2 Corinthians 2:5

Εἰ δέ τις λελύπηκεν, οὐκ ἐμὲ λελύπηκεν. But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow, not to me. The repetition of λύπη and λυπέω must be preserved in translation here, as that of θλίψις and θλίβω, παράκλησις and παρακαλέω in 2 Corinthians 1:4-8. Εἰ does not imply that there is doubt; it is a gentle way of putting it: comp. 2 Corinthians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 7:14; 2 Corinthians 10:7.

As regards the construction of what follows there is much difference of opinion There are four renderings. (1) He hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all (A.V.). This has the support of Tertullian and Luther, but it cannot be right. The ἀλλά (comp. Mark 10:40) and ἀπὸ μέρους are decisive against it; for ἀλλά does not mean ‘except,’ and ἀπὸ μέρους means ‘some out of many’ (2 Corinthians 1:14). Moreover the Apostle does not urge that he personally has been hurt, whether partly or wholly. It is for him not a personal matter at all. (2) He hath caused sorrow not to me, but partly (that I may not press too heavily on all) to you. This is better. It gives the right meaning to ἀλλά, and it makes ἀπὸ μέρους qualify, not the Apostle, but the Corinthians. But it divides the sentence awkwardly, and it spoils the antithesis between ἐμέ and πάντας ὑμᾶς, which is very marked, ἑμέ being placed first, and πάντας ὑμᾶς last, in emphatic opposition. This rendering would require, ἴνα μὴ πάντας ἐπιβαρῶ. (3) Has he not caused sorrow to me? nevertheless for a time (that I may not press too heavily on you all) sufficient to such a one &c. This is perverse ingenuity. It may be mentioned, but it does not need discussion. (4) He hath caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all (R.V.). This is almost certainly right. The offender has not so much pained the Apostle, as he has practically (not to be too severe) pained all the Corinthians. S. Paul sets himself out of the case altogether: it is a question between the offender and the Corinthian Church. But the Apostle will not say absolutely that every member of it has been pained, and he inserts ἀπὸ μέρους to cover exceptions. The ἀπὸ μέρους does not mean that all of them had been pained to some extent, but that practically all had been pained. The whole Church was distressed, although some did not sympathize. If any accusative be understood after ἐπιβαρῶ, it is the offender, who is not mentioned out of delicacy. Comp. the classical ἵνα μηδὲν φορτικὸν λέγω.