2 Corinthians 1:23

Why Paul Postponed His Visit

1:23 Now I appeal to God as my witness, ¹  that to spare ²  you I did not come again to Corinth. ³ 

2 Corinthians 2:1

2:1 So ⁴  I made up my own mind ⁵  not to pay you another painful visit. ⁶ 

[1:23]  ¹ tn Grk “I call upon God as witness against my soul.” Normally this implies an appeal for help (L&N 33.176).

[1:23]  ² tn Here φειδόμενος (feidomeno") has been translated as a telic participle.

[1:23]  ³ sn Paul had promised to come again to visit (see 2 Cor 1:15, 24) but explains here why he had changed his plans.

[2:1]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn Or “I decided this for myself.”

[2:1]  ⁶ tn Grk “not to come to you again in sorrow.”