Verse 2 returns to the thought of 6.13 (“Widen your hearts also”). The expression Open your hearts to us is the opposite of the verb translated “restricted” in 6.12. See comments on 6.11 and 13. In contemporary English idiom, “to open one’s heart to someone” means “to expose one’s inner private feelings.” For this reason “Make room for us in your hearts” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, and many other modern versions) is better than the Revised Standard Version translation.

The Anchor Bible translation of verse 2 preserves the emphasis on the pronouns no one in the Greek text: “No one did we wrong, no one did we corrupt, no one did we defraud.” The use of the emphatic forms for no one will serve the same purpose in many languages. In other cases the emphasis may be maintained by saying something like “no one at all” in each case.

The threefold denial in this verse is primarily for rhetorical effect; no great distinction of meaning is intended among the three denials. Wronged is perhaps more general than the two verbs that follow. Corrupted may also be translated as “bribed.” Taken advantage of may be translated as “cheated” (Contemporary English Version), “defrauded,” or “exploited.” The order of the three verbs is not important and may be altered for the sake of naturalness in the receptor language.

Though Paul’s threefold denial of wrongdoing would be true as a general statement, the context suggests that he is responding to charges of wrongdoing at Corinth by certain persons among the Corinthian Christians (see 12.17-18).

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 .