The word So links this verse with verse 7 by providing the reason why the Corinthians should let the offender know of their love for him. As in verse 7, Contemporary English Version incorrectly generalizes: “You should make them sure of your love for them.”

The pronouns you and your in verses 8-10 are plural again, referring to the Corinthian Christians.

I beg you: or perhaps better “I urge you” (New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, and Revised English Bible). Some languages may have special verb forms to indicate an exhortation such as this.

Reaffirm: the Greek word is a technical term used for the legal action of formally approving something. Perhaps Paul has in mind that the Christian church in Corinth should take official action as a body to reaffirm their love for this person. The context does not tell how the Christians are to express what they decide. But “ratify” focuses on the official decision in a church meeting to “let him know that you really do love him” without saying how they let him know. Some may say “I beg you to give him some definite proof of your love for him” or “you must make him know that you care for him.” Anchor Bible says “I urge you to ratify your love for him.” Moffatt says “I beg you to reinstate him in your love,” suggesting also a formal decision by the church.

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 here serves to tie the following statement to what is said in the previous verse. Although Paul has spoken of “our gospel” in verse 3, it is clearly the gospel about the glory of Christ (verse 4).

What we preach is not ourselves: the word ourselves is in an emphatic position in Greek. To give similar emphasis in English, Good News Translation places the pronoun “ourselves” before the verb. In some languages it is unnatural to use the verb “to preach” with a noun or pronoun object as occurs here. One has to say “preach about [something or someone].” Hence “we are not preaching about ourselves” (Contemporary English Version). Note also that the verb tense here is the present, but it does not indicate something that Paul was doing while writing. Rather it affirms an action that he did on a regular basis. For this reason the habitual verb form will be used in languages where such forms exist.

The Greek grammar clearly suggests that Paul’s gospel has two parts: that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that the apostles are the servants of the Christian churches. However, the intended sense may possibly be “we preach Jesus Christ as Lord, and in doing so we are your servants.”

Jesus Christ: some versions follow manuscript evidence that reverses these two terms (King James Version, New American Standard Bible [New American Standard Bible], and Living Bible, for example). But translators are advised to follow the order in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation in this case.

Jesus Christ as Lord: some languages require a possessive pronoun with the word Lord, or a noun phrase indicating the subjects of lordship. A possible translation is “we proclaim that Jesus Christ is our Lord.” To claim that Jesus is Lord is to declare that he is sovereign and is Lord over all. The focus of the translation should be on his sovereign lordship and not on those who have accepted his rule. It may be necessary, therefore, to say “Jesus Christ as Lord of all people” or something similar.

Servants: as indicated in the RSV footnote, this word may be rendered as “slaves” (Anchor Bible and New Revised Standard Version) or “bond-servants” (New American Standard Bible). However, in many languages the word “slave” carries such repulsive connotations that it is better to use a more general term. In some languages, however, a clear distinction is made between a person who works for a definite salary and one whose needs are taken care of by his master but who does not receive a regular, fixed wage. The term used by Paul here is more closely related to the latter. Perhaps the idea of a permanent binding relationship rather than an optional or voluntary association is the most important component of meaning of this word in the present context.

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 .

That is: these words are variously interpreted: (1) Some interpreters take the two Greek words as equivalent to the word “because” and understand verse 19 as providing the cause or basis for what is said in verse 18. (2) Others understand these words to mean “that is to say” (so Revised Standard Version), in which case verse 19 is a restatement of verse 18. Contemporary English Version says “What we mean is that…,” and New American Bible says “namely.” (3) Some interpreters think that the words in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them are traditional material used in the worship of the church, and which Paul quotes here. On this interpretation the first Greek word is transitional, and the second word is the equivalent of quotation marks. Anchor Bible says “As it is said, God, in Christ, was reconciling….”

The second interpretation (that of Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, and New American Bible) seems to be more probable. Some translations leave this relationship between verses 18 and 19 unexpressed (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible).

A major difficulty in translating this verse is knowing whether the words in Christ are connected most closely to the word God or to the verb was reconciling. In the first interpretation Paul would be making a statement concerning the incarnation, that is, that God was in Christ (so Segond, King James Version, Revised English Bible, RSV footnote, and TEV footnote). In the latter interpretation Paul would be saying that through Christ God was reconciling the world to himself (so Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and REB footnote). The interpretation followed by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation seems preferable, though both interpretations fit Paul’s theology.

On the translation of reconciling see comments on verse 18.

The world: though it is possible that the world here means not only human beings but also the entire universe (see Rom 8.19-23), most likely Paul is thinking of people only, “mankind” (so Good News Translation).

Not counting their trespasses against them: the word translated trespasses is different from the more usual word for “sin” and possibly focuses on unintentional violation of God’s will in some contexts. But here it is virtually synonymous with “sin.” The verbal expression “to count against…” is one involving the keeping of records of commercial accounts, but it may also have the meaning “to keep a mental record of” in other contexts. The meaning here is that God does not keep an account of human failings but rather forgives them. Some model translations are: “not holding anyone’s faults against them” (New Jerusalem Bible); “he does not keep against men an account of their offenses” (Translator’s New Testament); “instead of holding men to account for their sins” (Knox).

Entrusting to us the message of reconciliation: the expression message of reconciliation focuses more on the verbal aspect of bringing people to God, while the “ministry of reconciliation” (verse 18) has to do more with the actual work. The idea here is that of giving responsibility to proclaim this message to other people. Some possible models are “he gave us the work of telling the news of this friendship” or “he charged us to preach this message of peace.”

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 .

