2 Corinthians 2:4

2:4 For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you.¹

2 Corinthians 2:13

2:13 I had no relief in my spirit,² because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-bye to them³ and set out⁴ for Macedonia.

2 Corinthians 4:6

4:6 For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,”⁵ is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge⁶ of God in the face of Christ.⁷

2 Corinthians 7:1

Self-Purification

7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves⁸ from everything that could defile the body⁹ and the spirit, and thus accomplish¹⁰ holiness out of reverence for God.¹¹

2 Corinthians 11:23

11:23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times.

2 Corinthians 12:2

12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven.

¹tn Or “the love that I have in great measure for you.”

²tn Or “I had no peace of mind.”

³tn Or “I took my leave of them.”

⁴tn Since this refers to the outset of a journey, the aorist ἐξῆλθον (exhlqon) is taken ingressively.

⁵sn An allusion to Gen 1:3; see also Isa 9:2.

⁶tn Grk “the light of the knowledge of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

⁷tc ‡ 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.

⁸tn Or “purify ourselves.”

⁹tn Grk “from every defilement of the flesh.”

¹⁰tn Grk “accomplishing.” The participle has been translated as a finite verb due to considerations of contemporary English style, and “thus” has been supplied to indicate that it represents a result of the previous cleansing.

¹¹tn Grk “in the fear of God.”