While God is the one to be Blessed, the Greek does not make explicit who does the blessing. In Hebrew thought, human beings blessed God by praising him (Gen 14.20; Psa 28.6). But in many languages God cannot be the object of the verb “to bless.” So the translation will have to use a verb like “praise,” “honor,” or “glorify,” as seen in many modern English versions. This formula is repeated in Eph 1.3 and 1 Peter 1.3. Good News Translation makes the subject explicit, “Let us give thanks…,” that is, Paul, Timothy, and the Corinthian readers.

There are two ways to understand the Greek words translated by Revised Standard Version as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1) God is both the God and the father of Jesus Christ. This interpretation is reflected in both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. (2) The words of our Lord Jesus Christ qualify only the word Father. This interpretation is reflected in Anchor Bible: “Blessed is God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (so also Barrett). If this second interpretation is followed, some will prefer to say something like “God who is the Father of…” or “the Father God….”

The structure of the Greek favors the first interpretation. On the other hand, while Paul frequently refers to God as the Father of Jesus, only in Eph 1.17 is God called the God of Jesus. If translators follow the first interpretation (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation), they must be careful not to give the impression that Paul is referring to two different beings.

Our Lord: our includes the readers.

The Father of mercies: this has been rendered “the all-merciful Father” (New English Bible [New English Bible], Revised English Bible [Revised English Bible]) and “a gentle Father” (Jerusalem Bible), but New Jerusalem Bible and Knox have simply “the merciful Father.” In some languages it may be necessary to use a verbal expression like “the Father who feels pity” or “the Father who cares very much.” The description of God as the Father of mercies and God of all comfort finds expression in the Old Testament also (see Psa 103.13; Isa 51.12; 66.13). In the context of 2 Corinthians, this description is especially appropriate for Paul’s own situation. God is the one who acts with mercy and who provides comfort for his people.

Comfort: this word occurs as a verb or noun ten times in verses 3-7 and again several times in chapters 2, 7, and 13. The Greek word has several components of meaning, including the idea of consoling someone in trouble or sorrow and the idea of giving active help or encouragement. It comes from the same root as the name given to the Holy Spirit in John (14.16, 26; 15.26; 16.7), translated “Counselor” in Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation has emphasized the aspect of active help (“from whom all help comes”). New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible emphasize the idea of consoling (“the God of all consolation”).

Since some languages may require verbal expressions for the noun phrases in this verse, the following model is suggested: “Let us praise God, who is the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Father who has mercy on us; he is the God who always puts an end to the sadness of people.”

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 .

It is not certain whether the pronouns us … our … we … in this verse include the readers or only Paul and Timothy. The same ambiguity exists in verse 5. The liturgical sound of the language in verses 4-5 leads some interpreters to take the pronouns as including the readers. On the other hand, in Greek the words in all our affliction refer to specific afflictions and not afflictions in general. If the reference is to the afflictions mentioned in verses 6-11, then the pronouns do not include the readers. Furthermore, since verse 6 distinguishes between Paul and Timothy on the one hand, and the Corinthians on the other, it is more likely that these pronouns do not include the readers.

Comforts: in the translation of this Greek word, Good News Translation again emphasizes the element of giving active help, while New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible emphasize the element of consolation: “who consoles us” (see comments on 2 Cor. 1.3). Note that New Jerusalem Bible uses the verb “support” throughout this section.

Affliction may refer to either external suffering or internal, mental anguish, or both. Since Paul provides very little specific information about the nature of this hardship, it is probably good to use the most general term available for “trouble” or “adversity” in the receptor language.

So that may express either purpose or result. If the former, the sense is that God comforts in order that, or for the purpose that, those who are comforted should then in turn comfort others. If, however, these words express result, the sense is that, as a result of being comforted by God, they will be able in turn to comfort others. The latter interpretation indicating result is probably to be preferred. One way of showing this connection may be to make two or three separate sentences saying something like this: “He comforts us in all our troubles. Because of this we are able to comfort other people, no matter what kind of trouble they may have. We comfort them as God has comforted us.”

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 .

For: the transition word may be important in the receptor language. Here it indicates a close causal relationship with what has just been said. A number of translations render the word For explicitly, while others depend on the structure to show this relationship. Still others use words like “indeed” (Phillips), or “in effect” (Bible en français courant and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), or “it is true” (Knox).

