2 Korintus 2:14

Apostolic Ministry

2:14 But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession ¹  in Christ ²  and who makes known ³  through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place.

2 Korintus 12:9

12:9 But ⁴  he said to me, “My grace is enough ⁵  for you, for my ⁶  power is made perfect ⁷  in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly ⁸  about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in ⁹  me.

2 Korintus 12:19

12:19 Have you been thinking all this time ¹⁰  that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build you up. ¹¹ 

[2:14]  ¹ tn Or “who always causes us to triumph.”

[2:14]  ² tn Or “in the Messiah.”

[2:14]  ³ tn Or “who reveals.”

[12:9]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” because of the contrast implicit in the context.

[12:9]  ⁵ tn Or “is sufficient.”

[12:9]  ⁶ tc The majority of later mss (א² A^c D¹ Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï) as well as some versional witnesses include the pronoun “my” here, but the omission of the pronoun has excellent external support (Ì^46vid א* A* B D* F G latt). Scribes probably added the pronoun for clarity, making the obvious referent explicit. This would also make “power” more parallel with “my grace.” Though the original text probably did not include “my,” scribes who added the word were following the sense of Paul’s statement.

[12:9]  tn The pronoun “my” was supplied in the translation to clarify the sense of Paul’s expression.

[12:9]  ⁷ tn Or “my power comes to full strength.”

[12:9]  ⁸ tn “Most gladly,” a comparative form used with superlative meaning and translated as such.

[12:9]  ⁹ tn Or “may rest on.”

[12:19]  ¹⁰ tc The reading “all this time” (πάλαι, palai) is found in several early and important Alexandrian and Western witnesses including א* A B F G 0243 6 33 81 365 1175 1739 1881 lat; the reading πάλιν (palin, “again”) is read by א² D Ψ 0278 Ï sy bo; the reading οὐ πάλαι (ou palai) is read by Ì⁴⁶, making the question even more emphatic. The reading of Ì⁴⁶ could only have arisen from πάλαι. The reading πάλιν is significantly easier (“are you once again thinking that we are defending ourselves?”), for it softens Paul’s tone considerably. It thus seems to be a motivated reading and cannot easily explain the rise of πάλαι. Further, πάλαι has considerable support in the Alexandrian and Western witnesses, rendering it virtually certain as the original wording here.

[12:19]  ¹¹ tn Or “for your strengthening”; Grk “for your edification.”