Discovery Box2 Corinthians 1:12--7:16
Context1:12 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. 1:13 For we do not write you anything other than what 6 you can read and also understand. But I hope that you will understand completely 7 1:14 just as also you have partly understood us, that we are your source of pride just as you also are ours 8 in the day of the Lord Jesus. 9 1:15 And with this confidence I intended to come to you first so that you would get a second opportunity to see us, 10 1:16 and through your help to go on into Macedonia and then from Macedonia to come back 11 to you and be helped on our way into Judea by you. 1:17 Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? 12 Or do I make my plans 13 according to mere human standards 14 so that I would be saying 15 both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 1:18 But as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us – by me and Silvanus 16 and Timothy – was not “Yes” and “No,” but it has always been “Yes” in him. 1:20 For every one of God’s promises are “Yes” in him; therefore also through him the “Amen” is spoken, to the glory we give to God. 1:21 But it is God who establishes 17 us together with you in Christ and who anointed us, 18 1:22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment. 19
1:23 Now I appeal to God as my witness, 20 that to spare 21 you I did not come again to Corinth. 22 1:24 I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm. 23 2:1 So 24 I made up my own mind 25 not to pay you another painful visit. 26 2:2 For if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad 27 but the one I caused to be sad? 2:3 And I wrote this very thing to you, 28 so that when I came 29 I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours. 2:4 For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you. 30 2:5 But if anyone has caused sadness, he has not saddened me alone, but to some extent (not to exaggerate) 31 he has saddened all of you as well. 2:6 This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him, 2:7 so that now instead 32 you should rather forgive and comfort him. 33 This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair. 34 2:8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. 35 2:9 For this reason also I wrote you: 36 to test you to see 37 if you are obedient in everything. 2:10 If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him – for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ, 2:11 so that we may not be exploited 38 by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes). 2:12 Now when I arrived in Troas 39 to proclaim the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord had opened 40 a door of opportunity 41 for me, 2:13 I had no relief in my spirit, 42 because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-bye to them 43 and set out 44 for Macedonia.
2:14 But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession 45 in Christ 46 and who makes known 47 through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place. 2:15 For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing – 2:16 to the latter an odor 48 from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? 49 2:17 For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, 50 but we are speaking in Christ before 51 God as persons of sincerity, 52 as persons sent from God.
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? 53 3:2 You yourselves are our letter, 54 written on our hearts, known and read by everyone, 3:3 revealing 55 that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, 56 written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets 57 but on tablets of human hearts.
3:4 Now we have such confidence in God through Christ. 3:5 Not that we are adequate 58 in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy 59 is from God, 3:6 who made us adequate 60 to be servants of a new covenant 61 not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
3:7 But if the ministry that produced death – carved in letters on stone tablets 62 – came with glory, so that the Israelites 63 could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face 64 (a glory 65 which was made ineffective), 66 3:8 how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be? 67 3:9 For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation, 68 how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness 69 excel 70 in glory! 3:10 For indeed, what had been glorious now 71 has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it. 72 3:11 For if what was made ineffective 73 came with 74 glory, how much more has what remains 75 come in glory! 3:12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we behave with great boldness, 76 3:13 and not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites 77 from staring 78 at the result 79 of the glory that was made ineffective. 80 3:14 But their minds were closed. 81 For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. 82 It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. 83 3:15 But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds, 84 3:16 but when one 85 turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 86 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, 87 there is freedom. 3:18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, 88 are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, 89 which is from 90 the Lord, who is the Spirit. 91
