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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
2 Cor C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13
2 Cor 7 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16
OET (OET-LV) Because if also I_sorrowed you_all in the letter, not I_am_regretting it.
if even I_was_regretting it (I_am_seeing that the letter that, if even for an_hour sorrowed you_all)
OET (OET-RV) Yes, because even if I made you sad with my letter, I don’t regret sending it. (Well, for a while I was sad for you that I had sent the letter.)
In this section, Paul explained why he had great joy. Earlier he had sent Titus to Corinth because he wanted to know what the believers there were doing and whether they still accepted him. Paul had then gone to Macedonia, a northern province of Greece (7:5). He had met Titus there (7:6), and Titus had reported that the believers still accepted Paul and loved him (7:7a–d).
Then, in 7:8–9, Paul wrote that he was happy because the believers had responded properly to his earlier stern letter (also mentioned in 2:1–4; see also the section on “Paul’s letters to the Corinthians” in the introduction to these Notes). Paul explained the proper results of repentance (7:10–11). Lastly, Paul told them the reason for writing that letter (7:12–13a).
Then Paul told them that he was both encouraged and happy that they had responded properly to Titus (7:13b–16).
Other examples of headings for this section are:
Paul’s Joy (NIV)
Paul’s joy at the repentance of the Corinthians
Titus’ news comforts Paul and makes him happy
Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it.
¶ For even if what I wrote in my letter made you(plur) sad, I am not sorry that I wrote it.
¶ I do not regret having written that letter to you, even though it grieved you.
7:8a begins with a Greek conjunction that is often translated as “for” or “because.” In this context it introduces an explanation for Paul’s joy (7:7e). He was very happy with how the believers had responded to his letter (7:8–13a). Some ways to translate this conjunction are:
For (RSV)
So now (NJB)
Because
In some languages it is more natural to allow the context to indicate the connection and omit the conjunction, as the BSB and several other English versions do.
Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it: Paul knew he should write the letter. If the letter caused sorrow, that was also as it should be. The word if is used rhetorically to cause the believers in Corinth to think about that sorrow. The word if does not indicate that Paul doubted that he had caused them sorrow. Other ways to translate this are:
though I did distress you with my letter, I do not regret it (NJB)
though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it (NASB)
even if/though you were saddened because of that letter to you, I now have no regret that I wrote it
caused you sorrow: What Paul wrote in the letter made the believers sad. In it, Paul probably rebuked them for not doing the right thing. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
made you sad (GNT)
grieved you (NRSV)
my letter: Scholars sometimes refer to this letter as “the severe letter” because of the description of its results in this verse. (This letter is probably not 1 Corinthians; see the section on “Paul’s letters to the Corinthians” in the introduction to these Notes).
regret: The word regret refers to someone wishing they had acted differently than they had done. Earlier, Paul had changed his mind and wished he had not sent the letter. He feared a bad result, but now he was glad he had sent the letter.
Although I did regret it,
For some time I was sorry that I had written it,
I was regretting for a while that I sent it.
Although I did regret it: There are two ways to interpret the Greek clause:
Paul regretted in the past. For example:
though I was sorry at first (NLT) (BSB, RSV, NIV, NASB, NLT, GW, CEV, NET, REB, NCV, ESV, KJV)
Paul did not regret in the past. For example:
I could have been sorry (GNT) (GNT, NJB)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).Martin says, “this regret is now a thing of the past, for when Paul wrote 2 Corinthians he had already heard the good report from Titus of the Corinthians’ change of heart” (p. 228). Thrall (p. 486), Kistemaker (p. 251), Barrett (p. 210), Furnish (p. 384), Hughes (on TW), and Harris (p. 532) support interpretation (1) in their translations.
I did regret it: The Greek words indicate that Paul had regretted for some time in the past. Perhaps soon after he sent the letter, Paul regretted sending it. But Titus arrived with good news about the believers dealing properly with what Paul had said in the letter. So Paul no longer regretted sending it. Other ways to translate this clause are:
I did regret it for some time
I was regretting it
I now see that my letter caused you sorrow, but only for a short time.
for I know it was painful to you for a little while. (NLT)
I realize that the letter grieved you, even though not for long—
caused you sorrow: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as caused you sorrow is the same verb translated as “caused you sorrow” in 7:8a. Here is another way to translate this verb in both places:
made you sad (GNT)
but only for a short time: These words indicate that the sorrow or hurt lasted only a little while. These words do not refer to how long Paul’s regret lasted.
