2 Corinthians 2:4

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

out: Leviticus 19:17, Leviticus 19:18, Psalms 119:136, Proverbs 27:5, Proverbs 27:6, Jeremiah 13:15-17, Luke 19:41-44, Romans 9:2, Romans 9:3, Philippians 3:18

not: 2 Corinthians 7:8, 2 Corinthians 7:9, 2 Corinthians 7:12, 2 Corinthians 12:15, that you might, 2 Corinthians 11:2

Reciprocal: Job 4:2 - wilt thou Job 7:11 - the anguish Proverbs 12:25 - but Mark 9:24 - with John 21:17 - grieved Acts 20:19 - many 1 Corinthians 9:23 - for 2 Corinthians 2:1 - that 2 Corinthians 6:6 - love 2 Corinthians 6:10 - sorrowful 2 Corinthians 6:11 - our heart 2 Corinthians 7:3 - to condemn 2 Corinthians 7:7 - fervent 2 Corinthians 11:29 - is weak

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginnyng GOD created ye heauen and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
God created the sky and the earth. At first,

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the bigynnyng God made of nouyt heuene and erthe.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the Heauen, and the Earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart,.... Being greatly pressed in his spirit, and grieved at his heart, for the abominable iniquities among them, which they seemed to take no notice of, and to be unconcerned about, yea, rather to be puffed up with:

I wrote to you with many tears; as signs and expressions of, and by which were vented, the inward anguish and distress of his soul; and the letter he sent to them in some measure bore witness to it: which was written,

not that you should be grieved; that is, not merely for the sake of grieving of them, in which he took no pleasure; not but that the apostle designed and desired to affect their minds with a holy grief and godly sorrow for sin, and hereby their amendment; but his chief view was, next to their spiritual good, and God's glory, to express the greatness of his love to them: as he says,

that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you; as his love was very vehement towards them, he was desirous they should know it, and how exceeding abundant it was; and that it was even greater towards them, than to others; and he thought he could not give a greater proof and evidence of it, than by reproving them faithfully, and that sharply too, as the necessity of the case required.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For out of much affliction - Possibly Paul’s enemies had charged him with being harsh and overbearing. They may have said that there was much needless severity in his letter. He here meets that, and says, that it was with much pain and many tears that he was constrained to write as he did. He was pained at their conduct, and at the necessity which existed for such an epistle. This is an eminently beautiful instance of Paul’s kindness of heart, and his susceptibility to tender impressions. The evil conduct of others gives pain to a good man; and the necessity of administering reproof and discipline is often as painful to him who does it, as it is to those who are the subjects of it.

And anguish of heart - The word rendered “anguish” (συνοχὴ sunochē) means, properly, “a holding together or shutting up”; and then, “pressure, distress, anguish” - an affliction of the heart by which one feels tightened or constrained; such a pressure as great grief causes at the heart.

I wrote unto you with many tears - With much weeping and grief that I was constrained to write such a letter. This was an instance of Paul’s great tenderness of heart - a trait of character which, he uniformly evinced. With all his strength of mind, and all His courage and readiness to face danger, Paul was not ashamed to weep; and especially if he had any occasion of censuring his Christian brethren, or administering discipline; compare Philippians 3:18; Acts 20:31. This is also a specimen of the manner in which Paul met the faults of his Christian brethren. It was not with bitter denunciation. It was not with sarcasm and ridicule. It was not by emblazoning those faults abroad to others. It was not with the spirit of rejoicing that they had committed errors, and had been guilty of sin. It was not as if he was glad of the opportunity of administering rebuke, and took pleasure in denunciation and in the language of reproof. All this is often done by others; but Paul pursued a different course. He sent an affectionate letter to the offenders themselves; and he did it with many tears. it was done weeping. Admonition would always be done right if it was done with tears. Discipline would always be right, and would be effectual, if it were administered with tears. Any man will receive an admonition kindly, if he who administers it does it weeping; and the heart of an offender will be melted, if he who attempts to reprove him comes to him with tears. How happy would it be if all who attempt to reprove should do it with Paul’s spirit. How happy, if all discipline should be administered in the church in his manner. But, we may add, how seldom is this done! How few are there who feel themselves called on to reprove an offending brother, or to charge a brother with heresy or crime, that do it with tears!

Not that ye should be grieved - It was not my object to give you pain.

But that ye might know the love ... - This was one of the best evidences of his great love to them which he could possibly give. It is proof of genuine friendship for another, when we faithfully and affectionately admonish him of the error of his course; it is the highest proof of affection when we do it with tears. It is cruelty to suffer a brother to remain in sin unadmonished; it is cruel to admonish him of it in a harsh, severe, and authoritative tone; but it is proof of tender attachment when we go to him with tears, and entreat him to repent and reform. No one gives higher proof of attachment to another than he who affectionately admonishes him of his sin and danger.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 2:4. For out of much affliction, c.] It is very likely that the apostle's enemies had represented him as a harsh, austere, authoritative man who was better pleased with inflicting wounds than in healing them. But he vindicates himself from this charge by solemnly asserting that this was the most painful part of his office; and that the writing of his first epistle to them cost him much affliction and anguish of heart, and many tears.