Paul’s words in this verse reflect the language and thought of Pro 3.4 in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures.

We aim at: “we think of beforehand,” “we have in mind”; or “we pay attention to” (Anchor Bible); “we are concerned” (New American Bible). This may be seen as a more positive and more general statement about what has already been said negatively and more specifically in the previous verse.

What is honorable: that is, what is accepted as proper behavior. Some other ways of saying this are: “being above reproach” (Moffatt); “what is good” (Translator’s New Testament); “what pleases [the Lord]” (Contemporary English Version).

In the sight of: that is, “in front of” or “in the presence of,” implying the opinion or judgment of the persons viewing. Compare 2.17; 4.2; 7.12.

The Lord in this context is God, the Father, as in 8.19.

Though the Greek is literally “in the sight of men,” the sense is clearly “in the sight of human beings” (Anchor Bible) or “in the sight of people” (New Jerusalem Bible). Paul is concerned not merely with pleasing God but also with avoiding the appearance of evil in the eyes of his fellow human beings.

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 .