‘Great is my confidence (or ‘boldness of speech') toward you, great is my glorying on your behalf: I am filled with comfort, I overflow with joy in all our affliction.'

Indeed he wants them to know that he is not speaking to them with any doubt as to their response. He speaks boldly towards them because of his confidence in them. He glories greatly because of them. For the news he had received about them had filled him full with encouragement and had comforted him, and caused him to overflow with joy in the midst of the affliction that he and his companions were facing. Note the stress on just how encouraged and joyful he was, ‘filled full', ‘overflowing with joy'. (It was this same feeling that had caused him to recognise God's triumphs in 2 Corinthians 2:14).

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