4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, 92 we do not become discouraged. 93 4:2 But we have rejected 94 shameful hidden deeds, 95 not behaving 96 with deceptiveness 97 or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God. 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing, 4:4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe 98 so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel 99 of Christ, 100 who is the image of God. 4:5 For we do not proclaim 101 ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves 102 for Jesus’ sake. 4:6 For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” 103 is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge 104 of God in the face of Christ. 105
4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power 106 belongs to God and does not come from us. 4:8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, 107 but are not crushed; we are perplexed, 108 but not driven to despair; 4:9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; 109 we are knocked down, 110 but not destroyed, 4:10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, 111 so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible 112 in our body. 4:11 For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible 113 in our mortal body. 114 4:12 As a result, 115 death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 116 4:13 But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in 117 what has been written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,” 118 we also believe, therefore we also speak. 4:14 We do so 119 because we know that the one who raised up Jesus 120 will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence. 4:15 For all these things are for your sake, so that the grace that is including 121 more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase 122 to the glory of God. 4:16 Therefore we do not despair, 123 but even if our physical body 124 is wearing away, our inner person 125 is being renewed day by day. 4:17 For our momentary, light suffering 126 is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison 4:18 because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, 127 is dismantled, 128 we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens. 5:2 For in this earthly house 129 we groan, because we desire to put on 130 our heavenly dwelling, 5:3 if indeed, after we have put on 131 our heavenly house, 132 we will not be found naked. 5:4 For we groan while we are in this tent, 133 since we are weighed down, 134 because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5:5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose 135 is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. 136 5:6 Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth 137 we are absent from the Lord – 5:7 for we live 138 by faith, not by sight. 5:8 Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away 139 from the body and at home with the Lord. 5:9 So then whether we are alive 140 or away, we make it our ambition to please him. 141 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, 142 so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil. 143
5:11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, 144 we try to persuade 145 people, 146 but we are well known 147 to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too. 5:12 We are not trying to commend 148 ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, 149 so that you may be able to answer those who take pride 150 in outward appearance 151 and not in what is in the heart. 5:13 For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 5:14 For the love of Christ 152 controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ 153 died for all; therefore all have died. 5:15 And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised. 154 5:16 So then from now on we acknowledge 155 no one from an outward human point of view. 156 Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, 157 now we do not know him in that way any longer. 5:17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away 158 – look, what is new 159 has come! 160 5:18 And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 5:19 In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us 161 the message of reconciliation. 5:20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea 162 through us. We plead with you 163 on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” 5:21 God 164 made the one who did not know sin 165 to be sin for us, so that in him 166 we would become the righteousness of God.
6:1 Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 167 6:2 For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” 168 Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! 6:3 We do not give anyone 169 an occasion for taking an offense in anything, 170 so that no fault may be found with our ministry. 6:4 But as God’s servants, 171 we have commended ourselves in every way, 172 with great endurance, in persecutions, 173 in difficulties, in distresses, 6:5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, 174 in troubles, 175 in sleepless nights, in hunger, 6:6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by benevolence, by the Holy Spirit, 176 by genuine 177 love, 6:7 by truthful 178 teaching, 179 by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left, 180 6:8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and praise; regarded as impostors, 181 and yet true; 6:9 as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying and yet – see! – we continue to live; as those who are scourged 182 and yet not executed; 6:10 as sorrowful, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
6:11 We have spoken freely to you, 183 Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you. 6:12 Our affection for you is not restricted, 184 but you are restricted in your affections for us. 6:13 Now as a fair exchange – I speak as to my 185 children – open wide your hearts to us 186 also.