We share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings is literally “the sufferings of Christ abound to us.” There are two possible interpretations here: (1) The meaning may be that Paul and Timothy have suffered much because of their preaching about Jesus Christ, and Paul considers this suffering to be a part of the sufferings of Jesus through their union with Christ (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). Or (2) the meaning may be that, as Christ’s suffering was great on behalf of the senders of the letter (Revised English Bible: “extends to us”), so Paul and Timothy’s consolation is great on behalf of the Corinthians (so New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and the reading in the footnote of RSV). New Revised Standard Version says “For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.” Either interpretation seems equally possible in terms of grammatical structure and context. Translators should feel free to choose the interpretation that seems correct to them.

So: because of the difference between sharing in suffering and sharing in comfort, it may be necessary in some languages to use a conjunction marking that contrast at this point. Contemporary English Version, for example, has “but also….”

We share abundantly in comfort too may mean that Paul and Timothy are abundantly comforted by God (Revised Standard Version) or that they themselves give abundant comfort to others (so New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and the reading in the footnote of RSV). Some English versions have taken the word twice translated “abound” or share abundantly as meaning “overflow” (see New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, New English Bible, and the translation by Barclay [Barclay]). The whole verse then yields something like “Because just as the sufferings of Christ are spilling over into our lives, in the same way comfort through Christ is also spilling over to us.” It is, however, equally probable that the last part of the verse may mean “spilling over from us.”

Through Christ: according to verse 4 God is the source of comfort. Christ is the intermediary through whom God comforts.

On the pronoun we see the comments on 2 Cor. 1.4.

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 .

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 .

Our hope: the possessive pronoun here does not include the Corinthians, since it involves something Paul and Timothy hope for them. The hope to which Paul refers is the hope that the Corinthian Christians will continue in their faith despite the afflictions and suffering that they experience. In English the word hope often suggests a degree of uncertainty. But in the New Testament the sense is more often that of “confidence” or “assurance.” In some languages the noun hope has to be translated by a verbal expression such as “we put our hearts on you…” or something similar.

For you: note, however, that Good News Translation has “in you.” This probably does not reflect a difference in meaning in these two versions. Both indicate confidence that the Corinthian Christians will stand firm in times of trouble and affliction.

Unshaken: another way of saying this is “Our hope for you is certain [or secure, or firmly grounded]” (Anchor Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible), or in some languages it may be necessary to use the adjective “strong.” If a verbal phrase is used to translate hope as suggested above, an adverb like “firmly” or “completely” may be used to translate this word. Note that Contemporary English Version renders this whole clause as “you never disappoint us.”

We know that is literally “knowing that.” Though Good News Translation does not make explicit the relationship between the two parts of this verse, the participle “knowing” introduces the cause or reason that their hope is unshaken. Revised Standard Version adds the word for in order to express clearly this relationship.

Our suffering … our comfort: Paul does not actually say our suffering … our comfort in spite of the renderings of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. The introduction of the possessive pronoun is misleading, according to some commentators (Anchor Bible, page 112). Revised English Bible reads “if you share in the suffering, you share also in the comfort.” But the use of the definite article in Greek (reflected in Revised English Bible) seems to indicate that some particular suffering is in view. So “the suffering” and “the comfort” probably do refer to those of Paul (and Timothy). But the sufferings that Paul mentions are not made specific here. Though the distress may have been caused by a severe illness, the following verses suggest that the suffering was a result of external forces.

As you share in our sufferings: as with the last part of verse 6, the meaning is that they suffer the same kind of suffering as Paul and Timothy. Some languages will require that this be made more explicit by saying something like “when you suffer as we have, you will also receive comfort just as we have.”

You will also share in our comfort: literally “thus also in the comfort.” The meaning may be that the Corinthians will be able to comfort others, but the parallelism with the preceding phrase favors the sense that they will receive the same comfort that Paul and Timothy receive. Following the latter interpretation, translators may want to follow the model of Phillips and make explicit that the help comes from God: “then, like us, you will find the comfort and encouragement of God.”

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 .

Verse 8 begins with the word For, which connects the mention of suffering in general in verse 7 with mention of specific suffering in verses 8-10. Revised English Bible translates this word as “In saying this.”

We do not want you to be ignorant: in Greek two negatives are used: “We do not want you not to know.” In English this is expressed more naturally with a positive expression such as “we want you to know,” or “we want you to be quite certain” (New Jerusalem Bible), or more dynamically, “Make no mistake…” (Knox). Contemporary English Version takes this as an epistolary plural and thus translates “I want you to know.” Parallel expressions occur in Rom 1.13; 11.25; 1 Cor 10.1; 12.1; and 1 Thes 4.13, but with a first person singular subject.