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases
ὅτι
that
Here, the word For introduces Paul’s explanation of why he “rejoices even more” (See: [7:7](../07/07.md)). This explanation continues in [7:9](../07/09.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces an explanation. Alternate translation: [Here is why I rejoice even more:] or [That is because,]
Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact
εἰ καὶ
if if if (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι εἰ καί ἐλύπησα ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ οὒ μεταμέλομαι εἰ καί μετεμελόμην βλέπω ὅτι ἡ ἐπιστολή ἐκείνη εἰ καί πρός ὥραν ἐλύπησεν ὑμᾶς)
Here Paul is speaking as if grieving them were only a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it was actually true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might misunderstand and think that what Paul is saying is not certain, then you could express the idea by using a word such as “although” or “though.” Alternate translation: [although]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τῇ ἐπιστολῇ & ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἐκείνη
the letter & ¬the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι εἰ καί ἐλύπησα ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ οὒ μεταμέλομαι εἰ καί μετεμελόμην βλέπω ὅτι ἡ ἐπιστολή ἐκείνη εἰ καί πρός ὥραν ἐλύπησεν ὑμᾶς)
Here Paul again refers to a letter that he previously sent to them. See how you referred to this letter in [2:3–9](../02/03.md). Alternate translation: [my previous letter … the letter] or [the letter that I sent you before … that letter]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure
εἰ καὶ μετεμελόμην (βλέπω ὅτι ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἐκείνη, εἰ καὶ πρὸς ὥραν ἐλύπησεν ὑμᾶς)
if if if (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι εἰ καί ἐλύπησα ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ οὒ μεταμέλομαι εἰ καί μετεμελόμην βλέπω ὅτι ἡ ἐπιστολή ἐκείνη εἰ καί πρός ὥραν ἐλύπησεν ὑμᾶς)
Here, the phrase Even if I was regretting it could go with: (1) “now I rejoice” in [7:9](../07/09.md). In other words, although Paul may have regretted sending the letter, now he rejoices. Alternate translation: [Even if I was regretting it—I see that that letter grieved you, if only for an hour—] (2) I see. In other words, Paul may have regretted sending the letter because he saw that it grieved the Corinthians. If you use the following alternate translation, you will need to begin a new sentence with the following verse. Alternate translation: [Even if I was regretting it, it was because I see that that letter grieved you, if only for an hour.]
Note 5 topic: grammar-connect-condition-contrary
εἰ καὶ μετεμελόμην
if if if (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι εἰ καί ἐλύπησα ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ οὒ μεταμέλομαι εἰ καί μετεμελόμην βλέπω ὅτι ἡ ἐπιστολή ἐκείνη εἰ καί πρός ὥραν ἐλύπησεν ὑμᾶς)
Here, the phrase Even if could introduce: (1) something that Paul did in the past but does not do now. In other words, Paul wishes to indicate that he “regretted” sending the letter after he sent it, but he does not regret it now. Alternate translation: [Even though I was regretting it then] (2) something that Paul did not actually do. In other words, Paul wishes to indicate that he might have “regretted” sending the letter, but there is no possibility of that now. Alternate translation: [Even though I might have regretted it]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
βλέπω
˱I˲_˓am˒_seeing
Here, the word seeing refers generally to “knowing” something, not just to looking with one’s eyes. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word that clearly refers to knowing. Alternate translation: [I recognize]
Note 7 topic: translate-textvariants
βλέπω
˱I˲_˓am˒_seeing
Here, some manuscripts have “for I see,” and a few manuscripts have “seeing.” However, the best manuscripts have “I see.” Unless your readers are already familiar with one of these other wordings, it is best to follow the ULT here.
Note 8 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact
(Occurrence 3) εἰ καὶ
if (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι εἰ καί ἐλύπησα ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ οὒ μεταμέλομαι εἰ καί μετεμελόμην βλέπω ὅτι ἡ ἐπιστολή ἐκείνη εἰ καί πρός ὥραν ἐλύπησεν ὑμᾶς)
Here Paul is speaking as if being grieved for an hour were a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it was actually true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might misunderstand and think that what Paul is saying is not certain, then you could express the idea by using a word such as “though.” Alternate translation: [though only] or [although just]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
πρὸς ὥραν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι εἰ καί ἐλύπησα ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ οὒ μεταμέλομαι εἰ καί μετεμελόμην βλέπω ὅτι ἡ ἐπιστολή ἐκείνη εἰ καί πρός ὥραν ἐλύπησεν ὑμᾶς)
Here Paul uses the word hour to refer to a short period of time, but he does not specify how short. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable expression that refers to a short period of time. Alternate translation: [for a brief time] or [for a short while]
7:8-13a Paul was sorry at first that he had sent his previous letter (see 2:3-4). Now he was not sorry, realizing that the pain had been worthwhile, for the severe letter had brought the church in Corinth to repentance. They had rebuked the offending person—perhaps too strongly (see 2:6-11).
OET (OET-LV) Because if also I_sorrowed you_all in the letter, not I_am_regretting it.
if even I_was_regretting it (I_am_seeing that the letter that, if even for an_hour sorrowed you_all)
OET (OET-RV) Yes, because even if I made you sad with my letter, I don’t regret sending it. (Well, for a while I was sad for you that I had sent the letter.)
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.