2:14 But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession 6 in Christ 7 and who makes known 8 through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place.
1:12 For our reason for confidence 28 is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives 29 and sincerity which are from God 30 – not by human wisdom 31 but by the grace of God – we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more 32 toward you.
1 tn Or “by holiness of spirit.”
2 tn Or “sincere.”
3 tn The phrase “every arrogant obstacle” could be translated simply “all arrogance” (so L&N 88.207).
4 tn Grk “to the obedience of Christ”; but since Χριστοῦ (Cristou) is clearly an objective genitive here, it is better to translate “to make it obey Christ.”
5 sn Unskilled in speaking means not professionally trained as a rhetorician.
7 tn Or “who always causes us to triumph.”
8 tn Or “in the Messiah.”
9 tn Or “who reveals.”
9 tn Grk “as you abound.”
10 tc The reading “the love from us that is in you” is very difficult in this context, for Paul is here enumerating the Corinthians’ attributes: How is it possible for them to excel “in the love from us that is in you”? Most likely, because of this difficulty, several early scribes, as well as most later ones (א C D F G Ψ [33] Ï lat), altered the text to read “your love for us” (so NIV; Grk ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγάπῃ [ex Jumwn en Jhmin agaph]). The reading ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀγάπῃ (ex Jhmwn en Jumin agaph) is found, however, in excellent and early witnesses (Ì46 B 0243 6 104 630 1175 1739 1881 co). As the harder reading it explains the rise of the other reading. What, then, is the force of “in the love from us that is in you”? Most likely, Paul is commending the Corinthians for excelling in deriving some inspiration from the apostles’ love for them.
11 tn Grk “you abound.”
12 tn Grk “this grace.”
11 sn An allusion to Gen 1:3; see also Isa 9:2.
12 tn Grk “the light of the knowledge of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
13 tc ‡ Most witnesses, including several early and important ones (Ì46 א C H Ψ 0209 1739c Ï sy), read ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (Ihsou Cristou, “Jesus Christ”), while other important witnesses, especially of the Western text (D F G 0243 630 1739* 1881 lat Ambst), have Χριστοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ. The reading with just Χριστοῦ is found in A B 33 {sa} Tert {Or Ath Chr}. Even though the witnesses for the shorter reading are not numerous, they are weighty. And in light of the natural scribal proclivity to fill out the text, particularly with reference to divine names, as well as the discrepancy among the witnesses as to the order of the names, the simple reading Χριστοῦ seems to be the best candidate for authenticity. NA27 reads ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ with ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
13 tn Grk “we know.”
14 tn Grk “no one according to the flesh.”
15 tn Grk “we have known Christ according to the flesh.”
15 tn Or “be taken advantage of.”
17 tn That is, “letter of recommendation.”
19 tn Grk “as you are sharers in.”
20 tn Grk “will be sharers in.”
21 tn Grk “He”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
22 sn The one who did not know sin is a reference to Jesus Christ.
23 sn That is, “in Christ.”
23 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).
24 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.
25 tn Or “for boasting.”
26 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
27 tn Grk “pure motives and sincerity of God.”
28 tn Or “not by worldly wisdom.”
29 tn Or “and especially.”
27 tn Or “bandits.” The word normally refers more to highwaymen (“robbers”) but can also refer to insurrectionists or revolutionaries (“bandits”).
28 tn Or “desert.”