2 Corinthians 7 4

2 Corinthians 7:4 kjv

Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

2 Corinthians 7:4 nkjv

Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

2 Corinthians 7:4 niv

I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.

2 Corinthians 7:4 esv

I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.

2 Corinthians 7:4 nlt

I have the highest confidence in you, and I take great pride in you. You have greatly encouraged me and made me happy despite all our troubles.

2 Corinthians 7 verses

2 Corinthians 7 4 Meaning

The apostle Paul, after a period of intense anxiety regarding the Corinthian church, expresses profound relief and heartfelt affection. Having received a positive report from Titus concerning their repentance and restored relationship, Paul declares his renewed confidence in them and legitimate spiritual pride on account of them. His previous distress is now completely overcome by a surging wave of comfort and overwhelming joy, experienced even in the midst of his ongoing trials and tribulations.

2 Corinthians 7 4 Context

This verse stands at a pivotal point in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, following a period of deep distress and emotional turmoil for the apostle. Chapters 2 Corinthians 1-7 address the difficult and strained relationship Paul had with the Corinthian church. After writing a previous "severe letter" (which is largely considered lost or integrated into 2 Cor 2:1-11), Paul sent Titus to Corinth to assess their response. Chapters 2 Corinthians 2:12-13 and 7:5-6 vividly describe Paul's immense anxiety and restless spirit as he waited for Titus' report, searching for him in Macedonia. The report, detailed in 2 Corinthians 7:6-16, brought great relief and joy to Paul, confirming the Corinthians' repentance, sorrow over their actions, and renewed affection for him. Verse 7:4, therefore, is an outpouring of Paul's heart, expressing his profound sense of encouragement and overwhelming joy specifically because of Titus’ good news and the Corinthians’ changed hearts, which brought immense comfort amidst Paul's personal and ministerial hardships. The historical context reflects the challenge of leading a fledgling church grappling with internal divisions, moral issues, and challenges to apostolic authority in a cosmopolitan, often syncretistic, Greco-Roman city.

