(Pioneer Bible Translators and The Word for the World use the following introduction in many of their translation projects around the world.)
2 Corinthians was written by the Apostle Paul around 55-56 after the birth of Christ (1:1). This is the second of two letters we have that Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. Scholars believe that Paul had previously written a severe letter to the Corinthians. We do not have any copies of this letter to which he refers in 2:3–4. 2 Corinthians was most likely written when Paul was in Macedonia (2:13).
2 Corinthians is unique in that it is a very personal and emotional letter. Paul expresses his joy about the good report he received from Titus about the church in Corinth. In this letter, we find detailed teaching about giving from a New Testament perspective, in the section where Paul gives instructions for a collection of money to be taken up to help the believers in Jerusalem (8-9). It seems that some false apostles from outside the church were using the hostility of certain people in the church against Paul to promote themselves. They were casting doubt on Paul’s authority, which may be what prompted him to strongly affirm his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ towards the end of the letter.
Outline:
1. Paul begins his letter by greeting the church (1:1-7).
2. Next Paul talks about his change in travel plans and the report he received about them and their response to his previous letter (1:8-7:16).
3. After that, Paul gives instructions concerning the collection of money for the believers in Jerusalem (8:1-9:15).
4. Finally, Paul gives a defense for his apostleship and gives warnings about his next visit (10:1-13:10)
La deuxième lettre aux Corinthiens a été écrite par l’apôtre Paul environ 55 -56 ans après la naissance de Christ (1 :1). C’est la seconde des deux lettres que nous avons que Paul a écrites à l’église à Corinthe. Les experts croient que Paul avait écrit précédemment une lettre sévère aux Corinthiens. Aucune copie de cette lettre n’existe plus, mais Paul en fait mention (2 :3-4). Il est très probable que Paul a écrit la lettre quand il séjournait en Macédoine (2 :13).
2 Corinthiens est unique en ce qu’elle est une lettre très personnelle et pleine d’émotion. Paul exprime la joie qu’il a ressentie en entendant le bon rapport qu’il a reçu de Tite au sujet de l’église à Corinthe. Dans cette lettre nous trouvons des enseignements minutieux au sujet de la collecte dans la perspective du Nouveau Testament et spécialement dans la section où Paul donne des instructions qu’on fasse qu’une collecte soit prise pour aider les croyants qui étaient à Jérusalem. (8-9) Il parait qu’il y avait de faux apôtres, venus du dehors de l’église profitaient de l’hostilité que certaines personnes dans l’église avaient envers Paul pour se mettre elles-mêmes en avant. Elles mettaient en doute l’autorité de Paul ; c’est ce qui l’a poussé probablement vers la fin de la lettre à affirmer vigoureusement l’autorité qu’il avait comme apôtre de Jésus- Christ.
Résumé
1.Paul commence sa lettre en saluant l’église (1 :1-7)
2. Ensuite Paul écrit au sujet du changement de ses plans de voyage, du rapport qu’il a reçu à leur sujet et de leur réponse à sa lettre précédente (1 :8 – 7 :16).
3. Après cela, Paul donne des instructions concernant la collecte pour les croyants qui se trouvent à Jérusalem (8 :1 – 9 :15).
4. Enfin, Paul fait la défense de sa position comme apôtre et donne des avertissements de sa prochaine visite. (10 :1 – 13 :10)
Translation: Swahili
Utangulizi wa kitabu cha 2 Wakorintho
Kitabu cha 2 Wakorintho kiliandikwa na Mtume Paulo kati ya mwaka 55 na 56 baada ya kuzaliwa Yesu Kristo (1:1). Hii ni barua ya pili kati ya zile tulizonazo zilizoandikwa na Paulo kwa kanisa la Korintho. Wasomi huamini kwamba Paulo alikuwa punde kidogo amewaandikia Wakorintho barua kali sana. Hatuna nakala yoyote ya barua hii ambayo Mtume Paulo anaitaja katika sura 2:3-4. 2 Wakorintho yawezekana iliandikwa wakati Paulo alipokuwa Makedonia (2:13).
2 Wakorintho ni barua ya kipekee kwani inaeleza mengi yanayomhusu Paulo mwenyewe pamoja na hisia zake. Paulo anaelezea furaha yake iliyotokana na habari njema kuhusu kanisa la Korintho alizozipokea kutoka kwa Tito. Ndani ya barua hii, tunapata mafundisho ya kina kuhusu suala la utoaji kwa mtazamo wa Agano Jipya, katika sehemu ambamo ndani yake Paulo anatoa maagizo kwa ajili ya changizo ya fedha kufanyika ili kuwasaidia waumini waliokuwa Yerusalemu (8-9). Inaonekana kwamba baadhi ya mitume wa uwongo waliokuwa si wa kanisa walitumia chuki walizopandikiza ndani ya watu wa kanisa dhidi ya Paulo, kwa lengo la kujijengea umaarufu wao binafsi. Walijaribu kuwafanya watu waone mashaka kuhusiana na mamlaka ya kitume ya Paulo, jambo lililomfanya atumie kauli zenye nguvu mwishoni mwa 2 Wakorintho kuthibitisha mamlaka yake yeye mwenyewe kama mtume wa Yesu Kristo.
