2 Corinthians 7:13

Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Therefore we were comforted.—The tense of the Greek verb implies a different structure of the sentence: Therefore we have been comforted: and upon (i.e., over and above) our comfort we rejoiced more exceedingly at the joy of Titus. That was to St. Paul a new source of happiness. The intense sympathy of his nature would have made him share the disappointment of his delegate, and in like manner he now shares his joy. The messenger had shown himself to be his true son in the faith (Titus 1:1).

His spirit was refreshed.—Better, as expressing the permanence of the effect, has been refreshed. The term was a favourite one with the writer. Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus had “refreshed” his spirit (1Corinthians 16:18. Comp. also Philemon 1:7; Philemon 1:20). The primary idea of the word is, however, rather that of “giving rest” to the weary, as in Matthew 11:28; Matthew 26:45.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:12-16 The apostle was not disappointed concerning them, which he signified to Titus; and he could with joy declare the confidence he had in them for the time to come. Here see the duties of a pastor and of his flock; the latter must lighten the troubles of the pastoral office, by respect and obedience; the former make a due return by his care of them, and cherish the flock by testimonies of satisfaction, joy, and tenderness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Therefore we were comforted in your comfort - The phrase "your comfort," here seems to mean the happiness which they had, or might reasonably be expected to have in obeying the directions of Paul, and in the repentance which they had manifested. Paul had spoken of no other consolation or comfort than this; and the idea seems to be that they were a happy people, and would be happy by obeying the commands of God. This fact gave Paul additional joy, and he could not but rejoice that they had removed the cause of the offence, and that they would not thus be exposed to the displeasure of God. Had they not repented and put away the evil, the consequences to them must have been deep distress. As it was, they would be blessed and happy.

And exceedingly the more ... - Titus had been kindly received, and hospitably entertained, and had become much attached to them. This was to Paul an additional occasion of joy; see 2 Corinthians 7:7.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

13. The oldest manuscripts read thus, "Therefore (Greek, 'for this cause,' namely, because our aim has been attained) we have been (English Version, 'were,' is not so accurate) comforted; yea (Greek, 'but'), in OUR comfort we exceedingly the more joyed for the joy of Titus," &c. (compare 2Co 7:7).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

We were comforted in your comfort; the comfort which your letters brought us, and so came from you; or the comfort which you received upon your reformation of those things which were amiss amongst you. And we also

joyed for the joy that Titus conceived, upon his understanding of your affairs, and your ready obedience to the Epistle which I wrote to you: such is the union between the true members of Christ, that they are comforted with one another’s comforts, and afflicted with one another’s sorrows and griefs.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Therefore we were comforted in your comfort,.... In the comfortable situation the church was in; not in their grief and sorrow, as a natural passion, but in the effects of it as a godly sorrow; by which it appeared that their repentance was genuine, and that they were clear in the matter that had given so much trouble; and that things had so well succeeded for the welfare and more comfortable estate of the church for the future. The comfortable estate, flourishing condition, and well being of churches, yield great pleasure and consolation to the ministers of the Gospel: the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read, "our comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we, for the joy of Titus"; not only the repentance of the Corinthians, and the blessed effects of that, occasioned joy in the apostle; but what added to it, and increased it the more abundantly, was the joy of Titus, which he had been a partaker of during his stay with them:

because his spirit was refreshed by you all; not by one only, or a few, but by all the members of the church; he was received by them with great respect, provided for in a liberal manner, treated with all humanity and courteousness; and, above all, his mind was eased and filled with an unexpected pleasure, to find them in such an agreeable frame of mind; so sensible of their neglect of duty, so ready to reform, so united in themselves, so affected to the apostle, and so determined to abide by the order, ordinances, and truths of the Gospel, against all false teachers.

Geneva Study Bible

Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

2 Corinthians 7:13. Wherefore, because I had no other purpose than this (which is now attained), we are comforted; and, to our consolation there was further added a very great increase in joy over the joy of Titus, et.

ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ παρακλ. ἡμ.] ἐπί used of supervening on something already in existence.[264] See Matthiae, p. 1371; Winer, p. 368 [E. T. 490].

περισσοτ. μᾶλλον ἐχάρημεν] the joy of our consolation became still more increased. Comp. on 2 Corinthians 7:7. Regarding the strengthening of the comparative by μᾶλλον, see Pflugk, ad Eur. Hec. 377; Heind. ad Plat. Gorg. p. 679 E; Boissonade, ad Aristaen. p. 430.

ὅτι ἀναπέπαυται κ.τ.λ.] does not specify the reason of Paul’s joy (Rückert, although with hesitation), for that is contained in ἘΠῚ Τ. ΧΑΡᾷ ΤΊΤΟΥ, but is a more precise definition confirmatory of Τῇ ΧΑΡᾷ ΤΊΤΟΥ; since indeed his spirit (2 Corinthians 2:13) is refreshed by you all. ἀναπέπαυται (comp. 1 Corinthians 16:18; Philemon 1:7; Philemon 1:20) is placed first as the pith of the thought; ἈΠΌ denotes the proceeding from, the origin: forth from, from the side of. See Bernhardy, p. 222; Kühner, ad Xen. Anab. vi. 5. 18.

[264] Yet it may also be taken simply of the state: in our consolation. But the explanation above is more in keeping with the climactic character of the discourse.