6:14 Do not become partners 187 with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 6:15 And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? 188 Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? 6:16 And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are 189 the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them 190 and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 191 6:17 Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, 192 and I will welcome 193 you, 194 6:18 and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” 195 says the All-Powerful Lord. 196
7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves 197 from everything that could defile the body 198 and the spirit, and thus accomplish 199 holiness out of reverence for God. 200 7:2 Make room for us in your hearts; 201 we have wronged no one, we have ruined no one, 202 we have exploited no one. 203 7:3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I told you before 204 that you are in our hearts so that we die together and live together with you. 205
7:4 I have great confidence in you; I take great pride 206 on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement; 207 I am overflowing with joy in the midst of 208 all our suffering. 7:5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our body 209 had no rest at all, but we were troubled in every way – struggles from the outside, fears from within. 7:6 But God, who encourages 210 the downhearted, encouraged 211 us by the arrival of Titus. 7:7 We were encouraged 212 not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement 213 you gave 214 him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, 215 your deep concern 216 for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever. 7:8 For even if I made you sad 217 by my letter, 218 I do not regret having written it 219 (even though I did regret it, 220 for 221 I see that my letter made you sad, 222 though only for a short time). 7:9 Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, 223 but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, 224 so that you were not harmed 225 in any way by us. 7:10 For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death. 7:11 For see what this very thing, this sadness 226 as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, 227 what indignation, 228 what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, 229 what punishment! 230 In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 7:12 So then, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, or on account of the one who was wronged, but to reveal to you your eagerness on our behalf 231 before God. 7:13 Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit. 232 7:14 For if I have boasted to him about anything concerning you, I have not been embarrassed by you, 233 but just as everything we said to you was true, 234 so our boasting to Titus about you 235 has proved true as well. 7:15 And his affection for you is much greater 236 when he remembers the obedience of you all, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling. 7:16 I rejoice because in everything I am fully confident in you.
[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
[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.”
[1:13] 6 tn Grk “than the things.”
[1:13] 7 tn Grk “to the end,” a Greek idiom for “fully,” “totally,” “completely.”
[1:14] 8 tn Grk “that we are your boast even as you are our boast.”
[1:14] 9 tc ‡ On the wording “the Lord Jesus” (τοῦ κυρίου ᾿Ιησοῦ, tou kuriou Ihsou) there is some variation in the extant witnesses: ἡμῶν (Jhmwn, “our”) is found after κυρίου in several significant witnesses (א B F G P 0121 0243 6 33 81 1739 1881 2464 al lat co); the pronoun is lacking from Ì46vid A C D Ψ Ï. Although in Paul “our Lord Jesus Christ” is a common expression, “our Lord Jesus” is relatively infrequent (cf., e.g., Rom 16:20; 2 Cor 1:14; 1 Thess 2:19; 3:11, 13; 2 Thess 1:8, 12). “The Lord Jesus” occurs about as often as “our Lord Jesus” (cf. 1 Cor 11:23; 16:23; 2 Cor 4:14; 11:31; Eph 1:15; 1 Thess 4:2; 2 Thess 1:7; Phlm 5). Thus, on balance, since scribes would tend to expand on the text, it is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic. NA27 places the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
[1:15] 10 tn Grk “a second grace,” “a second favor” (used figuratively of a second visit by Paul).
[1:16] 11 tn Grk “come again.”
[1:17] 12 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative answer. This is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question “did I?” at the end of the sentence.
[1:17] 13 tn Grk “the things that I plan, do I plan (them).”
[1:17] 14 tn Grk “according to the flesh.”
[1:17] 15 tn Grk “so that with me there should be.”
[1:19] 16 sn Silvanus is usually considered to be the same person as Silas (L&N 93.340).
[1:21] 17 tn Or “strengthens.”
[1:21] 18 tn Grk “But he who establishes us together with you in Christ and anointed us is God.”
[1:22] 19 tn Or “first installment,” “pledge,” “deposit.”
[1:23] 20 tn Grk “I call upon God as witness against my soul.” Normally this implies an appeal for help (L&N 33.176).
[1:23] 21 tn Here φειδόμενος (feidomeno") has been translated as a telic participle.
[1:23] 22 sn Paul had promised to come again to visit (see 2 Cor 1:15, 24) but explains here why he had changed his plans.
[1:24] 23 tn Or “because you stand firm in the faith.”
