But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe.
Parallel translations
- WEB But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I not press too heavily) to you all.
- KJV But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
- BSB Now if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me but all of you—to some degree, not to overstate it.
- NASB But if anyone has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not for me, but in some degree—not to say too much—for all of you.
- NLT I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me.
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 addresses an offender whose actions grieved the whole church, not just himself. He treats the offense as a shared wound, handled with restraint.
Overview
Paul speaks carefully of someone who had caused sorrow, framing it as affecting the whole congregation rather than dwelling on personal injury. His measured language ('that I not press too heavily') shows pastoral gentleness even toward a wrongdoer. This prepares the way for his call to forgiveness and restoration of the repentant offender.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Cor 5:12–13For what do I have to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within?
- Gal 4:12I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,
- 1 Cor 5:1–5It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles, that one has his father’s wife.
- Gal 5:10I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
- Prov 17:25A foolish son brings grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.
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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 2:5 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.