2 Corinthians 7:4

A Letter That Caused Sadness

7:4 I have great confidence in you; I take great pride ¹  on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement; ²  I am overflowing with joy in the midst of ³  all our suffering.

2 Corinthians 7:7

7:7 We were encouraged ⁴  not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement ⁵  you gave ⁶  him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, ⁷  your deep concern ⁸  for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

2 Corinthians 7:13

7:13 Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit. ⁹ 

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¹ tn Grk “great is my boasting.”

² tn Or “comfort.”

³ tn Grk “I am overflowing with joy in all our suffering”; the words “in the midst of” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to clarify that Paul is not rejoicing in the suffering itself, but in his relationship with the Corinthians in the midst of all his suffering.

⁴ 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.”

⁵ tn Or “comfort,” “consolation.”

⁶ 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.

⁷ tn Or “your grieving,” “your deep sorrow.”

⁸ tn Or “your zeal.”

⁹ tn Or “all of you have put his mind at ease.”