[2:1] 24 tc Although usually δέ (de, “now”; found in א A C D1 F G Ψ 0285 Ï lat) should take precedent over γάρ (gar) in textually disputed places in the corpus Paulinum, the credentials for γάρ here are not easily dismissed (Ì46 B 0223 0243 33 1739 1881 al); here it is the preferred reading, albeit slightly.
[2:1] 25 tn Or “I decided this for myself.”
[2:1] 26 tn Grk “not to come to you again in sorrow.”
[2:2] 27 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?”
[2:3] 28 tn The words “to you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[2:3] 29 sn So that when I came. Regarding this still future visit by Paul, see 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1.
[2:4] 30 tn Or “the love that I have in great measure for you.”
[2:5] 31 tn Or “(not to say too much)”; Grk “(not to burden you [with words]).”
[2:7] 32 tn Grk “so that on the other hand.”
[2:7] 33 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is supplied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted and must be supplied from the context.
[2:7] 34 tn Grk “comfort him, lest somehow such a person be swallowed up by excessive grief,” an idiom for a person being so overcome with grief as to despair or give up completely (L&N 25.285). In this context of excessive grief or regret for past sins, “overwhelmed” is a good translation since contemporary English idiom speaks of someone “overwhelmed by grief.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the difficulty of expressing a negative purpose/result clause in English, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[2:8] 35 tn Or “I urge you to show that your love for him is real.”
[2:9] 36 tn The word “you” is not in the Greek text, but is implied (as an understood direct object).
[2:9] 37 tn Grk “to know the proof of you,” that is, to know if the Corinthians’ obedience to Paul as an apostle was genuine (L&N 72.7).
[2:11] 38 tn Or “be taken advantage of.”
[2:12] 39 sn Troas was a city and region in the northwest corner of Asia Minor.
[2:12] 40 tn This has been translated as a concessive participle (“even though”). The passive construction (“a door of opportunity had been opened for me by the Lord”) has been converted to an active one in the translation for clarity.
[2:12] 41 tn Grk “a door”; the phrase ἀνοίγω θύραν (anoigw quran, “to open a door”) is an idiom meaning “to make possible some opportunity” (L&N 71.9).
[2:13] 42 tn Or “I had no peace of mind.”
[2:13] 43 tn Or “I took my leave of them.”
[2:13] 44 tn Since this refers to the outset of a journey, the aorist ἐξῆλθον (exhlqon) is taken ingressively.
[2:14] 45 tn Or “who always causes us to triumph.”
[2:14] 46 tn Or “in the Messiah.”
[2:14] 47 tn Or “who reveals.”
[2:16] 48 tn The same Greek word (ὀσμή, osmh) translated “odor” here (in relation to the stench of death) has been translated “fragrance” in 2:14 and in the next phrase of the present verse. The word itself can describe a smell or odor either agreeable or disagreeable depending on the context (L&N 79.45).
[2:16] 49 sn These things refer to the things Paul is doing in his apostolic ministry.
[2:17] 50 tn The participle καπηλεύοντες (kaphleuonte") refers to those engaged in retail business, but with the negative connotations of deceptiveness and greed – “to peddle for profit,” “to huckster” (L&N 57.202). In the translation a noun form (“hucksters”) has been used in combination with the English verb “peddle…for profit” to convey the negative connotations of this term.
[2:17] 51 tn Or “in the presence of.”
[2:17] 52 tn Or “persons of pure motives.”
[3:1] 53 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?”
[3:2] 54 tn That is, “letter of recommendation.”
[3:3] 55 tn Or “making plain.”
[3:3] 56 tn Grk “cared for by us,” an expression that could refer either to the writing or the delivery of the letter (BDAG 229 s.v. διακονέω 1). Since the following phrase refers to the writing of the letter, and since the previous verse speaks of this “letter” being “written on our [Paul’s and his companions’] hearts” it is more probable that the phrase “cared for by us” refers to the delivery of the letter (in the person of Paul and his companions).
[3:3] 57 sn An allusion to Exod 24:12; 31:18; 34:1; Deut 9:10-11.
