2 Korintus 1:12

Paul Defends His Changed Plans

1:12 For our reason for confidence ¹  is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives ²  and sincerity which are from God ³  – not by human wisdom ⁴  but by the grace of God – we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more ⁵  toward you.

2 Korintus 2:3

2:3 And I wrote this very thing to you, ⁶  so that when I came ⁷  I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours.

2 Korintus 4:4

4:4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe ⁸  so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel ⁹  of Christ, ¹⁰  who is the image of God.

2 Korintus 12:13

12:13 For how ¹¹  were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!

[1:12]  ¹ tn Or “for boasting.”

[1:12]  ² tc Two viable variants exist at this place in the text: ἁγιότητι (Jagiothti, “holiness”) vs. ἁπλότητι (Japlothti, “pure motives”). A confusion of letters could well have produced the variant (TCGNT 507): In uncial script the words would have been written agiothti and aplothti. This, however, does not explain which reading created the other. Overall ἁπλότητι, though largely a Western-Byzantine reading (א² D F G Ï lat sy), is better suited to the context; it is also a Pauline word while ἁγιότης (Jagioth") is not. It also best explains the rise of the other variants, πραότητι (praothti, “gentleness”) and {σπλάγχνοις} (splancnoi", “compassion”). On the other hand, the external evidence in favor of ἁγιότητι is extremely strong (Ì⁴⁶ א* A B C K P Ψ 0121 0243 33 81 1739 1881 al co). This diversity of mss provides excellent evidence for authenticity, but because of the internal evidence listed above, ἁπλότητι is to be preferred, albeit only slightly.

[1:12]  tn Or “sincerity.” The two terms translated “pure motives” (ἁπλότης, Japloth") and “sincerity” (εἰλικρίνεια, eilikrineia) are close synonyms.

[1:12]  ³ tn Grk “pure motives and sincerity of God.”

[1:12]  ⁴ tn Or “not by worldly wisdom.”

[1:12]  ⁵ tn Or “and especially.”

[2:3]  ⁶ tn The words “to you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[2:3]  ⁷ sn So that when I came. Regarding this still future visit by Paul, see 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1.

[4:4]  ⁸ tn Or “of unbelievers.”

[4:4]  ⁹ tn Grk “the gospel of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[4:4]  ¹⁰ tn Or “so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ would not be evident to them” (L&N 28.37).

[12:13]  ¹¹ tn Grk “For in what respect.”