2 Corinzi 2:3

3 E vi ho scritto a quel modo onde, al mio arrivo, io non abbia tristezza da coloro dai quali dovrei avere allegrezza; avendo di voi tutti fiducia che la mia allegrezza è l’allegrezza di tutti voi.

2 Corinzi 2:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Corinthians 2:3

And I wrote this same unto you
Not what he had written in the preceding verse, or in ( 2 Corinthians 1:23 ) , where he says, that his not coming to them as yet was to spare them; but what he had written to them in his former epistle, concerning the excommunication of the incestuous man, which had so much grieved both him and them; and this the apostle chose rather to order by writing, than in person; hoping to hear of their repentance and amendment, before he came among them:

lest,
says he,

when I came,
or should come,

I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice;
some copies and the Complutensian edition read, "sorrow upon sorrow"; and so does the Vulgate Latin version, which seems to be transcribed from ( Philippians 2:27 ) , that is, he took this method of sending a reproving letter, in order to bring them to a sense and acknowledgment of sin; lest should he come in person, some would have been a grief and trouble to him, having fallen into sin not repented of; who ought to have been matter of rejoicing to him, as being the seals of his apostleship, and his work in the Lord: and this step he was the more encouraged to take, through the confidence he had of them,

having confidence in you all;
being fully persuaded of their affection for him, and opinion of him:

that my joy is the joy of you all;
that their joy and grief were mutual and common; that what he rejoiced in, they did likewise; and what was displeasing to him was displeasing to them; and therefore upon the first hint given, he took care to remove the occasion of such displeasure, that their mutual comfort might take place; assuring them, and of which they might be assured, that it was no joy to him to grieve them; he could have none when theirs was gone; his ultimate view in writing to them in the manner he had, was not to grieve, but to bring them to repentance and reformation, which issued in the mutual joy of him and them.

2 Corinzi 2:3 In-Context

1 Io avevo dunque meco stesso determinato di non venire a voi per rattristarvi una seconda volta.

2 Perché, se io vi contristo, chi sarà dunque colui che mi rallegrerà, se non colui che sarà stato da me contristato?

3 E vi ho scritto a quel modo onde, al mio arrivo, io non abbia tristezza da coloro dai quali dovrei avere allegrezza; avendo di voi tutti fiducia che la mia allegrezza è l’allegrezza di tutti voi.

4 Poiché in grande afflizione ed in angoscia di cuore vi scrissi con molte lagrime, non già perché foste contristati, ma perché conosceste l’amore che nutro abbondantissimo per voi.

5 Or se qualcuno ha cagionato tristezza, egli non ha contristato me, ma, in parte, per non esagerare, voi tutti.