On the pronouns, see comments on 2 Cor. 3.4.

The words Not that which begin this verse indicate that Paul is clarifying his preceding words, lest the readers misunderstand (see also 1.24). God’s New Covenant makes this relationship explicit by inserting the word “However”: “However, it is not that….” Some languages may have to begin this verse by saying “I do not mean to say that…” (compare New Century Version: “I do not mean that we are able to say…”). And others may say “But it is not true that….”

In the context the word anything refers to the gospel and the call to preach the gospel, what Good News Translation calls “doing this work.”

Verse 5 consists of two parts that contrast with one another: reliance on self and reliance on God. God’s New Covenant heightens the contrast that is implicit in Greek by adding the word “No” at the beginning of the second half of this verse: “No, such competence as we have comes to us from God.”

The words competence and “capacity” (Good News Translation) may be particularly difficult to translate into some languages. The term has to do with adequacy for a task and is translated elsewhere in this letter as “enough” (2.6) and “sufficient” (2.16). Used with the negative in 1 Cor 15.9 it yields the meaning “unfit.” Some possible models to translate this idea are as follows: “God gives us what it takes to do all that we need to do” (Contemporary English Version) or, using the causative form of the verb, “but it is God who causes us to be able to do this work” or “God is the one who makes us fit for the task,” but this may anticipate a form that will have to be used in the following verse. Another possible model is “all our ability comes from God” (Knox).

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 used here links the following verses closely to 4.17-18. But if no new paragraph break is used here, it may be possible in some languages to leave it untranslated, as in Revised English Bible and Contemporary English Version.

We: on the first person plural pronouns, see the comments on 4.16.

If the earthly tent we live in is literally “if the house of our earthly tent.” The word if does not indicate doubt as to the reality of death, but rather the uncertainty of when this will happen. Good News Translation makes this meaning clear by saying “when” rather than “if” (so also God’s New Covenant). Some languages may need to say “whenever it happens that….” Of course it is possible that Paul wrote if with the thought in mind that he might still be alive when Christ returned (see 1 Thes 4.13-17).

The figurative use of tent points to the fact that life on earth is not permanent. In some languages it may be necessary to translate tent as “temporary dwelling.” Good News Translation makes explicit that the earthly tent is a metaphor for “our body here on earth.” A different structure that may be more easily adaptable as a model for other languages may be Contemporary English Version, which makes a separate sentence of this: “Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth.”

Destroyed: most likely Paul is thinking of the moment of death, but perhaps the present suffering that leads to the ruin of the physical body is more the point of meaning. The Greek verb here is used of dismantling a tent. Some translations preserve the imagery of taking down a tent: Martin, “dismantled”; New Jerusalem Bible, “folded up.” Since the verb in this case is passive, some languages may use the verb “to die” actively in this context. Or it may be possible to talk about the earthly tent coming to an end.

We have a building from God: the present tense is used in Greek (“we have”). Paul is so certain of this future reality that he speaks of it as a present reality. Some English translations maintain the present tense, while others, like Good News Translation, use a future tense: “God will have a house.” In other languages it will be more natural to turn the sentence around and say “God will give us a house…” or, where the habitual form is appropriate in such a context, “God gives us houses….”

Although the words for building and house in this verse are not identical, they are used synonymously, and there is no reason for translators to be concerned if different terms cannot be found in the receptor language.

A house not made with hands: this expression points to the spiritual nature of the house. Good News Translation says “a home which he [God] himself has made.” Some other possible models are “human beings did not build this house” or “it was not people who erected this structure, but God did it.”

Eternal in the heavens: the word eternal here links this image to the discussion in 4.18, where the same term is used. And the words in the heavens contrasts with earthly earlier in this verse.

The structure of Revised Standard Version in this verse is rather complex, and it may be unwise to try to imitate it in the receptor language. It will probably have to be broken down into shorter, simpler sentences in many languages. One possibility is as follows: “For we know that our bodies here on earth are like tents. And if they die, God will give us a house in his place, which is not made by human beings. Rather it is made by God himself, and it will last forever.”

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 .

A literal translation of this verse is “You are not squeezed [or, crushed] by us, but you are squeezed [or, crushed] by your bowels.” All of this verse is metaphorical language, and it continues to deal with the figure of space in verse 11, “our heart is wide.” In biblical Greek the bowels are the seat of emotions, hence affections (Revised Standard Version) and “hearts” (Good News Translation). Paul says that he is not squeezing the Corinthians into a small place where there is little room for affection. Any restriction of space for affection is on their side. Good News Translation captures the sense of the original, as does Contemporary English Version: “We are not holding back on our love for you, but you are holding back on your love for us.” Knox provides another possible model: “it is not our fault, it is the fault of your own affections, that you feel constraint with us.” Or some translators may prefer “We have not stopped loving you, but it is your love for us that has grown weak [or, cold].” Note how several of these modern versions have had to abandon the figure of space, since local expressions of affection do not deal with such figures of speech, or else use other figures such as warm and cold, strong and weak.

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 .

While there is no new paragraph here in Revised Standard Version, it will probably be better to follow Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, and others in making a break at this point.

In this matter is simply “in this” in Greek. These words may look back to what Paul has just written about the reality of their love, or it may look ahead to his comments about the collection. The latter seems probable, though Paul’s comments about their “love” and about “the collection” are closely related. If it seems necessary to clarify the meaning, translators may consider the following models: “I will tell you what I think about the collection…” or “Now about the matter of gathering money, I want you to know how I feel….”

