2 Corinthians 1:4

ὁ f1παρακαλῶν ἡμᾶς κ. τ. λ.: who comforteth us in all our affliction (the def. art. indicating trials actually existing). The verb παρακαλεῖν has three shades of meaning, (a) to beseech, eighteen times in St. Paul, (b) to exhort, seventeen times, (c) to comfort, thirteen times, of which seven are in this Epistle, where the word occurs altogether seventeen times. Cf. 2 Corinthians 1:6; 2 Corinthians 2:7-8Co 5:20, 2 Corinthians 6:1; 2 Corinthians 7:6-7; 2 Corinthians 7:13; 2 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 9:5; 2 Corinthians 10:1 2 Corinthians 12:8; 2 Corinthians 12:18; 2 Corinthians 13:11. εἰς τὸ δύνασθαι κ. τ. λ.: to the end that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction (sc., any that may happen to arise). This is the final purpose of God's gifts of grace, viz., that they may not only be a blessing to the individual, but through him and as reflected from him to his fellows. ἧς παρακαλούμεθα : through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are being comforted of God. ἧς, for ἥν, has been attracted into the case of παρακλήσεως (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:19, chap. 2 Corinthians 10:13; Ephesians 2:10).