Muhtasari:
1. Paulo anaanza kuiandika barua yake kwa kulisalimu kanisa (1:1-7).
2. Kisha Paulo anazungumzia mabadilko ya mipango ya safari zake, na taarifa zinazowahusu alizozipokea, na mwitikio wao juu ya barua yake iliyotangulia (1:8-7:16).
3. Baada ya hapo, Paulo anatoa maagizo kuhusu changizo la fedha kuwasaidia waumini walioko Yerusalemu (8:1-9:15).
4. Mwishoni, Paulo anatoa utetezi kwa ajili ya utume wake, na anatoa maonyo juu ya safari yake iliyokuwa inakaribia (10:1-13:10)
(The Catholic Christian Community Bible [first English edition 1997, other translations into Indonesian, Chinese, Cebuano, Chavacano, French, Ilonggo, Korean, Quechuan, Spanish, and Tagalog] “for the Christian Communities of the Third World” uses the following introduction.)
At the end of his first letter to the Corinthians Paul expressed the desire to come back and see them soon. He was unable to return, and they took this badly.
“Judaizing” preachers, that is to say, those Jews insufficiently converted to Christ, whom Paul had to face all the time, were trying to undermine his authority. Paul sent a messenger whom the Corinthians deeply offended: some members of the community were openly rebelling against the apostle. Paul responded in a letter “written in the midst of tears” (2:4) whereby he demanded the submission of the community. One of Paul’s best assistants, Titus, brought the letter and concluded his mission successfully. Upon Titus’ return, Paul, reassured, sent this “second” letter (in fact it was the third or fourth) to the Corinthians.
What is the content of this letter? What Paul feels with regard to the Corinthians and what he suffers from their lack of understanding. It is not much and yet it is a great deal. Paul is incapable of speaking about himself without speaking of Christ. This restless man, eager for understanding and affection, is so permeated with the love of Christ, that he cannot express a suspicion or a reproach without giving most profound sermons on faith. In trying to justify himself he writes the most beautiful pages on evangelization and on what it means to be an apostle of Christ.
We shall see that this letter includes pages which were not a part of it – fragments of other letters or notes sent by Paul to the Church of Corinth: in particular, 6:14-18 was probably written before our First Letter to the Corinthians; chapter 9; the chapters 10–13 which should contain a good part of the “letter written in tears” (see preceding paragraph).
Down below are the introductions in the Mandarin Chinese, Tagalog, Cebuano, and Spanish editions.
Sa katapusan ng kanyang unang sulat sa mga taga-Corinto, sinabi ni Pablo na gusto niyang makabalik doon at makita silang muli. Ngunit hindi siya nakabalik kayat labis na sumama ang kanilang loob.
May mga Kristiyanong mangangaral na gustong gawing Judio pa rin ang mga sasampalataya kay Kristo. Mga Judio ang mga ito na may “hilaw” na pananampalataya, at sila ang malimit na kailangang harapin ni Pablo pagkat hangad nilang “sulutin” ang kanyang awtoridad. Nagpadala si Pablo ng sugo na lubha namang nasaktan sa mga taga-Corinto. May ilang kasapi ng pamayanan na lantarang nagrerebelde laban sa apostol. Isang liham na “sinulat sa matinding pighati” (2:4) ang sagot ni Pablo, dito niya hini¬hinging sumunod ang pamayanan. Si Tito na isa sa mahuhusay na katuwang ni Pablo ang nagdala ng liham at maayos naman nitong natupad ang kanyang misyon. Sa pagbabalik ni Tito, nagkaroon ng katiyakan si Pablo, at ipinadala niya ang “ikalawang” sulat na ito sa mga taga-Corinto (na sa katunaya’y ikatlo o ikapat).
Ano ang nilalaman ng sulat na ito? Ang damdamin ni Pablo para sa mga taga-Corinto at ang pagdurusa niya dahil sa kakulangan nila ng pang-unawa. Hindi makapangungusap si Pablo tungkol sa kanyang sarili nang hindi siya nagsasalita tungkol kay Kristo. Punung-puno ng pag-ibig ni Kristo ang taong ito na walang kapahingahan sa hangad na siya ay mahalin at maunawaan. Kayat maging hinala man o pangaral ang kanyang sinasabi, nakapaloob ito sa mahusay na paglalahad tungkol sa pananampalataya. Sa pagsisikap niyang maipagtanggol ang sarili, naisulat niya ang pinakamagandang pahina tungkol sa pag-eebanghelyo at sa kahulugan ng pagiging apostol ni Kristo.
