2 Korintus 1:23--2:1

Why Paul Postponed His Visit

1:23 Now I appeal to God as my witness, ¹  that to spare ²  you I did not come again to Corinth. ³  1:24 I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm. ⁴  2:1 So ⁵  I made up my own mind ⁶  not to pay you another painful visit. ⁷ 

2 Korintus 12:14

12:14 Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have ⁸  to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

2 Korintus 13:1-2

Paul’s Third Visit to Corinth

13:1 This is the third time I am coming to visit ⁹  you. By the testimony ¹⁰  of two or three witnesses every matter will be established. ¹¹  13:2 I said before when I was present the second time and now, though absent, I say again to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare anyone, ¹² 

[1:23]  ¹ tn Grk “I call upon God as witness against my soul.” Normally this implies an appeal for help (L&N 33.176).

[1:23]  ² tn Here φειδόμενος (feidomeno") has been translated as a telic participle.

[1:23]  ³ sn Paul had promised to come again to visit (see 2 Cor 1:15, 24) but explains here why he had changed his plans.

[1:23]  map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[1:24]  ⁴ tn Or “because you stand firm in the faith.”

[2:1]  ⁵ tc Although usually δέ (de, “now”; found in א A C D¹ F G Ψ 0285 Ï lat) should take precedent over γάρ (gar) in textually disputed places in the corpus Paulinum, the credentials for γάρ here are not easily dismissed (Ì⁴⁶ B 0223 0243 33 1739 1881 al); here it is the preferred reading, albeit slightly.

[2:1]  ⁶ tn Or “I decided this for myself.”

[2:1]  ⁷ tn Grk “not to come to you again in sorrow.”

[2:1]  sn Paul was not speaking absolutely about not making another visit, but meant he did not want to come to the Corinthians again until the conflict he mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4-11 was settled.

[12:14]  ⁸ tn Grk “children ought not,” but this might give the impression that children are not supposed to support sick or aging parents in need of help. That is not what Paul is saying. His point is that children should not have to pay their parent’s way.

[13:1]  ⁹ tn The word “visit” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[13:1]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “By the mouth.”

[13:1]  ¹¹ sn A quotation from Deut 19:15 (also quoted in Matt 18:16; 1 Tim 5:19).

[13:2]  ¹² tn The word “anyone” is not in the Greek text but is implied.