2 Corinthians 1:8-10

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. 1:9 Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, ³  so that we would not trust in ourselves ⁴  but in God who raises the dead. 1:10 He ⁵  delivered us from so great a risk of death, and he will deliver us. We have set our hope on him ⁶  that ⁷  he will deliver us yet again,

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

12:8 I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. 12:9 But ⁸  he said to me, “My grace is enough ⁹  for you, for my ¹⁰  power is made perfect ¹¹  in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly ¹²  about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in ¹³  me. 12:10 Therefore I am content with ¹⁴  weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties ¹⁵  for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:2

12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven.

2 Corinthians 3:11

3:11 For if what was made ineffective ¹⁶  came with ¹⁷  glory, how much more has what remains ¹⁸  come in glory!

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 Grk “we ourselves had the sentence of death within ourselves.” Here ἀπόκριμα (apokrima) is being used figuratively; no actual official verdict had been given, but in light of all the difficulties that Paul and his colleagues had suffered, it seemed to them as though such an official verdict had been rendered against them (L&N 56.26).

⁴ tn Or “might not put confidence in ourselves.”

⁵ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative clause “who delivered us…” was made a separate sentence in the translation.

⁶ tn Grk “deliver us, on whom we have set our hope.”

⁷ tc Several important witnesses, especially Alexandrian (Ì⁴⁶ B D* 0121 0243 1739 1881 pc Did), lack ὅτι ({oti, “that”) here, while others, most notably Western (D¹ F G 104 630 1505 pc ar b sy^h Or Ambst), lack ἔτι (eti, “yet”). Most mss, including important Alexandrians (א A C D² Ψ 33 Ï f t vg), have the full expression ὅτι καὶ ἔτι ({oti kai eti). Although the predominantly Alexandrian reading has much to commend it, the fact that either ὅτι or ἔτι has been dropped, while the καί has been retained, suggests that the original wording had ὅτι καὶ ἔτι, and that either particle dropped out intentionally for stylistic reasons. (F and G have the order καί ὅτι, suggesting that in their archetype the ἔτι was unintentionally dropped due to homoioteleuton.) If, however, ὅτι is not authentic, v. 10b should be translated “We have set our hope on him, and he will deliver us again.” Overall, a decision is difficult, but preference should be given to ὅτι καὶ ἔτι.

⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” because of the contrast implicit in the context.

⁹ tn Or “is sufficient.”

¹⁰ tc The majority of later mss (א² A^c D¹ Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï) as well as some versional witnesses include the pronoun “my” here, but the omission of the pronoun has excellent external support (Ì^46vid א* A* B D* F G latt). Scribes probably added the pronoun for clarity, making the obvious referent explicit. This would also make “power” more parallel with “my grace.” Though the original text probably did not include “my,” scribes who added the word were following the sense of Paul’s statement.

¹¹ tn Or “my power comes to full strength.”

¹² tn “Most gladly,” a comparative form used with superlative meaning and translated as such.

¹³ tn Or “may rest on.”

¹⁴ tn Or “I take delight in.”

¹⁵ tn Or “calamities.”

¹⁶ tn Or “what was fading away.” See note on “which was made ineffective” in v. 7.

¹⁷ tn Or “through” (διά, dia).

¹⁸ tn Or “what is permanent.”