2 Corinthians 1:23-2:4
Christian Standard Bible
23 I call on God as a witness,(A) on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth.(B) 24 I do not mean that we lord it over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand firm in your(C) faith.
2 In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit.[a] 2 For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me?[b] 3 I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident(D) about all of you that my joy will also be yours. 4 For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not to cause you pain, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.
2 Corinthians 1:23-2:4
New English Translation
Why Paul Postponed His Visit
23 Now I appeal to God as my witness,[a] that to spare[b] you I did not come again to Corinth.[c] 24 I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.[d] 2 1 So[e] I made up my own mind[f] not to pay you another painful visit.[g] 2 For if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad[h] but the one I caused to be sad? 3 And I wrote this very thing to you,[i] so that when I came[j] 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. 4 For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you.[k]
Footnotes
- 2 Corinthians 1:23 tn Grk “I call upon God as witness against my soul.” Normally this implies an appeal for help (L&N 33.176).
- 2 Corinthians 1:23 tn Here φειδόμενος (pheidomenos) has been translated as a telic participle.
- 2 Corinthians 1:23 sn Paul had promised to come again to visit (see 2 Cor 1:15, 24) but explains here why he had changed his plans.
- 2 Corinthians 1:24 tn Or “because you stand firm in the faith.”
- 2 Corinthians 2:1 tc Although usually δέ (de, “now”; found in א A C D1 F G Ψ 0285 M lat) should take precedent over γάρ (gar) in textually disputed places in the corpus Paulinum, the credentials for γάρ here are not easily dismissed (P46 B 0223 0243 33 1739 1881 al); here it is the preferred reading, albeit slightly.
- 2 Corinthians 2:1 tn Or “I decided this for myself.”
- 2 Corinthians 2:1 tn Grk “not to come to you again in sorrow.”sn Paul was not speaking absolutely about not making another visit, but meant he did not want to come to the Corinthians again until the conflict he mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4-11 was settled.
- 2 Corinthians 2:2 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 Corinthians 2:3 tn The words “to you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
- 2 Corinthians 2:3 sn So that when I came. Regarding this still future visit by Paul, see 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1.
- 2 Corinthians 2:4 tn Or “the love that I have in great measure for you.”
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