¹ tn Or “our trials”; traditionally, “our affliction.” The term θλῖψις (qliyi") refers to trouble (including persecution) that involves direct suffering (L&N 22.2).

² tn Or “any trials”; traditionally, “any affliction.”

³ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1., where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

⁴ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

⁵ tn Grk “we ourselves had the sentence of death within ourselves.” Here ἀπόκριμα (apokrima) is being used figuratively; no actual official verdict had been given, but in light of all the difficulties that Paul and his colleagues had suffered, it seemed to them as though such an official verdict had been rendered against them (L&N 56.26).

⁶ tn Or “might not put confidence in ourselves.”

⁷ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative clause “who delivered us…” was made a separate sentence in the translation.

⁸ tn Grk “deliver us, on whom we have set our hope.”

⁹ tc Several important witnesses, especially Alexandrian (Ì⁴⁶ B D* 0121 0243 1739 1881 pc Did), lack ὅτι ({oti, “that”) here, while others, most notably Western (D¹ F G 104 630 1505 pc ar b sy^h Or Ambst), lack ἔτι (eti, “yet”). Most mss, including important Alexandrians (א A C D² Ψ 33 Ï f t vg), have the full expression ὅτι καὶ ἔτι ({oti kai eti). Although the predominantly Alexandrian reading has much to commend it, the fact that either ὅτι or ἔτι has been dropped, while the καί has been retained, suggests that the original wording had ὅτι καὶ ἔτι, and that either particle dropped out intentionally for stylistic reasons. (F and G have the order καί ὅτι, suggesting that in their archetype the ἔτι was unintentionally dropped due to homoioteleuton.) If, however, ὅτι is not authentic, v. 10b should be translated “We have set our hope on him, and he will deliver us again.” Overall, a decision is difficult, but preference should be given to ὅτι καὶ ἔτι.

¹⁰ tn Grk “so that thanks may be given by many.” The words “to God” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. The passive construction has been converted to an active one for clarity, in keeping with contemporary English style.

¹¹ tn The words “to you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

¹² sn So that when I came. Regarding this still future visit by Paul, see 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1.

¹³ tn Or “I had no peace of mind.”

¹⁴ tn Or “I took my leave of them.”

¹⁵ tn Since this refers to the outset of a journey, the aorist ἐξῆλθον (exhlqon) is taken ingressively.

¹⁶ tn The participle καπηλεύοντες (kaphleuonte") refers to those engaged in retail business, but with the negative connotations of deceptiveness and greed – “to peddle for profit,” “to huckster” (L&N 57.202). In the translation a noun form (“hucksters”) has been used in combination with the English verb “peddle…for profit” to convey the negative connotations of this term.

¹⁷ tn Or “in the presence of.”

¹⁸ tn Or “persons of pure motives.”

¹⁹ tn Or “of unbelievers.”

²⁰ tn Grk “the gospel of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

²¹ tn Or “so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ would not be evident to them” (L&N 28.37).

²² tn Or “may also be revealed.”

²³ tn Grk “mortal flesh.”

²⁴ tn Grk “speak, because.” A new sentence was started here in the translation, with the words “We do so” supplied to preserve the connection with the preceding statement.

²⁵ tc ‡ Several important witnesses (א C D F G Ψ 1881), as well as the Byzantine text, add κύριον (kurion) here, changing the reading to “the Lord Jesus.” Although the external evidence in favor of the shorter reading is slim, the witnesses are important, early, and diverse (Ì⁴⁶ B [0243 33] 629 [630] 1175* [1739] pc r sa). Very likely scribes with pietistic motives added the word κύριον, as they were prone to do, thus compounding this title for the Lord.

²⁶ tn Or “that is abounding to.”

²⁷ tn Or “to abound.”

²⁸ sn See the note in 5:1 on the phrase the tent we live in.

²⁹ tn Or “we are burdened.”

³⁰ sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a common item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city. Use of the term in reference to Christ’s judgment would be familiar to Paul’s 1st century readers.

³¹ tn Or “whether good or bad.”

³² tn Grk “we know.”

³³ tn Grk “no one according to the flesh.”

³⁴ tn Grk “we have known Christ according to the flesh.”

³⁵ sn See 2 Cor 1:4-7.

³⁶ tn The words “with you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

³⁷ 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.”

³⁸ tn Or “comfort,” “consolation.”

³⁹ 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.

⁴⁰ tn Or “your grieving,” “your deep sorrow.”

⁴¹ tn Or “your zeal.”

⁴² tn Grk “were grieved” (so also twice later in the verse).

⁴³ 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.

⁴⁴ tn Grk “so that you did not suffer loss.”

⁴⁵ tn Grk “but in order that your eagerness on our behalf might be revealed to you.”

⁴⁶ tn Grk “I have not been put to shame”; the words “by you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

⁴⁷ tn Grk “just as we spoke everything to you in truth.”

⁴⁸ tn The words “about you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

⁴⁹ tn Or “generosity.”

⁵⁰ tn Grk “who.”

⁵¹ tn Or “abound.”

⁵² tn Or “so that by having enough.” The Greek participle can be translated as a participle of cause (“because you have enough”) or means (“by having enough”).

⁵³ tn Or “abound.”

⁵⁴ tn The phrase is close to a recognized idiom for judging based on outward appearances (L&N 30.120). Some translators see a distinction, however, and translate 2 Cor 10:7a as “Look at what is in front of your eyes,” that is, the obvious facts of the case (so NRSV).

⁵⁵ tn The word “us” is not in the Greek text but is supplied. Indirect objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, and must be supplied for the modern English reader.

⁵⁶ tn Grk “I will not be put to shame,” “I will not be ashamed.” The words “of doing so” are supplied to clarify for the reader that Paul will not be ashamed of boasting somewhat more about the authority the Lord gave him (beginning of v. 8).

⁵⁷ sn Unskilled in speaking means not professionally trained as a rhetorician.

⁵⁸ tn Or “am foolish.”