2 Corinthians 1:9

1:9 Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, ¹  so that we would not trust in ourselves ²  but in God who raises the dead.

2 Corinthians 1:12

Paul Defends His Changed Plans

1:12 For our reason for confidence ³  is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives ⁴  and sincerity which are from God ⁵  – not by human wisdom ⁶  but by the grace of God – we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more ⁷  toward you.

2 Corinthians 1:17

1:17 Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? ⁸  Or do I make my plans ⁹  according to mere human standards ¹⁰  so that I would be saying ¹¹  both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

2 Corinthians 2:3

2:3 And I wrote this very thing to you, ¹²  so that when I came ¹³  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 Corinthians 3:3

3:3 revealing ¹⁴  that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, ¹⁵  written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets ¹⁶  but on tablets of human hearts.

2 Corinthians 4:4

4:4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe ¹⁷  so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel ¹⁸  of Christ, ¹⁹  who is the image of God.

2 Corinthians 5:4

5:4 For we groan while we are in this tent, ²⁰  since we are weighed down, ²¹  because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

2 Corinthians 5:19

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 ²²  the message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 7:11

7:11 For see what this very thing, this sadness ²³  as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, ²⁴  what indignation, ²⁵  what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, ²⁶  what punishment! ²⁷  In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

2 Corinthians 9:5

9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution ²⁸  you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift ²⁹  and not as something you feel forced to do. ³⁰ 

2 Corinthians 12:6

12:6 For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling ³¹  the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard ³²  me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me,

2 Corinthians 12:13

12:13 For how ³³  were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!

2 Corinthians 13:7

13:7 Now we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong, not so that we may appear to have passed the test, ³⁴  but so that you may do what is right ³⁵  even if we may appear to have failed the test. ³⁶ 

[1:9]  ¹ tn Grk “we ourselves had the sentence of death within ourselves.” Here ἀπόκριμα (apokrima) is being used figuratively; no actual official verdict had been given, but in light of all the difficulties that Paul and his colleagues had suffered, it seemed to them as though such an official verdict had been rendered against them (L&N 56.26).

[1:9]  ² tn Or “might not put confidence in ourselves.”

[1:12]  ³ tn Or “for boasting.”

[1:12]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn Grk “pure motives and sincerity of God.”

[1:12]  ⁶ tn Or “not by worldly wisdom.”

[1:12]  ⁷ tn Or “and especially.”

[1:17]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Grk “the things that I plan, do I plan (them).”

[1:17]  ⁷ tn Grk “according to the flesh.”

[1:17]  ⁸ tn Grk “so that with me there should be.”

[2:3]  ⁷ tn The words “to you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[2:3]  ⁸ sn So that when I came. Regarding this still future visit by Paul, see 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1.

[3:3]  ⁹ tn Or “making plain.”

[3:3]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ sn An allusion to Exod 24:12; 31:18; 34:1; Deut 9:10-11.

[4:4]  ¹¹ tn Or “of unbelievers.”

[4:4]  ¹² tn Grk “the gospel of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[4:4]  ¹³ tn Or “so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ would not be evident to them” (L&N 28.37).

[5:4]  ¹³ sn See the note in 5:1 on the phrase the tent we live in.

[5:4]  ¹⁴ tn Or “we are burdened.”

[5:19]  ¹⁵ tn Or “he has entrusted to us.”

[7:11]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “this very thing, to be grieved.”

[7:11]  ¹⁸ tn The words “of yourselves” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[7:11]  ¹⁹ sn What indignation refers to the Corinthians’ indignation at the offender.

[7:11]  ²⁰ tn Or “what zeal.”

[7:11]  ²¹ sn That is, punishment for the offender.

[9:5]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “the blessing.”

[9:5]  ²⁰ tn Grk “a blessing.”

[9:5]  ²¹ tn Grk “as a covetousness”; that is, a gift given grudgingly or under compulsion.

[12:6]  ²¹ tn Or “speaking.”

[12:6]  ²² tn Or “may think of.”

[12:13]  ²³ tn Grk “For in what respect.”

[13:7]  ²⁵ tn Or “that we may appear to be approved.”

[13:7]  ²⁶ tn Or “what is good.”

[13:7]  ²⁷ tn Or “even if we appear disapproved.”