^2:1So¹ I made up my own mind² not to pay you another painful visit.³^2:2For if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad⁴ but the one I caused to be sad? ^2:3And I wrote this very thing to you,⁵ so that when I came⁶ I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours. ^2:4For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you.⁷

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Footnotes

1 Although usually δέ (de, “now”; found in א A C D1 F G Ψ 0285 𝔐 lat) should take precedent over γάρ (gar) in textually disputed places in the corpus Paulinum, the credentials for γάρ here are not easily dismissed (𝔓46 B 0223 0243 33 1739 1881 ); here it is the preferred reading, albeit slightly.
2 Or “I decided this for myself.”
3 Grk “not to come to you again in sorrow.” Paul was not speaking absolutely about not making another visit, but meant he did not want to come to the Corinthians again until the conflict he mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4–11 was settled.
4 Or “to cheer me up.” L&N 25.131 translates this “For if I were to make you sad, who would be left to cheer me up?”
5 The words “to you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
6 So that when I came. Regarding this still future visit by Paul, see 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1.
7 Or “the love that I have in great measure for you.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit. For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me? I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours. For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not to cause you pain, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.

NLTNew Living Translation

So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit. For if I cause you grief, who will make me glad? Certainly not someone I have grieved. That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful. I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For I have decided this for myself, not to come to you again in sorrow. For if I cause you sorrow, then who will make me glad except the one who is caused to be sad by me? And I wrote this very thing in order that when I came, I would not experience sorrow from those who ought to have made me glad, because I have confidence about you all, that my joy belongs to all of you. For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you through many tears, not so that you may be caused to be sad, but so that you may know the love that I have especially for you.

KJV 1900King James Version

But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 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. 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.

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