notes
Main point summary
To spare himself the pain of a sorrowful visit, Paul chose to write them a severe letter instead.
Arc
editing
NT
2 Corinthians 1:23-2:4
nasb
schl
But a I call God as witness 1 to my soul, that b to spare you
Ich berufe mich aber auf Gott als Zeugen für meine Seele, daß ich, um euch zu schonen,
I did not come again to c Corinth.
noch nicht nach Korinth gekommen bin.
actionpurpose
Not that we a lord it over your faith,
Denn wir wollen nicht Herren sein über euren Glauben,
but are workers with you for your joy;
sondern Gehilfen eurer Freude;
negativepositive
for in your faith you are b standing firm.
denn ihr stehet im Glauben.
ground
But I determined this 1 for my own sake,
Ich habe mir aber vorgenommen,
that I a would not come to you in sorrow again.
nicht wieder in Traurigkeit zu euch zu kommen.
For if I a cause you sorrow,
Denn wenn ich euch betrübe,
who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful?
wer erfreut mich denn, wenn nicht der, welcher von mir betrübt wird?
conditional
ideaexplanation
This is the very thing I a wrote you,
Darum habe ich auch solches brieflich erledigt,
so that b when I came,
damit ich nicht, wenn ich komme,
I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice;
von denen Betrübnis habe, über die ich mich freuen sollte;
temporal
having c confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all.
da ich doch zu euch allen das Vertrauen habe, daß meine Freude euer aller Freude ist.
actionmanner
For out of much affliction and anguish of heart
Denn ich habe euch aus viel Trübsal und Herzeleid heraus
I a wrote to you with many tears;
geschrieben, unter vielen Tränen,
not so that you would be made sorrowful,
nicht damit ihr betrübt werdet,
but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.
sondern damit ihr die Liebe erkennet, die ich in besonderer Weise zu euch habe.
inference
First class conditional true form the author's perspective.
Rhetorical question: Then no one makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful.
It appears that Paul wrote a severe letter to the Corinthians instead of visiting them, knowing that the the Corinthians would also agree that this approach would be better than a sorrowful visit. After writing the letter, it would be possible to visit them in joy.
Paul wanted to spare himself a sorrowful visit. Therefore he wrote a severe letter.
discourse