2 Corinthians 1:12

Paul Defends His Changed Plans

1:12 For our reason for confidence ¹  is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives ²  and sincerity which are from God ³  – not by human wisdom ⁴  but by the grace of God – we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more ⁵  toward you.

2 Corinthians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ⁶  an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, ⁷  with all the saints who are in all Achaia. ⁸ 

2 Corinthians 2:2

2:2 For if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad ⁹  but the one I caused to be sad?

2 Corinthians 3:16

3:16 but when one ¹⁰  turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹¹ 

2 Corinthians 6:3

6:3 We do not give anyone ¹²  an occasion for taking an offense in anything, ¹³  so that no fault may be found with our ministry.

Titus 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ¹⁴  a slave ¹⁵  of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith ¹⁶  of God’s chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness,

Titus 2:12

2:12 It trains us ¹⁷  to reject godless ways ¹⁸  and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

Titus 2:2

2:2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, ¹⁹  sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. ²⁰ 

Titus 3:11

3:11 You know ²¹  that such a person is twisted by sin ²²  and is conscious of it himself. ²³ 

[1:12]  ¹ tn Or “for boasting.”

[1:12]  ² 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.

[1:12]  ³ tn Grk “pure motives and sincerity of God.”

[1:12]  ⁴ tn Or “not by worldly wisdom.”

[1:12]  ⁵ tn Or “and especially.”

[1:1]  ⁶ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ⁷ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[1:1]  ⁸ tn Or “are throughout Achaia.”

[2:2]  ⁹ tn Or “to cheer me up.” L&N 25.131 translates this “For if I were to make you sad, who would be left to cheer me up?”

[3:16]  ¹⁰ tn Or perhaps “when(ever) he turns,” referring to Moses.

[3:16]  ¹¹ sn An allusion to Exod 34:34. The entire verse may refer to Moses, viewing him as a type portraying the Jewish convert to Christianity in Paul’s day.

[6:3]  ¹² tn The word “anyone” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.

[6:3]  ¹³ tn Other interpretations of the first part of 2 Cor 6:3 are possible. The phrase could also mean, “not putting an obstacle in the way of anyone” (L&N 22.14), or “giving no one in anything a cause to sin” (L&N 88.307).

[1:1]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ¹⁵ tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:1]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “for the faith,” possibly, “in accordance with the faith.”

[2:12]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “training us” (as a continuation of the previous clause). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 12 by translating the participle παιδεύουσα (paideuousa) as a finite verb and supplying the pronoun “it” as subject.

[2:12]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “ungodliness.”

[2:2]  ¹⁹ tn Or “sensible.”

[2:2]  ²⁰ sn Temperate…in endurance. See the same cluster of virtues in 1 Thess 1:3 and 1 Cor 13:13.

[3:11]  ²¹ tn Grk “knowing” (as a continuation of the previous clause).

[3:11]  ²² tn Grk “is perverted and is sinning.”

[3:11]  ²³ tn Grk “is sinning, being self-condemned.”