[3:6] 61 sn This new covenant is promised in Jer 31:31-34; 32:40.
[3:7] 62 tn Grk “on stones”; but since this is clearly an allusion to the tablets of the Decalogue (see 2 Cor 3:3) the word “tablets” was supplied in the translation to make the connection clear.
[3:7] 63 tn Grk “so that the sons of Israel.”
[3:7] 64 sn The glory of his face. When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the tablets of the Decalogue, the people were afraid to approach him because his face was so radiant (Exod 34:29-30).
[3:7] 65 tn The words “a glory” are not in the Greek text, but the reference to “glory” has been repeated from the previous clause for clarity.
[3:7] 66 tn Or “which was transitory.” Traditionally this phrase is translated as “which was fading away.” The verb καταργέω in the corpus Paulinum uniformly has the meaning “to render inoperative, ineffective”; the same nuance is appropriate here. The glory of Moses’ face was rendered ineffective by the veil Moses wore. For discussion of the meaning of this verb in this context, see S. J. Hafemann, Paul, Moses, and the History of Israel (WUNT 81), 301-13. A similar translation has been adopted in the two other occurrences of the verb in this paragraph in vv. 11 and 13.
[3:8] 67 tn Grk “how will not rather the ministry of the Spirit be with glory?”
[3:9] 68 tn Grk “the ministry of condemnation”; translated as an objective genitive, “the ministry that produced condemnation.”
[3:9] 69 tn Grk “the ministry of righteousness”; translated as an objective genitive, “the ministry that produces righteousness.”
[3:9] 70 tn Traditionally, “abound.”
[3:10] 71 tn Grk “in this case.”
[3:10] 72 tn The words “of what replaced it” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied to clarify the meaning.
[3:11] 73 tn Or “what was fading away.” See note on “which was made ineffective” in v. 7.
[3:11] 74 tn Or “through” (διά, dia).
[3:11] 75 tn Or “what is permanent.”
[3:12] 76 tn Or “we employ great openness of speech.”
[3:13] 77 tn Grk “the sons of Israel.”
[3:13] 78 tn Or “from gazing intently.”
[3:13] 79 tn Or “end.” The word τέλος (telos) can mean both “a point of time marking the end of a duration, end, termination, cessation” and “the goal toward which a movement is being directed, end, goal, outcome” (see BDAG 998-999 s.v.). The translation accepts the interpretation that Moses covered the glory of his face with the veil to prevent Israel from being judged by the glory of God (see S. J. Hafemann, Paul, Moses, and the History of Israel [WUNT 81], 347-62); in this case the latter meaning for τέλος is more appropriate.
[3:13] 80 tn Or “was fading away”; Grk “on the result of what was made ineffective.” The referent (glory) has been specified in the translation for clarity. See note on “which was made ineffective” in v. 7.
[3:14] 81 tn Grk “their minds were hardened.”
[3:14] 82 tn Grk “the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant”; the phrase “they hear” has been introduced (“when they hear the old covenant read”) to make the link with the “Israelites” (v. 13) whose minds were closed (v. 14a) more obvious to the reader.
[3:14] 83 tn Or “only in Christ is it eliminated.”
[3:15] 84 tn Grk “their heart.”
[3:16] 85 tn Or perhaps “when(ever) he turns,” referring to Moses.
[3:16] 86 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.
[3:17] 87 tn Grk “where the Spirit of the Lord is”; the word “present” is supplied to specify that the presence of the Lord’s Spirit is emphasized rather than the mere existence of the Lord’s Spirit.
[3:18] 88 tn Or “we all with unveiled faces beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror.”
[3:18] 89 tn Grk “from glory to glory.”
[3:18] 90 tn Grk “just as from.”
[3:18] 91 tn Grk “from the Lord, the Spirit”; the genitive πνεύματος (pneumato") has been translated as a genitive of apposition.
