2 Corinthians 2:14

Apostolic Ministry

2:14 But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession ¹  in Christ ²  and who makes known ³  through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place.

2 Corinthians 4:6

4:6 For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” ⁴  is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge ⁵  of God in the face of Christ. ⁶ 

2 Corinthians 8:7

8:7 But as you excel ⁷  in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you ⁸  – make sure that you excel ⁹  in this act of kindness ¹⁰  too.

2 Corinthians 11:6

11:6 And even if I am unskilled ¹¹  in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way.

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¹ tn Or “who always causes us to triumph.”

² tn Or “in the Messiah.”

³ tn Or “who reveals.”

⁴ sn An allusion to Gen 1:3; see also Isa 9:2.

⁵ tn Grk “the light of the knowledge of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

⁶ tc ‡ Most witnesses, including several early and important ones (Ì⁴⁶ א C H Ψ 0209 1739^c Ï sy), read ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (Ihsou Cristou, “Jesus Christ”), while other important witnesses, especially of the Western text (D F G 0243 630 1739* 1881 lat Ambst), have Χριστοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ. The reading with just Χριστοῦ is found in A B 33 {sa} Tert {Or Ath Chr}. Even though the witnesses for the shorter reading are not numerous, they are weighty. And in light of the natural scribal proclivity to fill out the text, particularly with reference to divine names, as well as the discrepancy among the witnesses as to the order of the names, the simple reading Χριστοῦ seems to be the best candidate for authenticity. NA²⁷ reads ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ with ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

⁷ tn Grk “as you abound.”

⁸ tc The reading “the love from us that is in you” is very difficult in this context, for Paul is here enumerating the Corinthians’ attributes: How is it possible for them to excel “in the love from us that is in you”? Most likely, because of this difficulty, several early scribes, as well as most later ones (א C D F G Ψ [33] Ï lat), altered the text to read “your love for us” (so NIV; Grk ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγάπῃ [ex Jumwn en Jhmin agaph]). The reading ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀγάπῃ (ex Jhmwn en Jumin agaph) is found, however, in excellent and early witnesses (Ì⁴⁶ B 0243 6 104 630 1175 1739 1881 co). As the harder reading it explains the rise of the other reading. What, then, is the force of “in the love from us that is in you”? Most likely, Paul is commending the Corinthians for excelling in deriving some inspiration from the apostles’ love for them.

⁹ tn Grk “you abound.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “this grace.”

¹¹ sn Unskilled in speaking means not professionally trained as a rhetorician.