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15 And with this confidence I intended to come to you first so that you would get a second opportunity to see us,[a] 16 and through your help to go on into Macedonia and then from Macedonia to come back[b] to you and be helped on our way into Judea by you. 17 Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I?[c] Or do I make my plans[d] according to mere human standards[e] so that I would be saying[f] both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 18 But as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us—by me and Silvanus[g] and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but it has always been “Yes” in him. 20 For every one of God’s promises are “Yes” in him; therefore also through him the “Amen” is spoken, to the glory we give to God. 21 But it is God who establishes[h] us together with you in Christ and who anointed us,[i] 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.[j]

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 1:15 tn Grk “a second grace,” “a second favor” (used figuratively of a second visit by Paul).
  2. 2 Corinthians 1:16 tn Grk “come again.”
  3. 2 Corinthians 1:17 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.
  4. 2 Corinthians 1:17 tn Grk “the things that I plan, do I plan (them).”
  5. 2 Corinthians 1:17 tn Grk “according to the flesh.”
  6. 2 Corinthians 1:17 tn Grk “so that with me there should be.”
  7. 2 Corinthians 1:19 sn Silvanus is usually considered to be the same person as Silas (L&N 93.340).
  8. 2 Corinthians 1:21 tn Or “strengthens.”
  9. 2 Corinthians 1:21 tn Grk “But he who establishes us together with you in Christ and anointed us is God.”
  10. 2 Corinthians 1:22 tn Or “first installment,” “pledge,” “deposit.”sn Down payment. The Greek word ἀρραβών (arrabōn) denotes the first payment or first installment of money or goods which serves as a guarantee or pledge for the completion of the transaction. In the NT the term is used only figuratively of the Holy Spirit as the down payment of the blessings promised by God (it occurs later in 2 Cor 5:5, and also in Eph 1:14). In the “already—not yet” scheme of the NT the possession of the Spirit now by believers (“already”) can be viewed as a guarantee that God will give them the balance of the promised blessings in the future (“not yet”).

Paul Delays His Visit to Corinth

15 And with this confidence, I was wanting to come to you previously, in order that you may have a second proof of my goodwill, 16 and through you to go to Macedonia, and to come to you again from Macedonia, and to be sent on my way by you to Judea. 17 Therefore, when I[a] was wanting to do this, perhaps then was I making use of vacillation? Or was I deciding what I was deciding according to the flesh, in order that with me my “yes” may be “yes” and my “no” may be “no” at the same time?[b] 18 But God is faithful, so that our word to you is not “yes” and “no.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, did not become “yes” and “no,” but has become “yes” in him. 20 For as many as are the promises of God, in him they are “yes”; therefore also through him is the “amen” to the glory of God through us. 21 Now the one who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anoints us is God, 22 who also sealed us and gave the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 1:17 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was wanting”) which is understood as temporal
  2. 2 Corinthians 1:17 *The words “at the same time” are supplied for clarity