[4:1] 92 tn Grk “just as we have been shown mercy”; ἠλεήθημεν (hlehqhmen) has been translated as a “divine passive” which is a circumlocution for God as the active agent. For clarity this was converted to an active construction with God as subject in the translation.
[4:1] 93 tn Or “we do not lose heart.”
[4:2] 94 tn L&N 13.156; the word can also mean “to assert opposition to,” thus here “we have denounced” (L&N 33.220).
[4:2] 95 tn Grk “the hidden things [deeds] of shame”; here αἰσχύνης (aiscunh") has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[4:2] 96 tn Or “not conducting ourselves”; Grk “not walking” (a common NT idiom for conduct, way of life, or behavior).
[4:4] 98 tn Or “of unbelievers.”
[4:4] 99 tn Grk “the gospel of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[4:4] 100 tn Or “so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ would not be evident to them” (L&N 28.37).
[4:5] 102 tn Traditionally, “servants.” 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.
[4:6] 103 sn An allusion to Gen 1:3; see also Isa 9:2.
[4:6] 104 tn Grk “the light of the knowledge of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[4:6] 105 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.
[4:7] 106 tn Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunamew") has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).
[4:8] 107 tn Grk “we are hard pressed [by crowds] on every side.”
[4:9] 110 tn Or “badly hurt.” It is possible to interpret καταβαλλόμενοι (kataballomenoi) here as “badly hurt”: “[we are] badly hurt, but not destroyed” (L&N 20.21).
[4:10] 111 tn The first clause of 2 Cor 4:10 is elliptical and apparently refers to the fact that Paul was constantly in danger of dying in the same way Jesus died (by violence at least). According to L&N 23.99 it could be translated, “at all times we live in the constant threat of being killed as Jesus was.”
[4:10] 112 tn Or “may also be revealed.”
[4:11] 113 tn Or “may also be revealed.”
[4:11] 114 tn Grk “mortal flesh.”
[4:12] 116 tn Grk “death is at work in us, but life in you”; the phrase “is at work in” is repeated in the translation for clarity.
[4:13] 117 tn Grk “spirit of faith according to.”
[4:13] 118 sn A quotation from Ps 116:10.
[4:14] 119 tn Grk “speak, because.” A new sentence was started here in the translation, with the words “We do so” supplied to preserve the connection with the preceding statement.
[4:14] 120 tc ‡ Several important witnesses (א C D F G Ψ 1881), as well as the Byzantine text, add κύριον (kurion) here, changing the reading to “the Lord Jesus.” Although the external evidence in favor of the shorter reading is slim, the witnesses are important, early, and diverse (Ì46 B [0243 33] 629 [630] 1175* [1739] pc r sa). Very likely scribes with pietistic motives added the word κύριον, as they were prone to do, thus compounding this title for the Lord.
[4:15] 121 tn Or “that is abounding to.”
[4:16] 123 tn Or “do not lose heart.”
[4:16] 124 tn Grk “our outer man.”
[4:16] 125 tn Grk “our inner [man].”
[4:17] 126 tn Grk “momentary lightness of affliction.”
[5:1] 127 sn The expression the tent we live in refers to “our earthly house, our body.” Paul uses the metaphor of the physical body as a house or tent, the residence of the immaterial part of a person.
[5:2] 129 tn Or “dwelling place.”
[5:2] 130 tn Or “to be clothed with.”
[5:3] 131 tc ‡ Some
[5:3] 132 tn Grk “it”; the referent (the “heavenly dwelling” of the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:4] 133 sn See the note in 5:1 on the phrase the tent we live in.
[5:4] 134 tn Or “we are burdened.”
[5:5] 135 tn Grk “for this very thing.”
[5:5] 136 tn Or “first installment,” “pledge,” “deposit” (see the note on the phrase “down payment” in 1:22).
[5:6] 137 tn Grk “we know that being at home in the body”; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91).
