So I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you.
Parallel translations
- WEB But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow.
- KJV But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
- NKJV But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow.
- NASB But I decided this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again.
- NLT So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul resolved not to make another sorrowful visit to Corinth. He wanted his next coming to bring joy, not grief.
Overview
Following a painful earlier visit, Paul decided to delay returning so as not to repeat that sorrow. This explains his change of plans as deliberate love rather than fickleness. His desire to spare both himself and the church further pain shows the heart of a shepherd who seeks restored joy over confrontation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 2 Cor 13:10This is why I write these things while absent, so that when I am present I will not need to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
- 2 Cor 1:23I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.
- 2 Cor 12:20–21For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
- 2 Cor 2:4For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.
- 1 Cor 4:21Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
- 1 Cor 5:3Although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present.
- Acts 11:29So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
- 1 Cor 2:2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
- Titus 3:12As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there.
- 2 Cor 1:15–17Confident of this, I planned to visit you first, so that you might receive a double blessing.
- Acts 15:2And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
- 2 Cor 7:5–8For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction—conflicts on the outside, fears within.
- Acts 15:37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.
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Christ at the center
In Christ all God's promises are 'Yes and Amen'; though rich, he became poor to make us rich, and in him God reconciles the world, making us new creations.
How 2 Corinthians 2:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.