2 Corinthians 3:12

3:12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we behave with great boldness, ¹ 

2 Corinthians 5:6

5:6 Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth ²  we are absent from the Lord –

2 Corinthians 5:20

5:20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea ³  through us. We plead with you ⁴  on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!”

2 Corinthians 8:24

8:24 Therefore show ⁵  them openly before the churches the proof of your love and of our pride in you. ⁶ 

2 Corinthians 5:11

The Message of Reconciliation

5:11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, ⁷  we try to persuade ⁸  people, ⁹  but we are well known ¹⁰  to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.

2 Corinthians 7:1

Self-Purification

7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves ¹¹  from everything that could defile the body ¹²  and the spirit, and thus accomplish ¹³  holiness out of reverence for God. ¹⁴ 

2 Corinthians 11:15

11:15 Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves ¹⁵  as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions. ¹⁶ 

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? ¹⁷  Or do I make my plans ¹⁸  according to mere human standards ¹⁹  so that I would be saying ²⁰  both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

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 ²¹  you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift ²²  and not as something you feel forced to do. ²³ 

2 Corinthians 12:9

12:9 But ²⁴  he said to me, “My grace is enough ²⁵  for you, for my ²⁶  power is made perfect ²⁷  in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly ²⁸  about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in ²⁹  me.

[3:12]  ¹ tn Or “we employ great openness of speech.”

[5:6]  ² tn Grk “we know that being at home in the body”; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91).

[5:20]  ³ tn Or “as though God were begging.”

[5:20]  ⁴ tn Or “we beg you.”

[8:24]  ⁴ tc The sense of this translation is attested by the fact that most of the later mss, along with several early and important ones (א C D² Ψ 0225 0243 1739 1881 Ï lat), have the imperative verb ἐνδείξασθε (ejndeixasqe) in place of the participle ἐνδεικνύμενοι (endeiknumenoi), which is found in B D* F G 33 pc. Since an imperatival participle is more Hebraic in style, many scribes would not have understood the idiom as easily and would have been likely to change the participle to an imperative (so TCGNT 513-14). But there is no good reason why scribes would change the imperative into a participle. Thus, ἐνδεικνύμενοι is almost surely the wording of the original text.

[8:24]  ⁵ tn Or “our boasting about you.”

[5:11]  ⁵ tn Or “because we know what it means to fear the Lord.”

[5:11]  ⁶ tn The present tense of πείθομεν (peiqomen) has been translated as a conative present.

[5:11]  ⁷ tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is generic here since clearly both men and women are in view (Paul did not attempt to win only men to the gospel he preached).

[5:11]  ⁸ tn Or “clearly evident.” BDAG 1048 s.v. φανερόω 2.b.β has “θεῷ πεφανερώμεθα we are well known to God 2 Cor 5:11a, cp. 11b; 11:6 v.l.”

[7:1]  ⁶ tn Or “purify ourselves.”

[7:1]  ⁷ tn Grk “from every defilement of the flesh.”

[7:1]  ⁸ tn Grk “accomplishing.” The participle has been translated as a finite verb due to considerations of contemporary English style, and “thus” has been supplied to indicate that it represents a result of the previous cleansing.

[7:1]  ⁹ tn Grk “in the fear of God.”

[11:15]  ⁷ tn Or “also masquerade.”

[11:15]  ⁸ tn Or “their works.”

[1:17]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Grk “the things that I plan, do I plan (them).”

[1:17]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “according to the flesh.”

[1:17]  ¹¹ tn Grk “so that with me there should be.”

[9:5]  ⁹ tn Grk “the blessing.”

[9:5]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “a blessing.”

[9:5]  ¹¹ tn Grk “as a covetousness”; that is, a gift given grudgingly or under compulsion.

[12:9]  ¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” because of the contrast implicit in the context.

[12:9]  ¹¹ tn Or “is sufficient.”

[12:9]  ¹² tc The majority of later mss (א² A^c D¹ Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï) as well as some versional witnesses include the pronoun “my” here, but the omission of the pronoun has excellent external support (Ì^46vid א* A* B D* F G latt). Scribes probably added the pronoun for clarity, making the obvious referent explicit. This would also make “power” more parallel with “my grace.” Though the original text probably did not include “my,” scribes who added the word were following the sense of Paul’s statement.

[12:9]  ¹³ tn Or “my power comes to full strength.”

[12:9]  ¹⁴ tn “Most gladly,” a comparative form used with superlative meaning and translated as such.

[12:9]  ¹⁵ tn Or “may rest on.”