While most versions begin a new paragraph at this point, it is perhaps worth noting that this is not the case in Revised English Bible.

Interpreters are divided on whether the first person plural pronouns in this verse refer to all Christians, only to Paul and his companions, or only to Paul himself.

From now on: this indicates a new point of departure with regard to the way in which people are judged. It is clear from what Paul says elsewhere (Rom 5.9, 11; 8.1; 11.30) that the word now refers to the time when salvation comes through faith. For this reason some have translated “from that time on” (An American Translation).

Therefore: in many languages this transition word may fit better at the beginning of the verse. Barclay begins the sentence “the consequence of all this is…,” while New American Bible has “because of this….” Both of these models clearly show the relationship with what has just been said in Paul’s argument.

We regard: literally “we know,” but here used in the sense of “estimate” or “evaluate.” The pronoun we is an emphatic form and is placed in a position ahead of the adverbial phrase in the Greek sentence to show emphasis. These markers of emphasis are probably intended to show that, no matter how others may consider Christ, those represented by the pronoun (whether inclusive or exclusive) now have a different way of looking at him.

From a human point of view means “according to human standards” (Good News Translation), or by “worldly standards” (Revised English Bible), or “by what they seem to be” (Contemporary English Version), or “in terms of mere human judgment” (New American Bible). The Greek is literally “according to flesh” (see comments on “like a worldly man” in 1.17).

We once regarded Christ from a human point of view: literally “we knew according to flesh Christ.” As both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation make clear, the words “according to flesh” go with the verb “we knew” and not with the noun “Christ.” The English word once clearly refers to a period of time in the past and not merely a single moment in time.

We regard him thus no longer: the word thus refers back to looking at Christ from a human point of view, and this will be clear in many languages. However, another possible model for this part of the verse may be “we no longer look at him in that way,” or more specifically “we no longer judge him by human standards.”

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 .