2 Corinthians 2:3

Contextual Overview

¹So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. ¹ So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. ¹ So, I decided not to come just to be the bearer of bad news. ¹ But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again. ¹But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you again in sorrow. ¹ But it was my decision for myself, not to come again to you with sorrow. ¹ But I have judged this with myself, not to come back to you in grief. ¹ In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit. ¹ But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow. ¹ But I determined this with myself not to come to you again in grief.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I wrote: 1 Corinthians 4:21, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13

lest: 2 Corinthians 12:21, 2 Corinthians 13:1, 2 Corinthians 13:2

I ought: 2 Corinthians 12:11

having: 2 Corinthians 1:15, 2 Corinthians 7:6, 2 Corinthians 8:22, Galatians 5:10, Philemon 1:21

Reciprocal: Proverbs 17:21 - hath Romans 12:15 - Rejoice 2 Corinthians 7:5 - fears 2 Corinthians 7:7 - fervent 2 Corinthians 7:13 - we were 2 Corinthians 12:15 - will 2 Corinthians 13:10 - I write Philippians 1:6 - confident Philippians 2:2 - Fulfil Philippians 2:28 - and that 2 Thessalonians 3:4 - we have

Cross-References

Genesis 2:2
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

Genesis 2:2
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

Genesis 2:2
And on the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

Genesis 2:2
By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

Genesis 2:2
And in the seuenth day God ended his worke whiche he had made. And the seueth day he rested from all his worke which he had made.

Genesis 2:2
God finished the work he was doing, so on the seventh day he rested from his work.

Genesis 2:2
And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.

Genesis 2:2
And God fillide in the seuenthe dai his werk which he made; and he restide in the seuenthe dai fro al his werk which he hadde maad;

Genesis 2:2
And on the seuenth day God ended his worke, which hee had made: And he rested on the seuenth day from all his worke, which he had made.

Genesis 2:2
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I wrote this same unto you,.... Not what he had written in the preceding verse, or in 2 Corinthians 1:23, where he says, that his not coming to them as yet was to spare them; but what he had written to them in his former epistle, concerning the excommunication of the incestuous man, which had so much grieved both him and them; and this the apostle chose rather to order by writing, than in person; hoping to hear of their repentance and amendment, before he came among them:

lest, says he,

when I came, or should come,

I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; some copies and the Complutensian edition read, "sorrow upon sorrow"; and so does the Vulgate Latin version, which seems to be transcribed from Philippians 2:27, that is, he took this method of sending a reproving letter, in order to bring them to a sense and acknowledgment of sin; lest should he come in person, some would have been a grief and trouble to him, having fallen into sin not repented of; who ought to have been matter of rejoicing to him, as being the seals of his apostleship, and his work in the Lord: and this step he was the more encouraged to take, through the confidence he had of them,

having confidence in you all; being fully persuaded of their affection for him, and opinion of him:

that my joy is the joy of you all; that their joy and grief were mutual and common; that what he rejoiced in, they did likewise; and what was displeasing to him was displeasing to them; and therefore upon the first hint given, he took care to remove the occasion of such displeasure, that their mutual comfort might take place; assuring them, and of which they might be assured, that it was no joy to him to grieve them; he could have none when theirs was gone; his ultimate view in writing to them in the manner he had, was not to grieve, but to bring them to repentance and reformation, which issued in the mutual joy of him and them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I wrote this same unto you - The words “this same” (τοῦτο αὐτὸ (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 ... - Lest I should be obliged if I came personally to exercise the severity of discipline, and thus to diffuse sorrow throughout the entire church.

I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice - Lest I should have grief in the church. Lest the conduct of the church, and the abuses which prevail in it should give me sorrow. I should be grieved with the existence of these evils; and I should be obliged to resort to measures which would be painful to me, and to the whole church. Paul sought to avoid this by persuading them before he came to exercise the discipline themselves, and to put away the evil practices which prevailed among them.

Having confidence in you all - Having confidence that this is your general character, that whatever adds to my joy, or promotes my happiness, would give joy to you all. Paul had enemies in Corinth; he knew that there were some there whose minds were alienated from him, and who were endeavoring to do him injury. Yet he did not doubt that it was the general character of the church that they wished him well, and would desire to make him happy; that what would tend to promote his happiness would also promote theirs; and therefore, that they would be willing to do anything that would make his visit agreeable to him when he came among them. He was, therefore, persuaded that if he wrote them an affectionate letter, they would listen to his injunctions, that thus all that was painful might be avoided when he came among them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 2:3. And 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. 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.