complete verse (2 Corinthians 12:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 12:17:

  • Uma: “Not true! The people I sent to you, were there any who tricked you, with the result that I got benefits? There were none.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “How did I fool you? Were you cheated by the people I sent to you?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if that is what you think, you just show me that way was that I cheated you. Was there anything that I got from you when I sent my companions to you? Did they cheat you?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “How indeed have I done that? Go-on please and say. Have I cheated you by means of those whom I have been sending to you?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But how can that be? As for those people that I sent to you, are you thinking that I sent them to fool you?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Do you think that some person I have sent to you has extracted money from you? No, there isn’t it.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 2 Corinthians 12:17

On the verb take advantage of, see comments on 7.2.

The identity of those whom I sent to you becomes clear in the next verse. Paul’s question is rhetorical. He knows that the correct answer is that he did not take advantage of the Corinthians.

Some translators may wish to recast this verse as follows: “Among those people whom I sent to you, did any of them take advantage of you for me?” or, translating the rhetorical question as a statement, “I certainly did not make any of those people I sent take advantage of you.”

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Corinthians 12:17

12:17 Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?

Have I taken advantage of you through any of the people I have sent to you? (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Certainly I have not cheated you by means of any of the ones I sent to you, have I?
-or-
Indeed, I have not exploited you (plur.) when I sent to you people ⌊at various times⌋.

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