This verse begins in Greek with the word “now,” implying a contrast between how he had felt and how he now feels. Though he was sad for a while because of the effect his letter had on the Corinthians, “now” he is happy.

Grieved: this is the same verb as translated “made … sorry” and “grieved” in the previous verse. See comments there.

The word repenting contains two aspects of meaning: admission and regret of doing wrong, and a resolve to change one’s behavior. And note that Good News Translation has brought out the idea of change by translating “change your ways.” Barclay attempts to reflect the same thing with “change of mind.” See comments on “regret” in the previous verse regarding the distinction between “regret” and “repent.”

The words godly grief are difficult to interpret and translate, as the different translations of these words by Good News Bible and Revised English Bible indicate: Good News Translation “that sadness was used by God”; Revised English Bible “You bore the pain as God would have you bear it.” Verse 10 contrasts “godly grief” with “worldly grief.” Godly grief appears to be grief that is sincere and is approved by God, not merely a grief or remorse that is shown in order to impress human beings.

So that you suffered no loss through us: the words so that translate a single Greek word that may express either purpose or result. Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, and Revised English Bible translate it as expressing result (“and so”), that is, “with the result that we caused you no harm.” It seems better, however, to understand the Greek word as expressing purpose (so Barrett, Martin, Anchor Bible). It was God’s purpose for them to experience grief “in order that” they would not suffer loss. Anchor Bible says “For you were grieved as God willed, that you might not sustain a loss in any way because of us.”

Loss: Paul does not state the nature of the loss. Loss of a future visit by Paul, loss of their salvation, and loss of their positive Christian attitudes have all been suggested by commentators. But the presence of the words “in nothing” in the Greek suggests that Paul was not limiting the idea of a loss to any particular loss. New Century Version includes a separate sentence at the end of the verse to translate you suffered no loss through us: “So you were not hurt by us in any way.” In languages where the passive form is a problem, translators may wish to say “So we did not harm you in any way.”

Through us means “because of what we did” (Revised English Bible “from what we did”). Though it is possible to understand Revised Standard Version as implying that the Corinthians experienced loss because of what others did, such an understanding reads too much into Paul’s words.

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 .