Verse 9, like verses 7 and 8, continues or repeats the argument of “from the lesser to the greater.” It is actually a restatement in slightly different words of what has already been said.

For: while this conjunction is omitted in Good News Translation and New International Version, some kind of transition may be needed in the receptor language. Here it seems to mark the continuation of the argument started in verse 7.

As in verse 7, the word if does not mean that Paul had doubt. Good News Translation omits the word if to avoid suggesting any question of doubt in Paul’s statement.

Of condemnation and of righteousness describe the kinds of dispensation. The Law of Moses “brings condemnation,” and the gospel “brings salvation” (Good News Translation).

Righteousness stands in contrast with condemnation and is used here in the sense in which the equivalent Hebrew word is often used in the Old Testament: “salvation” (Good News Translation), “acquittal” (Revised English Bible, God’s New Covenant), “justification” (New Revised Standard Version).

The meaning of this verse is clearly expressed in Contemporary English Version: “If something that brings the death sentence is glorious, won’t something that makes us acceptable to God be even more glorious?” Or as Knox puts it, “If there is a splendour in the proclamation of our guilt, there must be more splendour yet in the proclamation of our acquittal.” Another possible model taken from an African translation: “If the work that [habitually] gives people punishment had glory, then the work that [habitually] makes people just in the eyes of God will have even more glory.”

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 .