[5:9] 140 tn Grk “whether we are at home” [in the body]; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91).
[5:9] 141 tn Grk “to be pleasing to him.”
[5:10] 142 sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a common item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city. Use of the term in reference to Christ’s judgment would be familiar to Paul’s 1st century readers.
[5:10] 143 tn Or “whether good or bad.”
[5:11] 144 tn Or “because we know what it means to fear the Lord.”
[5:11] 145 tn The present tense of πείθομεν (peiqomen) has been translated as a conative present.
[5:11] 146 tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is generic here since clearly both men and women are in view (Paul did not attempt to win only men to the gospel he preached).
[5:11] 147 tn Or “clearly evident.” BDAG 1048 s.v. φανερόω 2.b.β has “θεῷ πεφανερώμεθα we are well known to God 2 Cor 5:11a, cp. 11b; 11:6 v.l.”
[5:12] 148 tn The present tense of συνιστάνομεν (sunistanomen) has been translated as a conative present.
[5:12] 149 tn Or “to boast about us.”
[5:12] 151 tn Or “in what is seen.”
[5:14] 152 tn The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ (Jh agaph tou Cristou, “the love of Christ”) could be translated as either objective genitive (“our love for Christ”) or subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”). Either is grammatically possible, but with the reference to Christ’s death for all in the following clauses, a subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”) is more likely.
[5:14] 153 tn Grk “one”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:15] 154 tn Or “but for him who died and was raised for them.”
[5:16] 156 tn Grk “no one according to the flesh.”
[5:16] 157 tn Grk “we have known Christ according to the flesh.”
[5:17] 158 tn Grk “old things have passed away.”
[5:17] 159 tc Most
[5:17] 160 tn Grk “new things have come [about].”
[5:19] 161 tn Or “he has entrusted to us.”
[5:20] 162 tn Or “as though God were begging.”
[5:20] 163 tn Or “we beg you.”
[5:21] 164 tn Grk “He”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:21] 165 sn The one who did not know sin is a reference to Jesus Christ.
[5:21] 166 sn That is, “in Christ.”
[6:1] 167 tn Or “receive the grace of God uselessly.”
[6:2] 168 sn A quotation from Isa 49:8.
[6:3] 169 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] 170 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).
[6:4] 172 tn Or “we have commended ourselves by all things.”
[6:4] 173 tn Or “in trouble and suffering.”
[6:5] 174 tn Or “rebellions” (uprisings in open defiance of civil authority).
[6:5] 175 tn Usually κόποις (kopois) has been translated as “labors” or “hard work,” but see Matt 26:10 where it means “trouble”; “distress” (L&N 22.7). In this context with so many other terms denoting suffering and difficulty, such a meaning is preferable.
[6:6] 176 tn Or “by holiness of spirit.”
[6:7] 178 tn Grk “by the word of truth”; understanding ἀληθείας (alhqeias) as an attributive genitive (“truthful word”).
[6:7] 179 tn Or “speech.” In this context it is more likely that λόγος (logos) refers to Paul’s message (thus “teaching”) than to his speech in general.
[6:7] 180 tn The phrase “for the right hand and for the left” possibly refers to a combination of an offensive weapon (a sword for the right hand) and a defensive weapon (a shield for the left).
[6:8] 181 tn Or “regarded as deceivers.”
[6:9] 182 tn Grk “disciplined,” but in this context probably a reference to scourging prior to execution (yet the execution is not carried out).
[6:11] 183 tn Grk “our mouth has been open to you,” an idiom for openness in communication.
[6:12] 184 tn Grk “You are not restricted by us.”
[6:13] 185 tn The word “my” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[6:13] 186 tn The words “to us” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[6:14] 187 tn Or “Do not be mismatched.”
[6:15] 188 sn The Greek term Βελιάρ (Beliar) is a spelling variant for Βελιάλ (Belial, see Judg 20:13 LXX). It occurs only here in the NT. Beliar is a reference to Satan.
