2 Corinthians 2:5
in 2 Corinthians 2Now if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me but all of you—to some degree, not to overstate it.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all.
KJV
But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 2
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
If any have caused grief - There is doubtless here an allusion to the incestuous person. But it is very delicately done. He does not mention him by name. There is not anywhere an allusion to his name; nor is it possible now to know it. Is this not a proof that the names of the offending brethren in a church should not be put on the records of sessions, and churches, and presbyteries, to be handed down to posterity? Paul does not here either expressly refer to such a person.
This site's exposition
he hath not grieved me, but in part
on 2 Corinthians 2:5-6
If any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part, that I may not overcharge you all: Paul widens the injury from himself alone to the whole congregation, refusing to make the matter a personal grievance. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many: the majority's discipline is called enough, and the man's identity is read two ways among the commentators, some holding him the incestuous offender of 1 Corinthians 5, others a different man who wronged Paul personally during the painful visit between the letters. Either way the point of the verse stands untouched, that the church's discipline had already done its work and needed no further weight added to it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
By "you all" Paul means the saints among the Corinthians. For they were divided into those who were saints and those who were not, but it is the former he is addressing here.
But if ye shall have forgiven any, so (do) I; for I, too, if I have forgiven ought, have forgiven in the person of Christ, lest we be overreached by Satan, since we are not ignorant of his injections." What (reference) is understood here to the fornicator? what to the contaminator of his father's bed? what to the Christian who had overstepped the shamelessness of heathens?-since, of course, he would have absolved by a special pardon one whom he had condemned by a special anger.
"But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all." Having first praised them as feeling joy and sorrow for the same things as himself, he then strikes into the subject of this person, having said first, "my joy is the joy of you all." But if my joy is the joy of you all, need is that you should also now feel pleasure with me, as ye then were pained with me: for both in that ye were made sorry, ye made me glad; and now in that ye rejoice, (if as I suppose ye shall feel pleasure,) ye will do the same. I know, he saith, that ye shared in my anger and indignation against him that had committed fornication, and that what had taken place grieved in part all of you. And therefore said I "in part," not as though ye were less hurt than I, but that I might not weigh down him that had committed fornication. He did not then grieve me only but you also equally, even though to spare him I said, "in part." Seest thou how at once he moderated their anger, by declaring that they shared also in his indignation. "Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many." And he saith not "to him that hath committed fornication," but here again "to such a one," as also in the former Epistle. Not however for the same reason; but there out of shame, here out of mercy. Wherefore he no where subsequently so much as mentions the crime; for it was time now to excuse.
The Medieval Church2 voices
He wishes through this to confirm love toward the one who had fallen into fornication, about whom he wrote in the first epistle, for at Paul's command they had all turned away from him as one who inspired loathing. And so, lest by again commanding …
After giving the reason for his delay, namely, to avoid paining them, and after telling them of his sadness, the Apostle then treats here of the one causing his sadness. In regard to this he does three things: first, he speaks more fully of the …
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But if any have caused grief,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
ALFORD punctuates, "He hath not made sorry me, but in part (that I press not too heavily; namely, on him) you all." Thus "you all" is in contrast to "me"; and "in part" is explained in the parenthetical clause.
But, if any have caused grief - Here he seems to refer particularly to the cause of the incestuous person. Grieved me, but in part - I cannot help thinking that the εκ μερους and απο μερους, which we render in part, and which the apostle uses so frequently in these epistles, are to be referred to the people. A part of them had acknowledged the apostle, 2Co 1:14; and here, a part of them had given him cause of grief; and therefore he immediately adds, that I may not overcharge you all; as only a part of you has put me to pain, (viz. the transgressor, and those who had taken his part), it would be unreasonable that I should load you all, επιβαρω παντας ὑμας, with the blame which attaches to that party alone.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| δέ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| λελύπηκεν, | lelupeken | has caused grief, | G3076 → | 26 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἐμὲ | eme | me myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| λελύπηκεν | lelupeken | has he grieved | G3076 → | 26 times |
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | in | G575 → | 640 times |
| μέρους, | merous | part — | G3313 → | 42 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐπιβαρῶ, | epibaro | I may burden | G1912 → | |
| πάντας | pantas | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὑμᾶς. | humas | you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ΕἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
δέhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
λελύπηκεν,has caused grief,
lelupekenG3076 →26 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἐμὲme myself
emeG1473 →839 times
λελύπηκενhas he grieved
lelupekenG3076 →26 times
ἀλλ᾽but
all᾽G235 →635 times
ἀπὸin
apoG575 →640 times
μέρους,part —
merousG3313 →42 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐπιβαρῶ,I may burden
epibaroG1912 →
πάνταςall
pantasG3956 →1235 times
ὑμᾶς.you.
humasG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Galatians 5:10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.
it leads to
- Galatians 5:12
As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves!
- Philippians 3:15
All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.
- 2 Corinthians 2:3
I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be saddened by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would share…
- Galatians 1:7
which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ.
- 1 Timothy 1:20
Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
- Galatians 5:12
Through
Galatians 4:12I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 22:4
So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”
- 1 Corinthians 9:20–23
To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win…
- 1 Kings 22:4
Through
Proverbs 17:25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
it leads to
- Proverbs 10:1
The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
- Proverbs 10:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 2 Corinthians
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 4 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Tertullian, On Modesty; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.