Brethren: in his letters Paul frequently addressed his readers with the word “brothers.” The context in many instances supports the view that Paul most likely was addressing both men and women. While there is an unmistakable male bias in most of the biblical books, some modern translations prefer to translate “brothers” with a word that does not exclude women when it seems that Paul was including women along with the men. So Revised English Bible and Contemporary English Version translate “brothers” in this verse as “my friends” (see also 8.1, 23; 9.3, 5; 11.9, 26; 13.11). The English word “siblings” includes both men and women, but this word would sound very unnatural in English translations. Many languages, however, do have a commonly used word that includes women and men; and in the above verses translators may want to use that word rather than a word such as “brothers,” which does not include women. Note that New Revised Standard Version translates “brothers and sisters.” In some languages it will be necessary to add a possessive pronoun and say either “my brothers [and sisters]” or “our brothers [and sisters].”

Though Paul does not indicate here whether the affliction was sickness or external dangers against his life, the latter seems more probable. Affliction may be translated as “trouble” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible) or “hardships” (New Jerusalem Bible).

We experienced … we were … we despaired: perhaps Paul is speaking about himself only, using the epistolary plural (so An American Translation: “the distress that I experienced … I was … I despaired”). If translators choose to retain the plural subject, it should be taken as including only Timothy and not the recipients of the letter.

Asia is the Roman province (see Good News Translation and Revised English Bible) of which Ephesus was the chief commercial center. It included most of the western part of Asia Minor. In modern geography Asia Minor corresponds to the peninsula that forms the western half of the country of Turkey. Asia in Paul’s letters should not be confused with the modern continent that we call Asia.

We were so utterly, unbearably crushed: Paul is using figurative language here. The Greek is literally “excessively, beyond [our] power [to cope] we were burdened.” Some possible models for translation into the receptor language may be “we were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure” (New International Version) or “the burdens on us were so heavy that there was no way that we could tolerate them.”

We despaired of life itself: some models other than Good News Bible may be “we lost hope that we could possibly survive” or “we felt certain that we were going to die.”

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 .

Why …: this Revised Standard Version rendering may be misleading, and Good News Translation has no overt transition marker at all, but in Greek this verse begins with a word that expresses a contrast with the preceding verse. The sense is “Instead of feeling that we had hope, on the contrary we felt that we had received the death sentence.” New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible begin verse 9 with the word “Indeed,” while New Jerusalem Bible and Contemporary English Version have “In fact,” both of which underscore the sense of despair mentioned in verse 8.

We felt that we had received: literally “but we have [or, had] the sentence of death in ourselves.” If Paul was referring to a physical illness, then the verb “we have” may indicate that the results of the illness continued to bother him. If so, a better translation will be “we ourselves have received within ourselves” (so Barrett). But the tense of the verb may refer to an action already completed (as in 2.13), in which case the Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation translations are correct.

The sentence of death is, as Good News Translation makes clear, “the death sentence.” Probably this is figurative language. Paul had not actually received a legal sentence of death from a judge; rather his affliction was so great that he felt the way he would have felt if he had in fact received a legal sentence of death. Another way of saying this may be “we really thought that the time had come for us to die.”

But that was: these three words in Revised Standard Version translate one word in Greek that expresses purpose. The second half of this verse expresses the purpose for which they had “received the death sentence.” The word that refers to the belief that they had received the death sentence. Both Good News Translation and New International Version attempt to supply this information by saying “But this happened so that…,” and Revised English Bible has “This was meant to teach us….”

Rely … on: the verb so translated may also be rendered “put [our] trust in” (Barclay) or “place [our] confidence in” (God’s New Covenant). The verb “trust” is also used by Contemporary English Version, Knox, and New Century Version.

Who raises the dead: Judaism praised God’s power as being able to raise the dead to life in this world (see 1 Sam 2.6; 1 Kgs 17.17-22; 2 Kgs 4.32-37). Since God is able to bring dead people back to life, surely he is able to protect those who suffer or are in serious danger. Some translations insert the word “can,” that is, “who can even raise the dead” (An American Translation; so also Phillips). However, such an insertion may suggest that, though God is able to raise the dead, he does not do so. But Paul is affirming that God does raise the dead.

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 .