“For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made sorry, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.”
— WEB
2 Corinthians 2:4
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Translations sourced from the public-domain WEB, KJV, and ASV. See all sources.
“For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.”
— KJV
“For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love that I have more abundantly unto you.”
— ASV
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Commentary
So far from my change of purpose being due to "lightness" (Co2 1:17), I wrote my letter to you (Co2 2:3) "out of much affliction (Greek, 'trouble') and anguish of heart, and with many tears." not that ye should be grieved--Translate, "be made sorry," to accord with the translation, Co2 2:2. My ultimate and main object was, "not that ye might be made sorry," but that through sorrow you might be led to repentance, and so to joy, redounding both to you and me (Co2 2:2-3). I made you sorry before going to you, that when I went it might not be necessary. He is easily made sorry, who is admonished by a friend himself weeping [BENGEL]. that ye might know the love--of which it is a proof to rebuke sins openly and in season [ESTIUS], (Psa 141:5; Pro 27:6). "Love" is the source from which sincere reproof springs; that the Corinthians might ultimately recognize this as his motive, was the apostle's aim. which I have more abundantly unto you--who have been particularly committed to me by God (Act 18:10; Co1 4:15; Co1 9:2).
— Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (public domain)
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