Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Corinthians 12:3

χωρὶς τοῦ σώματος (BD) rather than ἐκτὸς τ. σώμ. (D2D3FGKLMP), which comes from 2 Corinthians 12:2. B omits οὐκ οἷδα, which might come from 2 Corinthians 12:2.

3. καὶ οἷδα κ.τ.λ. And I know such a man, whether in the body or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth. The use made by Athanasius of S. Paul’s οὐκ οἷδα is a curiosity of exegesis: see con. Arian. III. 47. The change (see critical note) from ἐκτός (2 Corinthians 12:2; 1 Corinthians 6:18) to χωρίς (2 Corinthians 11:28; 1 Corinthians 11:11, &c.) should be marked in translation. The Vulgate has extra corpus in both verses, its usual rendering of χωρίς being sine. The fact that in both verses ἐν σώματι stands first is no indication that S. Paul himself regarded this alternative as the more probable: with εἴτε … εἴτε the alternatives are given as equal; comp. 2 Corinthians 5:9; 2 Corinthians 5:13. The expression ἐν σώματι (Hebrews 13:3), without article, is adverbial, ‘corporeally’: comp. ἐν οἴκῳ (1 Corinthians 11:34; 1 Corinthians 14:35; Mark 2:1), ‘indoors, at home.’ Irenaeus (V. 2 Corinthians 12:1) uses it of Enoch; Ἐνὼχ εὐαρεστήσας τῷ θεῷ ἐν σώματι μετετέθη. See Westcott on Hebrews 13:3. In the Testament of Abraham σωματικῶς and ἐν σώματι are used indifferently: Abraham says, σωματικῶς ἤθελον�. The Lord says to Michael, ἀναλαβοῦ ἐν σώματι τὸν Ἀβραάμ (Recension B. vii., viii.). The whole passage is interesting in connexion with these verses.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Corinthians 12:3

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