2 Corinthians 2:3

And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
And	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
wrote	ἔγραψα egrapsa	G1125	to "grave" · verb — second aorist active indicative, 1st person singular
this	τοῦτο toûto	G5124	that thing
same	αὐτό, auto	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — accusative singular neuter
you	ὑμῖν hymîn	G5213	to (with or by) you
lest	ἵνα ina	G2443	compare G3588 (ὁ)) · conjunction
came	ἐλθὼν elthōn	G2064	to come or go (in a great variety of applications · verb — second aorist active participle, nominative singular masculine
have	σχῶ schō	G2192	to hold (used in very various applications · verb — second aorist active subjunctive, 1st person singular
sorrow	λύπην lupēn	G3077	sadness · noun — accusative singular feminine
from	ἀφ᾽ aph᾽	G575	"off · preposition
whom	ὧν hōn	G3739	the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun · relative pronoun — genitive plural masculine
I	με me	G3165	me · personal pronoun — 1st person accusative singular
ought	ἔδει edei	G1163	also deon deh-on' · verb — imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular
rejoice	χαίρειν chairein	G5463	to be "cheer"ful · verb — present active infinitive
confidence	πεποιθὼς pepoithōs	G3982	to convince (by argument · verb — second perfect active participle, nominative singular masculine
in	ἐπὶ epi	G1909	properly · preposition
you	ὑμᾶς hymâs	G5209	you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
all	πάντας pantas	G3956	all · adjective — accusative plural masculine
that	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
my	ἐμός emós	G1699	my
joy	χαρὰ chara	G5479	cheerfulness · noun — nominative singular feminine
is	ἐστί estí	G2076	he (she or it) is
you	ὑμῶν hymōn	G5216	of (from or concerning) you
all	πάντων pantōn	G3956	all · adjective — genitive plural masculine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Galatians 5:10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoev…
2 Corinthians 8:22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great c…
Philemon 1:21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.
2 Thessalonians 3:4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
2 Corinthians 7:12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our…
1 Corinthians 4:21-5:13 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
2 Corinthians 1:15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;
2 Corinthians 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 2:1-4

In these verses, 1. The apostle proceeds in giving an account of the reason why he did not come to Corinth, as was expected; namely, because he was unwilling to grieve them, or be grieved by them, Co2 2:1, Co2 2:2. He had determined not to come to them in heaviness, which yet he would have done had he come and found scandal among them not duly animadverted upon: this would have been cause of grief both to him and them, for their sorrow or joy at meeting would have been mutual. If he had made them sorry, that would have been a sorrow to himself, for there would have been none to have made him glad. But his desire was to have a cheerful meeting with them, and not to have it embittered by any u…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 2:3

I wrote this same unto you--namely, that I would not come to you then (Co2 2:1), as, if I were to come then, it would have to be "in heaviness" (causing sorrow both to him and them, owing to their impenitent state). He refers to the first Epistle (compare Co1 16:7; compare Co1 4:19, Co1 4:21; Co1 5:2-7, Co1 5:13). sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice--that is, sorrow from their impenitence, when he ought, on the contrary, to have joy from their penitent obedience. The latter happy effect was produced by his first Epistle, whereas the former would have been the result, had he then visited them as he had originally proposed. having confidence . . . that my joy is the joy of you all-…

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Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 2:3

And I wrote this same unto you - This I particularly marked in my first epistle to you; earnestly desiring your reformation, lest, if I came before this had taken place, I must have come with a rod, and have inflicted punishment on the transgressors. See Co1 5:1-13. My joy is the joy of you all - I know that ye wish my comfort as much as I wish yours.

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 2:3

The Church Fathers

The purification of the people is the apostle's joy.
— Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES

"And I wrote this very thing unto you." What? That for this cause I came not, to spare you. When wrote he? In the former Epistle when he said, "I do not wish to see you now by the way?" I think not; but in this Epistle when he said, "Lest when I come again, my God should humble me before you." I have written then towards the end this same, saith he, "lest when I come, my God will humble me, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore." But why didst thou write? "Lest when I came I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice, having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all?" For whereas he said he was made glad by their sorrow, and this was too arrogant and harsh, again he gave it a different turn and softened it by what he subjoined. For, he saith, I therefore wrote unto you before, that I might not with anguish find you unreformed; and I said this, "lest I should have sorrow," out of regard not to my own interest but yours. For I know that if ye see me rejoicing ye rejoice, and if ye behold me sad ye are sad.
— John Chrysostom, Homily 4 on 2 Corinthians

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Ministers · Their people are bound, to: Give them joy — Their people are bound, to: Give them joy

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

2 Corinthians 2:3

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 2:1-4

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 2:3

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 2:3

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 2:3

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

2 Corinthians 2:3

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 2:1-4

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 2:3

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 2:3

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 2:3

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 2 Corinthians 2:3-5

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Corinthians 2:3-4