I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be saddened by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would share my joy.
Parallel translations
- WEB And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you.
- 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.
- 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.
- NASB This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy was the joy of you all.
- NLT That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful.
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 wrote a hard letter instead of visiting, so that when he came he would find joy rather than sorrow. He trusted that his joy and theirs were shared.
Overview
Rather than make a painful visit, Paul sent a corrective letter, confident that the Corinthians would respond rightly and that his joy would be their joy too. His pastoral strategy aimed at restoration without unnecessary grief. This shows wise, loving discipline that seeks the good of the whole church and shared rejoicing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Gal 5:10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.
- Phlm 1:21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
- 2 Cor 8:22And we are sending along with them our brother whose earnestness has been proven many times and in many ways, and now even more so by his great confidence in you.
- 2 Th 3:4And we have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.
- 2 Cor 7:12So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong or the one who was harmed, but rather that your earnestness on our behalf would be made clear to you in the sight of God.
- 2 Cor 1:15Confident of this, I planned to visit you first, so that you might receive a double blessing.
- 2 Cor 7:8Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Although I did regret it, I now see that my letter caused you sorrow, but only for a short time.
- 2 Cor 12:21I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.
- 2 Cor 7:6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,
- 1 Cor 4:21Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
- 2 Cor 12:11I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
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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 2:3 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.