corinthians 7:14

7:14 For if I have boasted to him about anything concerning you, I have not been embarrassed by you, ¹⁴  but just as everything we said to you was true, ¹⁵  so our boasting to Titus about you ¹⁶  has proved true as well.

2 Corinthians 9:10

9:10 Now God ¹⁷  who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow.

2 Corinthians 10:15

10:15 Nor do we boast beyond certain limits ¹⁸  in the work ¹⁹  done by others, but we hope ²⁰  that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded ²¹  among you according to our limits, ²² 

2 Corinthians 11:3

11:3 But I am afraid that ²³  just as the serpent ²⁴  deceived Eve by his treachery, ²⁵  your minds may be led astray ²⁶  from a sincere and pure ²⁷  devotion to Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:21

12:21 I am afraid that ²⁸  when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve for ²⁹  many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced.

¹ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1., where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

² tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

³ tn Or “for boasting.”

⁴ tc Two viable variants exist at this place in the text: ἁγιότητι (Jagiothti, “holiness”) vs. ἁπλότητι (Japlothti, “pure motives”). A confusion of letters could well have produced the variant (TCGNT 507): In uncial script the words would have been written agiothti and aplothti. This, however, does not explain which reading created the other. Overall ἁπλότητι, though largely a Western-Byzantine reading (א² D F G Ï lat sy), is better suited to the context; it is also a Pauline word while ἁγιότης (Jagioth") is not. It also best explains the rise of the other variants, πραότητι (praothti, “gentleness”) and {σπλάγχνοις} (splancnoi", “compassion”). On the other hand, the external evidence in favor of ἁγιότητι is extremely strong (Ì⁴⁶ א* A B C K P Ψ 0121 0243 33 81 1739 1881 al co). This diversity of mss provides excellent evidence for authenticity, but because of the internal evidence listed above, ἁπλότητι is to be preferred, albeit only slightly.

⁵ tn Grk “pure motives and sincerity of God.”

⁶ tn Or “not by worldly wisdom.”

⁷ tn Or “and especially.”

⁵ tn Grk “if I grieved you.”

⁶ sn My letter. Paul is referring to the “severe” letter mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4.

⁷ tn Grk “I do not regret”; direct objects in Greek must often be supplied from the context. Here one could simply supply “it,” but since Paul is referring to the effects of his previous letter, clarity is improved if “having written it” is supplied.

⁸ tn Grk “I did regret”; the direct object “it” must be supplied from the context.

⁹ tc A few important mss (Ì^46c B D* it sa) lack γάρ (gar, “for”), while the majority of witnesses have it (א C D¹ F G Ψ 0243 33 1739 1881 Ï sy bo). Even though Ì^46* omits γάρ, it has the same sense (viz., a subordinate clause) because it reads the participle βλέπων (blepwn, “seeing”; the Vulgate does the same). A decision is difficult because although the overwhelming external evidence is on the side of the conjunction, the lack of γάρ is a significantly harder reading, for the whole clause is something of an anacoluthon. Without the conjunction, the sentence reads more harshly. This would fit with Paul’s “vehemence of spirit” (A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament, 435) that is found especially in 2 Corinthians and Galatians. However, the mss that omit the conjunction are prone to such tendencies at times. In this instance, the conjunction should probably stand.

¹⁰ tn Grk “my letter grieved you.”

⁷ tn Grk “I have not been put to shame”; the words “by you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

⁸ tn Grk “just as we spoke everything to you in truth.”

⁹ tn The words “about you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹¹ tn Or “boast excessively.” The phrase εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα (ei" ta ametra) is an idiom; literally it means “into that which is not measured,” that is, a point on a scale that goes beyond what might be expected (L&N 78.27).

¹² tn Or “in the labors.”

¹³ tn Grk “but we have the hope.”

¹⁴ tn Or “greatly enlarged.”

¹⁵ tn That is, Paul’s work might be greatly expanded within the area of activity assigned to him by God.

¹³ tn Grk “I fear lest somehow.”

¹⁴ tn Or “the snake.”

¹⁵ tn Or “craftiness.”

¹⁶ tn Or “corrupted,” “seduced.”

¹⁷ tc Although most mss (א² H Ψ 0121 0243 1739 1881 Ï) lack “and pure” (καὶ τῆς ἁγνότητος, kai th" Jagnothto"; Grk “and purity”) several important and early witnesses (Ì⁴⁶ א* B D^[2] F G 33 81 104 pc ar r co) retain these words. Their presence in such mss across such a wide geographical distribution argues for their authenticity. The omission from the majority of mss can be explained by haplography, since the -τητος ending of ἁγνότητος is identical to the ending of ἁπλότητος (Japlothto", “sincerity”) three words back (ἁπλότητος καὶ τῆς ἁγνότητος); further, since the meanings of “sincerity” and “purity” are similar they might seem redundant. A copyist would scarcely notice the omission because Paul’s statement still makes sense without “and from purity.”

¹⁵ tn The words “I am afraid that” are not repeated in the Greek text from v. 20, but are needed for clarity.

¹⁶ tn Or “I will mourn over.”