2 Corinthians 1:3

Thanksgiving for God’s Comfort

1:3 Blessed is ¹  the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

2 Corinthians 1:5

1:5 For just as the sufferings ²  of Christ ³  overflow ⁴  toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you. ⁵ 

2 Corinthians 4:7

An Eternal Weight of Glory

4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power ⁶  belongs to God and does not come from us.

2 Corinthians 4:11

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 ⁷  in our mortal body. ⁸ 

2 Corinthians 4:18

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.

2 Corinthians 9:3

9:3 But I am sending ⁹  these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready ¹⁰  just as I kept telling them.

2 Corinthians 10:5

10:5 and every arrogant obstacle ¹¹  that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey ¹²  Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:10

10:10 because some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak ¹³  and his speech is of no account.” ¹⁴ 

2 Corinthians 10:13

10:13 But we will not boast beyond certain limits, ¹⁵  but will confine our boasting ¹⁶  according to the limits of the work to which God has appointed us, ¹⁷  that reaches even as far as you.

2 Corinthians 11:31

11:31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying.

[1:3]  ¹ tn There is no verb in the Greek text; either the optative (“be”) or the indicative (“is”) can be supplied. The meaning of the term εὐλογητός (euloghtos) and the author’s intention at this point in the epistle must both come into play to determine which is the preferred nuance. εὐλογητός as an adjective can mean either that one is praised or that one is blessed, that is, in a place of favor and benefit. The meaning “blessed” would be more naturally paired with an indicative verb and would suggest that blessedness is an intrinsic part of God’s character. The meaning “praised” would be more naturally paired with an optative verb and would suggest that God ought to be praised. Pauline style in the epistles generally moves from statements to obligations, expressing the reality first and then the believer’s necessary response. When considered as a whole, although a decision is difficult, the general Pauline style of beginning with statements and moving to obligations argues for the indicative. Cf. also Eph 1:3; 1 Pet 1:3.

[1:5]  ² tn This Greek word translated “sufferings” here (πάθημα, paqhma) is a different one than the one Paul uses for his own afflictions/persecutions (θλῖψις, qliyi") in v. 4.

[1:5]  ³ tn I.e., suffering incurred by Paul as a consequence of his relationship to Christ. The genitive could be considered to have a causative nuance here.

[1:5]  ⁴ tn Traditionally, “abound” (here and throughout this section).

[1:5]  ⁵ tn The words “to you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the statements in the following verse.

[4:7]  ³ tn Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunamew") has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).

[4:11]  ⁴ tn Or “may also be revealed.”

[4:11]  ⁵ tn Grk “mortal flesh.”

[9:3]  ⁵ tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.

[9:3]  ⁶ tn That is, ready with the collection for the saints.

[10:5]  ⁶ tn The phrase “every arrogant obstacle” could be translated simply “all arrogance” (so L&N 88.207).

[10:5]  ⁷ 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.”

[10:10]  ⁷ tn Or “unimpressive.”

[10:10]  ⁸ tn Or “is contemptible”; Grk “is despised.”

[10:13]  ⁸ tn Or “boast excessively.” The phrase εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα (ei" ta ametra) is an idiom; literally it means “into that which is not measured,” that is, a point on a scale that goes beyond what might be expected (L&N 78.27).

[10:13]  ⁹ tn The words “will confine our boasting” are not in the Greek text, but the reference to boasting must be repeated from the previous clause to clarify for the modern reader what is being limited.

[10:13]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “according to the measure of the rule which God has apportioned to us as a measure”; for the translation used in the text see L&N 37.100.