2 Corinthians 2:5-11
New English Translation
5 But if anyone has caused sadness, he has not saddened me alone, but to some extent (not to exaggerate)[a] he has saddened all of you as well. 6 This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him, 7 so that now instead[b] you should rather forgive and comfort him.[c] This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair.[d] 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.[e] 9 For this reason also I wrote you:[f] to test you to see[g] if you are obedient in everything. 10 If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him—for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we may not be exploited[h] by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).
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- 2 Corinthians 2:5 tn Or “(not to say too much)”; Grk “(not to burden you [with words]).”
- 2 Corinthians 2:7 tn Grk “so that on the other hand.”
- 2 Corinthians 2:7 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is supplied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted and must be supplied from the context.
- 2 Corinthians 2:7 tn Grk “comfort him, lest somehow such a person be swallowed up by excessive grief,” an idiom for a person being so overcome with grief as to despair or give up completely (L&N 25.285). In this context of excessive grief or regret for past sins, “overwhelmed” is a good translation since contemporary English idiom speaks of someone “overwhelmed by grief.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the difficulty of expressing a negative purpose/result clause in English, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 2 Corinthians 2:8 tn Or “I urge you to show that your love for him is real.”
- 2 Corinthians 2:9 tn The word “you” is not in the Greek text, but is implied (as an understood direct object).
- 2 Corinthians 2:9 tn Grk “to know the proof of you,” that is, to know if the Corinthians’ obedience to Paul as an apostle was genuine (L&N 72.7).
- 2 Corinthians 2:11 tn Or “be taken advantage of.”
2 Corinthians 2:5-11
Legacy Standard Bible
Forgive and Love the Sinner
5 But (A)if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—[a]in order not to say too much—to all of you. 6 Sufficient for such a one is (B)this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, 7 so that on the contrary you should rather (C)graciously forgive and comfort him, lest such a one be swallowed up by excessive sorrow. 8 Therefore I encourage you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For to this end also (D)I wrote, so that I might (E)know your proven character, whether you are (F)obedient in all things. 10 But one whom you graciously forgive anything, I graciously forgive also. For indeed what I have graciously forgiven, if I have graciously forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes (G)in the presence of Christ, 11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by (H)Satan, for (I)we are not ignorant of his schemes.
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- 2 Corinthians 2:5 Lit so that I not be burdensome
2 Corinthians 2:5-11
New International Version
Forgiveness for the Offender
5 If anyone has caused grief,(A) he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment(B) inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him,(C) so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you(D) was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.(E) 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan(F) might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.(G)
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