Sorrowful … rejoicing: once again Paul uses a pair of contradictory terms and maintains that both are true. It may be more natural in some languages to reverse the order: “we are always happy, even in times of suffering” (Contemporary English Version).

As poor … as having nothing: the words poor and having nothing should probably be taken in a literal sense.

Making many rich: this is figurative language, as are the words yet possessing everything. Possessing everything should be understood in the same sense as Paul’s words in 1 Cor 3.21-23. Christians belong to Christ, and to have Christ is to have all that matters. Through his apostolic ministry Paul was able to bring God’s blessings to many people. Knox translates “beggars, that bring riches to many; disinherited, and the world is ours.”

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 .