So: although some see this transition word as connecting this verse with verses 5-7, it is more likely that it joins what follows with the entire preceding passage, including verses 8-11.

On I wrote see comments on the “letter” in 7.8.

The one who did the wrong refers to the person mentioned in 2.5-8. The masculine singular participle in Greek shows that the one who did the wrong was a male. Some translators may wish to say “that man who acted wrongly” or “the person who committed the bad deed.”

Paul does not identify the one who suffered the wrong, but he probably is alluding indirectly to himself (see 2.5). However, it is not wise to make this explicit in translation. It will be better to leave the rendering indefinite, as does the original: “the injured party” (Moffatt); “the one who was hurt” (Contemporary English Version).

The Greek word translated as zeal in Revised Standard Version is the same word translated as “eagerness” by Revised Standard Version in 7.11 and is not the same as the Greek word translated as “zeal” in 7.11. Nevertheless, here it seems to be synonymous with the Greek word translated as “zeal” in verse 11. God’s New Covenant says “your earnest concern for us.”

In order that your zeal for us might be revealed to you: Paul here states positively the purpose of his writing after indicating two possible reasons that he did not have in mind. That is, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the person who had been wronged. Rather it was to bring about an understanding of how much the Corinthians cared for Paul and his associates. Since Paul is attempting to get the readers of his letter to become aware of something within themselves, some languages may require special grammatical forms or idiomatic expressions here. Although this is stated using a passive verb in Revised Standard Version, an active formulation will be required in many languages. One may consider saying something like “Rather I wrote to you so that you might see how much you care for us” or “… in order that you might come to understand how much you really do love us.” Contemporary English Version makes God the implied agent in the verb “reveal” by translating “so that God would show you how much you do care for us.” On the other hand Furnish thinks that the implied agent is the Corinthian congregation itself, though this is less probable.

The phrase in the sight of God occurs also at 4.2. See the comments on the similar phrase in 2.17.

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 .

So: this logical transition word may also be rendered “Therefore” (Anchor Bible and Barclay) or “That is why” (Moffatt and Knox).

The past tense used at the beginning of this verse (I thought) is called by scholars an “epistolary” aorist (see 7.14; 8.17). This means that the writer uses the past tense, in the perspective of the readers for whom the time of Paul’s actions will be in the past when they read his letter. If the past tense in the receptor language will indicate that Paul had already sent the brothers on to Corinth before writing these words, the use of the present tense may be better: “So I think it is necessary…” (though see comments on 2 Cor. 9.3). It is true, of course, that Paul continues to have this opinion. However, if in the receptor language the writer of a letter takes the point of view of the readers, the past tense may be preferred.

As in verse 3, Good News Translation says “these brothers,” since Paul is referring to persons whom he has already mentioned in chapter 8 (though see comments on 2 Cor. 9.3).

Arrange in advance: the verb so translated is found only in this verse but comes from a more frequently occurring verb that involves repairing, arranging, or putting things in order. An added prefix here indicates that the verbal action is done beforehand or in advance. Titus and his companions were to go ahead of Paul and make sure that the money promised was actually collected. God’s New Covenant translates “making things straight well in advance,” and New Century Version has “finish getting in order.”

This gift you have promised is literally “your promised blessing.” Though the Greek does not indicate to whom the promise was made, the context seems to indicate that they promised Paul.

An exaction: the verb that comes from the same root as this noun occurs in 2.11 and 7.2, where Revised Standard Version translates as “gaining an advantage over” someone and “take advantage of” someone. The New International Version translation “grudgingly given” perhaps fails to capture an important aspect of meaning. Paul wants the Corinthians to have the money ready before he arrives, lest it appear that he uses force or other inappropriate methods to obtain money from them. Perhaps a better translation is “an extortion” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible), or “because I have forced you to give,” or “not as money wrung [or, squeezed] out of you” (Moffatt).

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 .

As the note in TEV indicates, some manuscripts have the plural (literally “such terrible deaths”), while others have the singular. It is difficult to decide which reading is more likely to have been original, though the meaning is basically the same in either case.

Other differences occur in the Greek manuscripts of this verse. Some omit the words and he will deliver us. Other manuscripts read “he delivers us” (King James Version, Reina-Valera revisada) instead of he will deliver us. This provides a neat past, present, and future use of the same verb, but most scholars prefer the reading followed by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. Some languages must distinguish between the near future and the distant future; here Paul seems to be referring to the near future. The verb translated deliver may also be rendered “preserve” or “rescue.” This same term is found in 2 Tim 4.17 in the sense of being rescued from the jaws of a lion. The word used here is not the one usually translated “save” in English. Some languages may say something like “snatched us from the jaws of death,” or “pulled us out of the way of death,” or “turned us from the road of death.”

We have set our hope: this English expression represents a single verb in Greek that has the same root as the noun in verse 7. In a number of languages it will be rendered something like “we have placed our hearts [on him],” or the whole phrase may read “we trust him [God] to rescue us from the dangers to come.”

That he will deliver us again: these words express the content of the hope or the object of the verb to hope (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). Some Greek manuscripts, however, omit the word that. Translations that follow the manuscripts without the word that begin a new sentence with this clause: “and he will deliver us again, he on whom our hope is fixed. Yes, he will continue to deliver us” (Revised English Bible). The Greek text, as represented by Revised English Bible, does not state explicitly what the content of the hope is. Nor does the Greek state explicitly the grammatical object of the verb deliver in this case. It is, however, easily supplied from the first verb in this verse. This may be done by repeating “deliver us from death” or by adding a different expression synonymous with death or destruction. Other languages may say “prevent us from dying” or “keep us alive.”

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 .