2 Corinthians 5:11

The Message of Reconciliation

5:11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, ¹  we try to persuade ²  people, ³  but we are well known ⁴  to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.

2 Corinthians 7:7

7:7 We were encouraged ⁵  not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement ⁶  you gave ⁷  him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, ⁸  your deep concern ⁹  for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

2 Corinthians 7:9

7:9 Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, ¹⁰  but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, ¹¹  so that you were not harmed ¹²  in any way by us.

2 Corinthians 7:12

7:12 So then, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, or on account of the one who was wronged, but to reveal to you your eagerness on our behalf ¹³  before God.

2 Corinthians 12:9

12:9 But ¹⁴  he said to me, “My grace is enough ¹⁵  for you, for my ¹⁶  power is made perfect ¹⁷  in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly ¹⁸  about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in ¹⁹  me.

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¹ tn Or “because we know what it means to fear the Lord.”

² tn The present tense of πείθομεν (peiqomen) has been translated as a conative present.

³ tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is generic here since clearly both men and women are in view (Paul did not attempt to win only men to the gospel he preached).

⁴ tn Or “clearly evident.” BDAG 1048 s.v. φανερόω 2.b.β has “θεῷ πεφανερώμεθα we are well known to God 2 Cor 5:11a, cp. 11b; 11:6 v.l.”

⁵ tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “We were encouraged.”

⁶ tn Or “comfort,” “consolation.”

⁷ tn Grk “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged by you.” The passive construction was translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style, and the repeated word “encouraged” was replaced in the translation by “gave” to avoid redundancy in the translation.

⁸ tn Or “your grieving,” “your deep sorrow.”

⁹ tn Or “your zeal.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “were grieved” (so also twice later in the verse).

¹¹ tn Grk “corresponding to God,” that is, corresponding to God’s will (κατὰ θεόν, kata qeon). The same phrase occurs in vv. 10 and 11.

¹² tn Grk “so that you did not suffer loss.”

¹³ tn Grk “but in order that your eagerness on our behalf might be revealed to you.”

¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” because of the contrast implicit in the context.

¹⁵ tn Or “is sufficient.”

¹⁶ tc The majority of later mss (א² A^c D¹ Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï) as well as some versional witnesses include the pronoun “my” here, but the omission of the pronoun has excellent external support (Ì^46vid א* A* B D* F G latt). Scribes probably added the pronoun for clarity, making the obvious referent explicit. This would also make “power” more parallel with “my grace.” Though the original text probably did not include “my,” scribes who added the word were following the sense of Paul’s statement.

tn The pronoun “my” was supplied in the translation to clarify the sense of Paul’s expression.

¹⁷ tn Or “my power comes to full strength.”

¹⁸ tn “Most gladly,” a comparative form used with superlative meaning and translated as such.

¹⁹ tn Or “may rest on.”