The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 2:3 Explained

2 Corinthians 2:3

KJV: 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.

YLT: and I wrote to you this same thing, that having come, I may not have sorrow from them of whom it behoved me to have joy, having confidence in you all, that my joy is of you all,

Darby: And I have written this very letter to you, that coming I may not have grief from those from whom I ought to have joy; trusting in you all that my joy is that of you all.

ASV: And I wrote this very thing, 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Corinthians 2:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Now Paul referred to a previous letter in which he said he told them he would not come to them again in sorrow. Is this a reference to1Corinthians? Some commentators believe it is. [1] Nevertheless the lack of an explicit reference to not coming to them again in sorrow in that epistle throws some doubt on this interpretation. Consequently other commentators have posited the existence of another letter. They believe it was similar to the former letter referred to in 1 Corinthians 5:9 in that it is no longer extant, and that Paul spoke of it here. [2] This letter is a fairly recent suggestion by the commentators. Traditionally interpreters have understood the reference to be to1Corinthians. However the problem with that view, as mentioned above, is significant (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:8).
The identification of the letter referred to here does not affect the interpretation of Paul"s words here, however important it may be for other reasons. His reference to this former letter simply strengthens his point made in 2 Corinthians 2:2 that when he came to visit them again he wished to be a source of joy, not sorrow. He wanted them to make him joyful too.
"This does not mean merely that it would give them pleasure to see him happy, but also that obedience on their part, and the consequent purity and prosperity of the church, were as necessary to their happiness as to his." [3]

Context Summary

2Co 2:1-11 - Tender-Hearted And Forgiving
In these opening words Paul evidently refers to the sin mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. His judgment had been strong and stringent, the Corinthian church had acted upon it, and the offender had suffered severely in consequence. But the result had been more than satisfactory. He had repented with great brokenness of spirit. Indeed, it seemed as if he would be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, 2 Corinthians 2:7.
The Apostle desires the Corinthians to understand that he also had shed many tears over the case, 2 Corinthians 2:4. His was a very affectionate and tender disposition, which shrank from inflicting pain, and yet was resolute at all costs to maintain truth. We get a sidelight here as to the heart of God. May we not believe that whenever He chastens us, it is with profound pity? Whom He loves He chastens; and whom He receives, He scourges. But when there is full and frank repentance, there should be forgiveness. The penitent offender was to be restored to church fellowship and received with brotherly welcome. The Savior Himself speaks through forgiveness. It is His love that moves, His voice that declares; while an unforgiving spirit sets an open door to the entrance of Satan. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2Co 2

1  Having shown the reason why he came not to them,
6  he requires them to forgive and to comfort that excommunicated person,
10  even as he himself upon true repentance had forgiven him;
12  declaring why he departed from Troas to Macedonia,
14  and the happy success which God gave to his preaching in all places

Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 2:3

I wrote this very thing [εγραπσα τουτο αυτο]
Is this (and εγραπσα — egrapsa in 2 Corinthians 2:4, 2 Corinthians 2:9, 2 Corinthians 2:12) the epistolary aorist referring to the present letter? In itself that is possible as the epistolary aorist does occur in the N.T. as in 2 Corinthians 8:18; 2 Corinthians 9:3 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 854f.). If not epistolary aorist as seems improbable from the context and from 2 Corinthians 7:8-12, to what Epistle does he refer? To 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 or to a lost letter? It is possible, of course, that, when Paul decided not to come to Corinth, he sent a letter. The language that follows in 2 Corinthians 2:3, 2 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:8-12 can hardly apply to I Corinthians. [source]
Should have sorrow [λυπην σχω]
Second aorist (ingressive) active subjunctive of εχω — echō should get sorrow, after ινα μη — hina mē negative final particles. From them of whom (απ ων — aph' hōn). Antecedent omitted, απο τουτων απ ων — apo toutōn aph' hōn (from those from whom). I ought Imperfect for unrealized present obligation as often and like English. Having confidence (πεποιτως — pepoithōs). Second perfect active participle of πειτω — peithō (2 Corinthians 1:9). [source]
From them of whom [απ ων]
Antecedent omitted, απο τουτων απ ων — apo toutōn aph' hōn (from those from whom). [source]
I ought [εδει με]
Imperfect for unrealized present obligation as often and like English. Having confidence (πεποιτως — pepoithōs). Second perfect active participle of πειτω — peithō (2 Corinthians 1:9). [source]
Having confidence [πεποιτως]
Second perfect active participle of πειτω — peithō (2 Corinthians 1:9). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 2:3

