But: this marks the contrast between Paul’s yearning to remain in Troas in order to take advantage of the opportunity to preach the Good News, and his desire to go on to Macedonia to look for Titus.

My mind could not rest is literally “my spirit had no rest.” As Good News Translation indicates, the meaning is that Paul was “deeply worried.” Some other possible models are: “I had no peace of mind” (Knox and New International Version), “I was on edge the whole time” (Phillips), or some more idiomatic expression in the receptor language indicating great distress. Languages have a variety of ways of expressing the idea of inner fear or anxiety. Some say “my heart was up” or “my mind was cooking [or, stewing].” Or, without using a figure of speech, translators may say simply “I was greatly upset.”

My brother Titus: Titus, like Timothy, was one of Paul’s companions and co-workers. We do not know whether Titus was younger or older than Paul. Though not mentioned in Acts, Titus is mentioned in 2 Corinthians, Galatians, and 2 Timothy and is the person to whom the letter called Titus was addressed.

Brother here is not to be understood as a relative in a family. Revised English Bible says “my colleague,” but such a term does not express the emotional intimacy suggested by the word brother. The Greek is literally “my brother.” Good News Translation (“our brother”) incorrectly changes the sense of the Greek, in which Paul emphasizes the importance of Titus to himself. Contemporary English Version has “my friend,” but some translators find it necessary to say something like “Titus, who is like a brother to me.”

Paul had sent Titus to Corinth, perhaps with the letter of tears (2.3-4), and was hoping to meet Titus in Troas. No doubt Paul was hoping to receive news from Corinth. In addition to that concern, he may have been concerned that robbers had attacked Titus and stolen the money being collected for the church in Jerusalem (see chapters 8 and 9, especially 8.6). Not finding Titus there, he continued on to Macedonia, where he did meet Titus (7.5-16).

I took leave of them: the Greek does not have an explicit antecedent to the pronoun them, but the meaning is obviously “the people in Troas” (verse 12). Whether these people were new converts, his own colleagues, or both, is not clear. It is possible in many languages to say simply “I withdrew from that city,” “I left Troas,” or simply “So I said good-bye to the people there,” as in Good News Translation.

Went on to Macedonia: the Greek verb went on may be translated as came or went, depending on the perspective of the writer (see 1.23). Paul was almost certainly in Macedonia when he wrote 2 Corinthians (at least chapters 1–9; see “Translating 2 Corinthians,” page 3, as well as 7.5-6 and 9.4); therefore translations should indicate that Paul is writing from Macedonia. Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation are incorrect. Anchor Bible correctly says “and came away to Macedonia.” Some translators may even wish to say “came here to Macedonia.”

Macedonia was a province northwest of Asia Minor, on the opposite side of the Aegean Sea from Troas (see comments on 1.16).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .