2 Corinthians 1:23--2:4

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  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. ⁴  2:1 So ⁵  I made up my own mind ⁶  not to pay you another painful visit. ⁷  2:2 For if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad ⁸  but the one I caused to be sad? 2:3 And I wrote this very thing to you, ⁹  so that when I came ¹⁰  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. ¹¹ 

[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.

[1:24]  ⁴ tn Or “because you stand firm in the faith.”

[2:1]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Or “I decided this for myself.”

[2:1]  ⁹ tn Grk “not to come to you again in sorrow.”

[2:2]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹³ tn The words “to you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[2:3]  ¹⁴ sn So that when I came. Regarding this still future visit by Paul, see 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1.

[2:4]  ¹⁶ tn Or “the love that I have in great measure for you.”