2 Corinthians 2:3

2 Corinthians 2:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
• New International Version (NIV)I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all.

Context of 2 Corinthians 2:3

1Because of that, I decided not to visit you again at that time. I did not want to make you sad. 2You are the only people who can make me happy. So, if I make you sad, there will be nobody to make me happy. That is why I did not visit you. I wrote that letter to you instead. You are the people who should make me happy. I did not want you to make me sad when I visited you. I felt sure about all of you. I knew that, if I was happy, then all of you would be happy too. 4When I wrote that letter, I was very sad and upset. I cried a lot. I did not want to make you sad. Instead, I wanted you to know that I love you very much. 5Someone among you has done things that have made other people sad. That person has made me sad. But really he has made all of you much more sad than me. I do not want to say more about this than is necessary.

2 Corinthians 2:3 word by word

καὶ ἔγραψα τοῦτο αὐτό, ἵνα μὴ ἐλθὼν λύπην σχῶ ἀφ᾽ ὧν ἔδει με χαίρειν πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ πάντας ὑμᾶς ὅτι ἡ ἐμὴ χαρὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἐστιν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• I wroteγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• sameαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• lestἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• when I cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• I should haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• sorrowλύπηlupē · griefG3077
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• them of whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• oughtδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• to rejoiceχαίρωchairō · to rejoiceG5463
• having confidenceπείθωpeithō · to persuadeG3982
• inἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• myἐμόςemos · mineG1699
• joyχαράchara · joyG5479
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 2:3

• 1 Corinthians 4:21I will come and I will find out what is really true. So you must choose. Will I need to be angry and punish you? Or will I speak kind words to show that I love you? Which do you want me to do?
• 1 Corinthians 5:1We have heard bad news about what is happening among you. Some of you are having sex in wrong ways. We have heard that one man is even having sex with his own father's wife! Even people who do not know God do not do things as bad as that!
• 2 Corinthians 12:21I am afraid that I may be very sad when I come back to you. My God may cause me to feel ashamed about you. Some of you may still be doing bad and disgusting things. You may be having sex with people that you are not married to, or in other wrong ways. Those are the bad things that many of you did at one time. If you have not turned away from those bad things, that will make me weep.
• 2 Corinthians 13:1This is the third time that I will be coming to visit you. Remember this: ‘There must be two or three people to say certainly that another person has done something wrong. Two or three people must agree what has happened.’
• 2 Corinthians 12:11I am speaking like a proud fool, but you have made me do it. You yourselves should be saying good things about me. I may not be important. But I am as good as those very special apostles.
• 2 Corinthians 1:15So, because I was sure that you trusted me, I wanted to visit you twice. Then I could bring God's help to you twice. I decided to visit you first on my way to Macedonia. Then I would visit you again on my way back from Macedonia. After that, you could help to send me on my journey to Judea.
• 2 Corinthians 7:6But when people feel upset, God helps them to be strong. And God made us happy when Titus arrived.
• 2 Corinthians 8:22We will also send another believer along with the other men. This man has always shown us that we can trust him. He has wanted to help in many different ways. Now that he is very sure about you, he wants to help even more.
• Galatians 5:10But I feel sure about you, because we belong to the Lord. I know that you will agree with what I say about this. But as for the man who is confusing you, God will punish him. It does not matter who he is, God will punish him.
• Philemon 1:21I am sure that you will do what I ask. That is why I have written this letter to you. I know that you will do even more than this to help me.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 2:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3And I wrote this same unto you - This I particularly marked in my first epistle to you; earnestly desiring your reformation, lest, if I came before this had taken place, I must have come with a rod, and have inflicted punishment on the transgressors. See 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. My joy is the joy of you all - I know that ye wish my comfort as much as I wish yours.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And I wrote this same unto you - The words “this same” ( ͂ ̓̀ (touto auto) refer to what he had written to them in the former Epistle, particularly to what he had written in regard to the incestuous person, requiring them to excommunicate him. Probably the expression also includes the commands in his former Epistle to reform their conduct in general, and to put away the abuses and evil practices which prevailed in the church there. Lest when I came ……Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4After his painful visit (2:1), Paul wrote a letter with great anguish and many tears. It was meant for the Corinthians' benefit. That letter (see also 7:8–10) seems to have been lost. However, it effectively brought about the needed repentance and change.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. I wrote this same unto you--namely, that I would not come to you then (2Co 2:1), as, if I were to come then, it would have to be "in heaviness" (causing sorrow both to him and them, owing to their impenitent state). He refers to the first Epistle (compare 1Co 16:7; compare 1Co 4:19, 21; 5:2-7, 13). sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice--that is, sorrow from their impenitence, when he ought, on the contrary, to have joy from their penitent…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 2:3

• Church
• Joy
• Love

In the dictionaries

• Advantage
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Determine
• Sufficient
• Bible, the
• Church Government
• Confidence
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Paul, the Apostle

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings