2 Corinthians 2:1-3

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

Romans 1:12

1:12 that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another’s faith, ⁷  both yours and mine.

Philippians 1:25-26

1:25 And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress ⁸  and joy in the faith, ⁹  1:26 so that what you can be proud of may increase ¹⁰  because of me in Christ Jesus, when I come back to you. ¹¹ 

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

[2:1]  ³ tn Grk “not to come to you again in sorrow.”

[2:2]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn The words “to you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[2:3]  ⁶ sn So that when I came. Regarding this still future visit by Paul, see 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1.

[1:12]  ⁷ tn Grk “that is, to be comforted together with you through the faith in one another.”

[1:25]  ⁸ tn Grk “for your progress.”

[1:25]  ⁹ sn Paul’s confidence in his release from prison (I know that I will remain and continue with all of you) implies that this Roman imprisonment did not end in his death. Hence, there is the likelihood that he experienced a second Roman imprisonment later on (since the belief of the early church was that Paul died under Nero in Rome). If so, then the pastoral letters (1-2 Tim, Titus) could well fit into a life of Paul that goes beyond any descriptions in the book of Acts (which ends with Paul’s first Roman imprisonment). Some have argued that the pastorals cannot be genuine because they cannot fit into the history of Acts. But this view presupposes that Paul’s first Roman imprisonment was also his last.

[1:26]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “your boasting may overflow in Christ Jesus because of me,” or possibly, “your boasting in me may overflow in Christ Jesus.” BDAG 536 s.v. καύχημα 1 translates the phrase τὸ καύχημα ὑμῶν (to kauchma jJumwn) in Phil 1:26 as “what you can be proud of.”

[1:26]  ¹¹ tn Grk “through my coming again to you.”