Mapapansin natin na may mga pahina ang sulat na ito na hindi talaga bahagi nito kundi mula sa iba pang mga sulat o paalala na ipinadala rin ni Pablo sa Iglesya sa Corinto: ang talataang 6:14-18 na malamang na nasulat bago ang Unang Sulat sa Mga Taga-Corinto, ang kabanata 9 (basahin ang paliwanag sa 9:1), at ang mga kabanata 10–13 na naglalaman ng malaking bahagi ng liham na “sinulat sa gitna ng matinding pighati” (basahin ang talata sa itaas).
Translation: Cebuano
Sa kataposang bahin sa una niyang sulat sa taga Corinto, gipadayag ni Pablo ang tinguha pagbalik ug pagpakigkita nila sa dili madugay. Apan wala ni matuman, ug ngil-ad kaayo ang pagsabot ini.
Ang problema mao ang mga Judio nga dili pa hingpit nga nakabig kang Cristo. Mireklamo sila sa awtoridad ni Pablo sa pagwali. Busa, nagpadala siyag sinugo nga napasakitan pag-ayo sa taga Corinto, kay dunay uban nila nga dayag nga nakigbatok sa apostol.
Agig tubag, gisulatan sila ni Pablo nga puno “sa kaguol ug kasakit “ (2:4) nga nag-awhag sa pagsunod kanunay sa katilingban. Gidala ni ni Tito, ang pinalabing tinun-an ni Pablo nga nagmalamposon sa misyon. Ang taho ni Tito nakaaghat ni Pablo sa paghimo ining ikaduhang sulat alang sa taga Corinto (gani ikatulo o ikaupat na ni).
Unsay nia ini? Unsay gibati ni Pablo bahin sa taga Corinto ug unsa kabug-at ang iyang giantos gumikan sa kagahi nilag ulo? Dili kaayo ni grabi, apan dili sab tiaw. Maglisod si Pablo pagpadayag sa kaugalingon nga dili molakbit paghisgot ni Cristo. Tawo siya nga dili mahimutang. Nagtinguha siya nga masabtan ug higugmaon; apan natuhopan siya pag-ayo sa gugma ni Cristo, nga dili niya ikapadayag ang iyang pagduda ug pagsaway kon dili apilan og lawom nga wali bahin sa pagtoo. Sa pagpanalipod niya sa kaugalingon nindot siyag nasulat bahin sa pagsangyaw sa Ebanghelyo ug sa kahulogan sa pagkaapostol ni Cristo.
Translation: Spanish
Al final de la primera carta a los Corintios, Pablo expresaba el deseo de volver a visitarlos muy pronto; pero como no lo pudo hacer, lo tomaron muy a mal.
Por otra parte, algunos predicadores “judaizantes”, es decir, judíos mal convertidos a Cristo, trataban de destruir entre los corintios la autoridad de Pablo, quien conociendo muy bien a unos y a otros, les envió un mensajero, que fue ofendido gravemente, e incluso algunos miembros de la comunidad se rebelaron abiertamente contra el apóstol.
Pablo respondió con una carta «escrita en medio de lágrimas» (2,4), en la que exigía la sumisión de la comunidad. Tito, el más capaz de los ayudantes de Pablo, fue el encargado de llevar esa carta, y su misión tuvo éxito. A su regreso, Pablo ya un poco más tranquilo, les envió esta «segunda» (que de hecho es la tercera o cuarta) carta a los corintios.
¿Qué dice esta carta? Lo que Pablo siente en sus dificultades con los corintios y su sufrimiento ante su falta de comprensión. Esto es a la vez poco y mucho, pues Pablo era incapaz de hablar de sí mismo sin hablar de Cristo. Ese hombre inquieto, que aspiraba a ser comprendido y amado, estaba tan compenetrado del amor de Cristo que no podía expresar ni siquiera una sospecha o un reproche sin llegar a los discursos más profundos de la fe. Al tratar de justificarse escribió las más bellas páginas sobre la evangelización y sobre lo que significa ser apóstol de Cristo.
Se constatará que el texto actual de esta carta contiene fragmentos de otras, o recados que había enviado Pablo a la Iglesia de Corinto. En particular, 6,14-18, que probablemente fue escrito antes de nuestra Primera Carta a los Corintios; el capítulo 9 (véase comentario a 9,1); los capítulos 10-13, que debieron contener buena parte de la «carta escrita en medio de lágrimas».
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