2 Corinthians 10:9 As if I would terrify you by my letters [ως αν εκποβειν υμας δια των επιστολων]
This use of ως αν — hōs an with the infinitive is seen in the papyri (Moulton, Prolegomena, p. 167) and it is not αν — an in the apodosis (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 974, 1040). The active of this old compound verb means to frighten, to terrify. Here only in N.T. It is common in the lxx (Job 7:14; 33:16). Note plural (letters) here and cf. 1 Corinthians 5:9; 2 Corinthians 2:3. [source]
2 Corinthians 2:3 I wrote this very thing [εγραπσα τουτο αυτο]
Is this (and εγραπσα — egrapsa in 2 Corinthians 2:4, 2 Corinthians 2:9, 2 Corinthians 2:12) the epistolary aorist referring to the present letter? In itself that is possible as the epistolary aorist does occur in the N.T. as in 2 Corinthians 8:18; 2 Corinthians 9:3 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 854f.). If not epistolary aorist as seems improbable from the context and from 2 Corinthians 7:8-12, to what Epistle does he refer? To 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 or to a lost letter? It is possible, of course, that, when Paul decided not to come to Corinth, he sent a letter. The language that follows in 2 Corinthians 2:3, 2 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:8-12 can hardly apply to I Corinthians. [source]
2 Corinthians 7:8 With my epistle [εν τηι επιστοληι]
The one referred to in 2 Corinthians 2:3. I do not regret it (ου μεταμελομαι — ou metamelomai). This verb really means “repent” (be sorry again) which meaning we have transferred to μετανοεω — metanoeō to change one‘s mind (not to be sorry at all). See note on Matthew 21:29; note on Matthew 27:3 for the verb μεταμελομαι — metamelomai to be sorry, to regret as here. Paul is now glad that he made them sorry. Though I did regret Imperfect indicative in the concessive clause. I was in a regretful mood at first. For I see (βλεπω γαρ — blepō gar). A parenthetical explanation of his present joy in their sorrow. B D do not have γαρ — gar The Latin Vulgate has videns (seeing) for βλεπων — blepōn For a season Cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:17. It was only “for an hour.” [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 2:3 mean?

And I wrote this same thing so that not having come grief I might have from [those] of whom it behooves me to rejoice trusting in all you that - my joy of all of you is
καὶ ἔγραψα τοῦτο αὐτὸ ἵνα μὴ ἐλθὼν λύπην σχῶ ἀφ’ ὧν ἔδει με χαίρειν πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ πάντας ὑμᾶς ὅτι ἐμὴ χαρὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἐστιν

ἔγραψα  I  wrote 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: γράφω 
Sense: to write, with reference to the form of the letters.
τοῦτο  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
αὐτὸ  same  thing 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
ἐλθὼν  having  come 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
λύπην  grief 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: λύπη  
Sense: sorrow, pain, grief, annoyance, affliction.
σχῶ  I  might  have 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.
ἀφ’  from  [those] 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἀπό 
Sense: of separation.
ὧν  of  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἔδει  it  behooves 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δεῖ  
Sense: it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper.
με  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
χαίρειν  to  rejoice 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: χαίρω  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.
πεποιθὼς  trusting 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπισείω 
Sense: persuade.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐμὴ  my 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative Feminine 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐμός  
Sense: my, mine, etc.
χαρὰ  joy 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: χαρά  
Sense: joy, gladness.
πάντων  of  all 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
ὑμῶν  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.