[6:16] 189 tc Most witnesses, including some important ones (Ì46 א2 C D2 F G Ψ 0209 Ï lat sy Tert), read ὑμεῖς…ἐστε (Jumei"…este, “you are”) instead of ἡμεῖς…ἐσμεν (Jhmei"…esmen, “we are”) here, but several other early and important
[6:16] 190 tn Or “live among them,” “live with them.”
[6:16] 191 sn A quotation from Lev 26:12; also similar to Jer 32:38; Ezek 37:27.
[6:17] 192 sn A quotation from Isa 52:11.
[6:17] 193 tn Or “will receive.”
[6:17] 194 sn A paraphrased quotation from Ezek 20:41.
[6:18] 195 sn A paraphrased quotation from 2 Sam 7:14 and Isa 43:6.
[6:18] 196 tn Traditionally, “the Lord Almighty.” BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…κύριος π. (oft. LXX) 2 Cor 6:18.”
[7:1] 197 tn Or “purify ourselves.”
[7:1] 198 tn Grk “from every defilement of the flesh.”
[7:1] 199 tn Grk “accomplishing.” The participle has been translated as a finite verb due to considerations of contemporary English style, and “thus” has been supplied to indicate that it represents a result of the previous cleansing.
[7:1] 200 tn Grk “in the fear of God.”
[7:2] 201 tn The phrase “in your hearts” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[7:2] 202 tn “We have ruined no one” may refer to financial loss (“we have caused no one to suffer financial loss”) but it may also refer to the undermining of faith (“we have corrupted no one’s faith,”). Both options are mentioned in L&N 20.23.
[7:2] 203 tn Or “we have taken advantage of no one.”
[7:3] 204 sn See 2 Cor 1:4-7.
[7:3] 205 tn The words “with you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[7:4] 206 tn Grk “great is my boasting.”
[7:4] 208 tn Grk “I am overflowing with joy in all our suffering”; the words “in the midst of” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to clarify that Paul is not rejoicing in the suffering itself, but in his relationship with the Corinthians in the midst of all his suffering.
[7:6] 210 tn Or “comforts,” “consoles.”
[7:6] 211 tn Or “comforted,” “consoled.”
[7:7] 212 tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “We were encouraged.”
[7:7] 213 tn Or “comfort,” “consolation.”
[7:7] 214 tn Grk “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged by you.” The passive construction was translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style, and the repeated word “encouraged” was replaced in the translation by “gave” to avoid redundancy in the translation.
[7:7] 215 tn Or “your grieving,” “your deep sorrow.”
[7:8] 217 tn Grk “if I grieved you.”
[7:8] 218 sn My letter. Paul is referring to the “severe” letter mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4.
[7:8] 219 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.
[7:8] 220 tn Grk “I did regret”; the direct object “it” must be supplied from the context.
[7:8] 221 tc A few important
[7:8] 222 tn Grk “my letter grieved you.”
[7:9] 223 tn Grk “were grieved” (so also twice later in the verse).
[7:9] 224 tn Grk “corresponding to God,” that is, corresponding to God’s will (κατὰ θεόν, kata qeon). The same phrase occurs in vv. 10 and 11.
[7:9] 225 tn Grk “so that you did not suffer loss.”
[7:11] 226 tn Grk “this very thing, to be grieved.”
[7:11] 227 tn The words “of yourselves” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[7:11] 228 sn What indignation refers to the Corinthians’ indignation at the offender.
[7:11] 230 sn That is, punishment for the offender.
[7:12] 231 tn Grk “but in order that your eagerness on our behalf might be revealed to you.”
[7:13] 232 tn Or “all of you have put his mind at ease.”
[7:14] 233 tn Grk “I have not been put to shame”; the words “by you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[7:14] 234 tn Grk “just as we spoke everything to you in truth.”
[7:14] 235 tn The words “about you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