REMARK.

According to the Recepta διὰ τοῦτο παρακεκλήμεθα ἐπὶ τῇ παρακλήσει ὑμῶν· περισσοτέρως δὲ μᾶλλον κ.τ.λ., the first ἐτί is through, properly on account of, just as in ἐπὶ τῇ χαρᾷ Τίτου, so that the παράκλησις ὑμῶν is that which causes the παρακεκλήμεθα (Winer, p. 368 [E. T. 491]); but ὑμῶν is not, with Flatt, de Wette, and many others, to be explained: by the consolation, which you have afforded to me, but: “consolatione vestri” (Luther, Beza, Cornelius a Lapide, Bengel, and most), i.e. by your being comforted over the pain, which my Epistle caused to you, now by means of the happy change which it has produced among you (2 Corinthians 7:11). The two genitives, namely ὑμῶν and Τίτου, must be taken uniformly. On the state of the case delicately denoted by παρακλ. ὑμῶν Calvin aptly remarks: “Nam correctionis acerbitas facile dulcescit, simulatque gustare incipimus, quam nobis fuerit utilis.” Michaelis, on the other hand, objects that what follows will then be discourteous; but the seeming discourtesy disappears before the reason for Titus’ joy, and is amply outweighed by 2 Corinthians 7:14. According to Reiche, Comm. crit. I. p. 370, the παράκλησις ὑμῶν means the admonitio et castigatio given in the first Epistle, for the sharpness and severity of which Paul is now consoled by the happy result. But after παρακεκλήμεθα, according to the analogy, moreover, of ἐχάρημεν ἐπὶ τῇ χαρῇ, as well as in accordance with 2 Corinthians 7:4; 2 Corinthians 7:6, παράκλησις cannot be otherwise taken than as solatium.

Expositor's Greek Testament

2 Corinthians 7:13-16. THE JOY OF TITUS IN THE TIDINGS HE BROUGHT. Chrysostom notes the tact which leads St. Paul to communicate this so emphatically; Titus was going back to Corinth on the business of the collection (2 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 8:16; 2 Corinthians 8:23), and it was very desirable that he should be well received there.—ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ παρακλήσει ἡμῶν περισσοτέρως μᾶλλον κ.τ.λ.: and in addition to this comfort of ours we rejoiced the more exceedingly (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:7, and for the double comparative cf. Mark 7:36, Php 1:23) at (for the constr. χαίρειν ἐπὶ cf. 1 Corinthians 13:6; 1 Corinthians 16:17, etc.) the joy of Titus, because his spirit hath been refreshed by you all (cf. the somewhat similar use of ἀπό in chap. 2 Corinthians 2:3, Matthew 11:19, Acts 2:22). Both here and at 2 Corinthians 7:15 πάντων is emphasised by its position before ὑμῶν; Titus was well received by all at Corinth, and it seems to be implied at 2 Corinthians 12:18 that he left a favourable impression upon them all.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. Therefore we were comforted in your comfort] Most modern editors punctuate as follows: ‘Therefore we were comforted. And in addition to (or in consequence of) our comfort we rejoiced a very great deal more at the joy of Titus,’ ‘our’ being read for the ‘your’ of the A. V.

exceedingly the more] See note on 2 Corinthians 7:4.

Bengel's Gnomen

2 Corinthians 7:13. ʼ Επὶ τῇ παρακλήσει ὑμῶν, on account of your comfort) which followed that very sorrow.—περισσοτέρως [42] μᾶλλον, more abundantly rather [exceedingly the more]) That feeling rather [μᾶλλον] takes the name of joy than comfort; and the joy was, περισσοτέρως, mor abundant, than the comfort. So μᾶλλον with the superlative, 2 Corinthians 12:9 : μᾶλλον for δὲ [43] [autem], yea and, is put here with striking effect.

[42] Tischend. and Lachm. stop thus: διὰ τοῦτο παρακεκλήμεθα. ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ παρακλήσει, etc. The δὲ is put after περισσοτέρως by Rec. Text. But after ἐπὶ by BCD(Λ) Gfg Vulg.—ED.

[43] The omission, however, of the particle δὲ both in the margin of the 2d Ed. and in the Germ. Ver., is thought to be not quite so certain.—E. B.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - Therefore we were comforted, etc. Since my Epistle secured the result of manifesting your true feelings towards me, "we have been comforted." The Revised Version and many editions put the stop here, and continue (reading δὲ after ἐπὶ), and in addition to our consolation, abundantly the more did we rejoice at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. Exceedingly the more. In the Greek this is expressed by double comparatives (comp. 2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 1:23). Was refreshed; rather, has been (and is) refreshed. The same verb is used in 1 Corinthians 16:18; Philemon 1:7, 20. 2 Corinthians 7:13

Vincent's Word Studies

Were comforted in your comfort (παρακεκλήμεθα ἐπὶ τῇ παρακλήσει ὑμῶν)

The best texts place a period after were comforted, transfer the δὲ and (yea) from after ἐπί exceedingly the more to directly after ἐπί in (your comfort), and instead of your read our. The whole, as Rev., therefore we have been comforted. And in our comfort we joyed the more exceedingly, etc.

In our comfort (ἐπί)

In addition to. Stanley, with this comfort before me, I was still more rejoiced, etc.