2 Corinthians 2 · Verse 4

2 Corinthians 2:4

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.

2 Corinthians 2:4, King James Version

2 Corinthians 2:4 in other translations

BSB	For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.
WEB	For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made to grieve, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.
ASV	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 which I have more abundantly unto you.
YLT	for out of much tribulation and pressure of heart I wrote to you through many tears, not that ye might be made sorry, but that ye might know the love that I have more abundantly toward you.
DARBY	For out of much tribulation and distress of heart I wrote to you, with many tears; not that ye may be grieved, but that ye may know the love which I have very abundantly towards you.
BBE	For out of much trouble and pain of heart and much weeping I sent my letter to you; not to give you sorrow, but so that you might see how great is the love which I have to you.
Webster	For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly to you.

What does 2 Corinthians 2:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

4. So far from my change of purpose being due to "lightness" (2Co 1:17), I wrote my letter to you (2Co 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, 2Co 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 (2Co 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; Pr 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 (Ac 18:10; 1Co 4:15; 9:2).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 4. For out of much affliction. Possibly Paul's enemies had charged him with being harsh and overbearing. They may have said that there was much needless severity in his letter. He here meets that, and says, that it was with much pain and many tears that he was constrained to write as he did. He was pained at their conduct, and at the necessity which existed for such an epistle. This is an eminently beautiful instance of Paul's kindness of heart, and his susceptibility to tender impressions. The evil conduct of others gives pain to a good man; and the necessity of administering reproof and discipline is often as painful to him who does it, as it is to those who are the subjects of it.

And anguish of heart. The word rendered "anguish" (συνοχης) means, properly, a holding together or shutting up; and then pressure, distress, anguish--an affliction of the heart by which one feels tightened or constrained; such a pressure as great grief causes at the heart.

I wrote unto you with many tears. With much weeping and grief that I was constrained to write such a letter. This was an instance of Paul's great tenderness of heart--a trait of character which he uniformly evinced. With all his strength of mind, and all his courage and readiness to face danger. Paul was not ashamed to weep; and especially if he had any occasion of censuring his Christian brethren, or administering discipline, Comp. Php 3:18, Acts 20:31. This is also a specimen of the manner in which Paul met the faults of his Christian brethren. It was not with bitter denunciation. It was not with sarcasm and ridicule. It was not by blazoning those faults abroad to others. It was not with the spirit of rejoicing that they had committed errors, and had been guilty of sin. It was not as if he was glad of the opportunity of administering rebuke, and took pleasure in denunciation and in the language of reproof. All this is often done by others; but Paul pursued a different course. He sent an affectionate letter to the offenders themselves; and he did it with many tears. IT WAS DONE WEEPING. Admonition would always be done right if it was done with tears. Discipline would always be right, and would be effectual, if it were administered with tears. Any man will receive an admonition kindly, if he who administers it does it weeping; and the heart of an offender will be melted, if he who attempts to reprove him comes to him with tears. How happy would it be if all who attempt to reprove should do it with Paul's spirit. How happy, if all discipline should be administered in the church in his manner. But, we may add, how seldom is this done ! How few are there who feel themselves called on to reprove an offending brother, or to charge a brother with heresy or crime, that do it with tears!

Not that ye should be grieved. It was not my object to give you pain.

But that ye might know the love, etc. This was one of the best evidences of his great love to them which he could possibly give. It is proof of genuine friendship for another, when we faithfully and affectionately admonish him of the error of his course; it is the highest proof of affection when we do it with tears. It is cruelty to suffer a brother to remain in sin unadmonished; it is cruel to admonish him of it in a harsh, severe, and authoritative tone; but it is proof of tender attachment when we go to him with tears, and entreat him to repent and reform. No man gives higher proof of attachment to another than he who affectionately admonishes him of his sin and danger.

(a) "love which" 2Cor 11:2

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 4 For out of much affliction, etc. - It is very likely that the apostle's enemies had represented him as a harsh, austere, authoritative man; who was better pleased with inflicting wounds than in healing them. But he vindicates himself from this charge by solemnly asserting that this was the most painful part of his office; and that the writing of his first epistle to them cost him much affliction and anguish of heart, and many tears.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Corinthians 2:1-4

The apostle desired to have a cheerful meeting with them; and he had written in confidence of their doing what was to their benefit and his comfort; and that therefore they would be glad to remove every cause of disquiet from him. We should always give pain unwillingly, even when duty requires that it must be given.

Read the full comment on 2 Corinthians 2:1-4 →

2 Corinthians 2:4 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐκekOut ofG1537

γὰρgarforG1063

πολλῆςpollēsmuchG4183

θλίψεωςthlipseōsafflictionG2347

καὶkaiandG2532

συνοχῆςsunochēsanguishG4928

καρδίαςkardiasof heartG2588

ἔγραψαegrapsaI wroteG1125

ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771

διὰdiathroughG1223

πολλῶνpollōnmanyG4183

δακρύων,dakruōntears,G1144

οὐχouchnotG3756

ἵναinathatG2443

λυπηθῆτε,lupēthēteyou may be grieved,G3076

ἀλλὰallabutG235

τὴνtēntheG3588

ἀγάπηνagapēnloveG26

ἵναinathatG2443

γνῶτεgnōteyou may knowG1097

ἣνhēnthatG3739

ἔχωechōI haveG2192

περισσοτέρωςperissoterōsmore abundantlyG4056

εἰςeistowardG1519

ὑμᾶς.¶humasyou.G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Corinthians 2:4

2 Corinthians 7:12
Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
Proverbs 27:5-6
Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Leviticus 19:17-18
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.
Luke 19:41-44
And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
2 Corinthians 11:2
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Philippians 3:18
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Psalms 119:136
Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.
2 Corinthians 7:8-9
For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
2 Corinthians 12:15
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
Jeremiah 13:15-17
Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.
Romans 9:2-3
That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

out.
Le 19:17,18; Ps 119:136; Pr 27:5,6; Jer 13:15-17; Lu 19:41-44
Ro 9:2,3; Php 3:18
not.
7:8,9,12; 12:15
that you might.
11:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Corinthians 2:3
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.
2 Corinthians 2:4
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.
2 Corinthians 2:5
But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 2

2 Corinthians 2:4 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque por la mucha tribulación y angustia del corazón os escribí con muchas lágrimas; no para que fueseis contristados, mas para que supieseis cuánto más amor tengo para con vosotros.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	car je vous ai écrit dans une grande affliction et avec serrement de cœur, avec beaucoup de larmes, non afin que vous soyez attristés, mais afin que vous connaissiez l’amour que j’ai si abondamment pour vous.
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn aus vieler Drangsal und Herzensangst schrieb ich euch mit vielen Tränen, nicht auf daß ihr traurig gemacht werden solltet, sondern auf daß ihr die Liebe erkennen möchtet, die ich überschwenglicher zu euch habe.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Nam ex multa tribulatione et angustia cordis scripsi vobis per multas lacrimas: non ut contristemini, sed ut sciatis, quam caritatem habeam abundantius in vobis.