2 Corinthians 2:7

7. The μᾶλλον after τοὐναντίον (אCKLOP) or after ὑμᾶς (DFG) is doubtful. AB and Aug. omit.

7. ὥστε τοὐναντίον [μᾶλλον] ὑμᾶς χαρίσασθαι καὶ παρακαλέσαι. There is no need to understand δεῖν: so that on the contrary you may forgive and comfort him. If μᾶλλον is genuine (see critical note), it indicates that feeling on the subject is still acute. For χαρίσασθαι, which implies gracious forgiveness, comp. 2 Corinthians 12:13; Luke 7:42-43 : the aorist is timeless. With the thought comp. Galatians 6:1.

μή πως. Lest by any means (1 Corinthians 9:27; Galatians 2:2). The A.V. stumbles over this particle here, 2 Corinthians 9:4, and 2 Corinthians 12:20.

τῇ περισσοτέρᾳ λύπῃ καταποθῇ. The article must not be neglected: be swallowed up by his overmuch sorrow. It is useless to ask whether death, suicide, apostasy, or despair of salvation is meant. Probably nothing more definite is intended than that a continuation of punishment will do much more harm than good: nihil enim periculosius quam ansam Satanae porrigere, ut peccatorem ad desperationem sollicitet (Calvin). As Theodoret remarks, S. Paul here exhibits his fatherly tenderness and affection, τὴν πατρικὴν φιλοστοργίαν γυμνοῖ. With καταποθῇ comp. 2 Corinthians 5:4; 1 Corinthians 15:54. The verb is common in the LXX. to represent a Heb. word of similar meaning.