Beginning in this verse and continuing through verse 21a, the pronoun we does not include the readers.

If we are afflicted: the word If does not imply doubt on Paul’s part, as if he is referring to something hypothetical. The sense is “Whenever we are afflicted.” Anchor Bible (Anchor Bible) says “When we are being afflicted.”

The words translated as afflicted and suffer in Revised Standard Version represent two different Greek words. Since the words appear to be nearly synonymous here, Good News Translation translates both words with one English word, “suffer.” The first is passive in form but should probably be transformed into an active form in many languages.

For means “for the sake of” or “in favor of.” The sufferings of Paul and Timothy are seen as benefiting the people of God in Corinth and the rest of Achaia. In some languages there are benefactive verb forms that will help to convey this meaning.

Comfort and comforted: see comments on 2 Cor. 1.3.

Salvation: in this context the focus is not on eternal salvation that Christians will receive but rather on the present spiritual well-being of the Corinthians. Phillips translates this as “your spiritual protection.”

The Corinthians experience the same sufferings in that they are also suffering because of their loyalty to Christ.

King James Version translates a text found in no known Greek manuscript. Therefore it should not be followed by modern translators.

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 .