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A Letter That Caused Sadness

I have great confidence in you; I take great pride[a] on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement;[b] I am overflowing with joy in the midst of[c] all our suffering. For even when we came into Macedonia, our body[d] had no rest at all, but we were troubled in every way—struggles from the outside, fears from within. But God, who encourages[e] the downhearted, encouraged[f] us by the arrival of Titus. We were encouraged[g] not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement[h] you gave[i] him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning,[j] your deep concern[k] for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:4 tn Grk “great is my boasting.”
  2. 2 Corinthians 7:4 tn Or “comfort.”
  3. 2 Corinthians 7:4 tn Grk “I am overflowing with joy in all our suffering”; the words “in the midst of” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to clarify that Paul is not rejoicing in the suffering itself, but in his relationship with the Corinthians in the midst of all his suffering.
  4. 2 Corinthians 7:5 tn Grk “our flesh.”
  5. 2 Corinthians 7:6 tn Or “comforts,” “consoles.”
  6. 2 Corinthians 7:6 tn Or “comforted,” “consoled.”
  7. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “We were encouraged.”
  8. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Or “comfort,” “consolation.”
  9. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Grk “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged by you.” The passive construction was translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style, and the repeated word “encouraged” was replaced in the translation by “gave” to avoid redundancy in the translation.
  10. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Or “your grieving,” “your deep sorrow.”
  11. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Or “your zeal.”

Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction.

For even when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side. Fightings were outside. Fear was inside. Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly, God, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you while he told us of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.

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