It is best for you …: literally “for this is fitting for you who were the kind of people not only to do….” The Greek pronoun is not the simple relative pronoun “who.” It is difficult in translation to capture the sense of the pronoun “who were the kind of people,” and neither Revised Standard Version nor Good News Translation do so. God’s New Covenant attempts to preserve the force of this Greek pronoun: “I am simply offering an opinion, that being the proper course to take with people like you who led the way….” Martin also attempts to maintain the force of the Greek pronoun: “for this advice befits you, you who last year were those who….”

A year ago is literally “from last year.” The period covered can be from a couple of months ago to twenty-three months ago. The Greek does not necessarily mean “twelve months ago.” Both a year ago and “last year” are possible translations. The Revised Standard Version translation suggests an interval of twelve months, which is more precise than what we can really know.

You began: the Greek word translated as you began in Revised Standard Version is ambiguous. Literally the word is “you began beforehand,” and Revised Standard Version does not fully capture the sense of this verb. Probably it means that the Corinthians began “first” (Good News Translation), that is, before the Macedonians (so also Martin; see 9.2). Although less likely, it is possible that this means that they began “before Titus had come to Corinth.”

Not only to do but to desire: the logical order is that one first desires something and then one acts on that desire. Paul has reversed the order here, however, to give emphasis to their desire. For Paul it was important that the Corinthians began to collect money for the Christians in Jerusalem, but it was even more important that they had the desire to do so.

A possible model for this verse as a whole is provided by Knox: “I am only giving you my advice, then, in this matter: you can claim that as your due, since it was you who led the way, not only in acting, but in proposing to act, as early as last year.” Providing a different model, Contemporary English Version restructures the verse as follows: “A year ago you were the first ones to give, and you gave because you wanted to. So listen to my advice. [11] I think you should finish what you started.” It should be noted, however, that the Revised Standard Version words now to complete occur as a part of this verse; yet Contemporary English Version translates them as the first part of verse 11, which is where the idea of completion is found in Greek. The problem is that Revised Standard Version has expressed the idea of completing in this verse and then repeated it in the following verse, but Contemporary English Version has chosen to translate this idea only once.

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: this indicates the logical continuation of Paul’s argument. In some cases it may be rendered “indeed….” But it is possible to leave the logical connection implicit.

On the pronoun we or our, see 2 Cor. 10.3.

The weapons … are not worldly is literally “the weapons … are not fleshly,” that is, not strictly human. On “flesh” see 2 Cor. 10.2 above.

Warfare translates a military term meaning “military campaign.” But it may have to be translated “struggle” or “battle” in some languages.

Divine power: that is, power from God.

To destroy strongholds is literally “for the demolition of strongholds” (Anchor Bible), or “fortresses.” This continues the use of military terminology. Where the idea of fortified military installations are unknown, it is reasonable to say “put an end to the strength of the enemy” or “tear down defenses that are difficult to destroy.”

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 .

Of worldly things is literally “according to flesh.” Revised English Bible says “of their earthly distinctions” (similarly New American Bible). Anchor Bible, on the other hand, translates “in a worldly way,” indicating that this expression refers to the manner in which the boasting is done rather than the things of which other people boast. The latter interpretation seems somewhat more likely and is followed by New International Version, “in the way the world does.”

As in 11.16, Paul says that he too will boast, that is, in addition to the many. In this context, many is an indirect reference to the “superapostles.”

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 .

I urged Titus: see the similar expression in 8.6.

To go, that is, “to visit you” (Contemporary English Version).

Sent: if chapters 10–13 are originally part of the same letter as chapters 1–9, then the verb sent is possibly an epistolary aorist (see 8.17) and may be translated as “I am sending.” That is, the trip of 8.17 has not yet begun at the time Paul writes this letter, and 12.18 refers to the same upcoming trip. It is also possible that sent refers to an earlier visit than the one mentioned in 8.17, and should therefore be translated with the past tense as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. If chapters 10–13 were written later than chapters 1–9 and formed part of a separate letter, then Paul is indeed referring to a past action, and the past tense sent should be used. On the question of whether chapters 10–13 were part of a separate and later letter from chapters 1–9, see “Translating 2 Corinthians,” page 3.

Since Paul mentions only one brother here, it may be that 12.18 refers to an early trip by Titus and one other person, and does not refer to the trip that Titus and two brothers are about to make to Corinth (chapter 8). If an earlier trip is being referred to here, then the verb should be translated in the past tense, sent.

The brother does not have a possessive pronoun in Greek. Languages that must have a possessive pronoun may say “our [not including the readers] brother.” Revised English Bible says “I sent our friend,” but the English is ambiguous as to whether “our” includes the readers also. The brother is not identified, but he may be the brother mentioned in 8.16-19. Surely the Corinthians knew this Christian brother, especially if he had already been sent to Corinth earlier. So Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente correctly says “that other brother whom you know.”

We: in this case the first person plural pronoun refers to Paul and Titus. It is probably better translated “he and I” in this context.

Same spirit: the reference here is probably not to the Holy Spirit (compare Rom 8.4 and Gal 5.16) but to the way of thinking of the two men, as in 7.13, where the word used here is translated “mind.”

As in the previous verse, Paul’s questions here are all rhetorical. He knows that Titus did not take advantage of them, that he acted in the same spirit as Titus did, and that he behaved in the same way as Titus did. If this series of questions is transformed to emphatic statements, they may read something like this: “Titus certainly did not take advantage of you. He and I acted in the same way and with the same motive.” Or it may be possible to provide the answer to the question in translation, as New Century Version does: “Titus did not cheat you, did he? No, you know that Titus and I did the same thing and with the same spirit.”

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 .