2 Corinthians 7 4 Word analysis

• I have great (πολλή - pollē): (Greek: πολλή, meaning "much, great, abundant"). The repetition of this adjective emphasizes the intensity and considerable measure of Paul's feelings. It signals an overflowing, rather than mere, amount of confidence and pride.
• confidence (παρρησία - parrēsia): (Greek: παρρησία, meaning "boldness, frankness, confidence, courage"). This term implies open, unreserved communication, often stemming from trust. Paul uses it here to indicate not just his belief in them, but his freedom and ability to speak openly and without reservation to them, signifying a restored, trusting relationship after their previous estrangement. It's the assurance he has in their character and readiness to receive his words.
• in you (πρὸς ὑμᾶς - pros humas): (Greek: πρὸς - toward, ὑμᾶς - you, plural). Denotes the direction and recipients of Paul's confidence – the Corinthian believers. It highlights his relationship with them.
• I have great (πολλή - pollē): Again, "great," intensifying the subsequent word, "pride."
• pride (καύχησις - kauchēsis): (Greek: καύχησις, meaning "boasting, glorying, pride"). In a biblical context, "boasting" can be negative (self-centered) or positive. Here, it is profoundly positive, meaning a legitimate spiritual satisfaction, joy, or sense of glory taken in others, for what God has accomplished through or in them. Paul is not boasting about himself, but celebrating their spiritual growth and repentance.
• in you (ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν - hyper humōn): (Greek: ὑπὲρ - on behalf of, for, ὑμῶν - you, plural). The preposition hyper here implies that his pride is "over" or "on account of" the Corinthians; they are the cause and object of his positive 'boasting.'
• I am greatly encouraged (πεπλήρωμαι τῇ παρακλήσει - peplērōmai tē paraklēsei):
  • I am greatly encouraged (πεπλήρωμαι - peplērōmai): (Perfect passive indicative of πληρόω - plēroō, meaning "to fill, fulfill"). The perfect tense emphasizes a completed action with enduring results; Paul has been filled to capacity and remains so. The passive voice implies that this filling is a result of something external – namely, the good news from Titus.
  • by the encouragement (τῇ παρακλήσει - tē paraklēsei): (Greek: παρακλήσει, meaning "encouragement, comfort, consolation"). This is the spiritual solace and support Paul received through Titus' report, affirming the Corinthians' change of heart. It is the direct source of his "fullness."
• I overflow with (ὑπερπερισσεύομαι τῇ χαρᾷ - hyperperisseuomai tē chara):
  • I overflow with (ὑπερπερισσεύομαι - hyperperisseuomai): (Greek: ὑπερπερισσεύομαι, meaning "to superabound, to abound exceedingly, to overflow"). This intensive compound verb ("hyper-" meaning over/beyond + "perisseuō" meaning to abound) signifies an overwhelming, overflowing, boundless measure. Paul's joy isn't just full, it's spilling over.
  • joy (τῇ χαρᾷ - tē chara): (Greek: χαρᾷ, meaning "joy, delight, gladness"). This refers to the profound inner gladness, often spiritual in nature, that stems from a right relationship with God and others. It is the overwhelming emotional experience.
• in all (ἐπὶ πάσῃ - epi pasē): (Greek: ἐπὶ - on, over, in the midst of, πάσῃ - all, every). "In all" signifies comprehensiveness; the joy persists universally even through every instance of trouble. "On" or "upon" suggests it rests upon or accompanies.
• our troubles (τῇ θλίψει ἡμῶν - tē thlipsei hēmōn): (Greek: θλίψει - affliction, distress, trouble, pressure; ἡμῶν - our). This refers to the external pressures, hardships, and persecutions that Paul and his companions faced in their ministry and daily lives. The verse powerfully contrasts this ongoing reality of affliction with Paul's internal, overflowing joy.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "πολλή μοι παρρησία πρὸς ὑμᾶς, πολλή μοι καύχησις ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν" (I have great confidence in you, I have great pride in you): This parallel structure immediately establishes two primary emotional states for Paul, both in abundance, directed towards and on account of the Corinthians. Parrēsia (confidence/boldness) suggests restored relational trust and openness to speak. Kauchēsis (pride/boasting) signifies legitimate, Christ-centered satisfaction in their spiritual progress. This phrase strongly counters accusations of Paul being insincere or simply abandoned them, rather showing his deep emotional investment.
• "πεπλήρωμαι τῇ παρακλήσει" (I am greatly encouraged / filled with comfort): This passive perfect construction highlights that Paul is the recipient of a profound spiritual comfort or encouragement, which has filled him completely and remains so. The source of this comfort is implied to be external, originating from the news about the Corinthians, mediated by God.
• "ὑπερπερισσεύομαι τῇ χαρᾷ" (I overflow with joy): This strong, intensive verb points to an ecstatic, super-abundant joy. It's not merely being "full," but having an excessive, boundless amount of joy that spills over. This spiritual emotion is so potent that it transcends his circumstances.
• "ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ θλίψει ἡμῶν" (in all our troubles): This final phrase serves as a striking contrast and profound theological statement. Paul's overwhelming joy and comfort are not because of the absence of troubles, but are experienced in the midst of, or in spite of, all his and his team's afflictions. This demonstrates a deep-seated spiritual reality where divine joy and comfort can transcend and even amplify during suffering, as seen throughout Paul's ministry (2 Cor 4:7-12, 6:4-10).

2 Corinthians 7 4 Bonus section

Paul's intense emotional language throughout 2 Corinthians (anguish, suffering, comfort, joy) reflects the deeply personal and relational nature of his apostolic ministry, distinguishing it from merely intellectual or administrative roles. His willingness to express vulnerability (as seen in his anxiety described earlier in the chapter) makes his subsequent outburst of joy here even more poignant and believable, affirming his genuine love and care for the Corinthian believers. The rhetorical shift from lament and apprehension to robust confidence and boundless joy is a classic Pauline literary device that serves to emotionally re-engage his audience and emphasize the transformative power of grace and repentance. This verse also illustrates a crucial aspect of pastoral ministry: the shepherd's heart finds immense joy and encouragement not in personal acclaim, but in the spiritual well-being, growth, and repentance of those entrusted to their care. The ultimate source of Paul’s strength, even in trouble, remains the comforting Spirit of God, made tangible through the restored relationship with the church he labored for.

2 Corinthians 7 4 Commentary

2 Corinthians 7:4 is an explosion of relief and heartfelt emotion from Paul. Following an anxious period of waiting for Titus' report, the good news from Corinth radically transformed Paul's disposition. He declares "great confidence" (parrēsia) in the Corinthians, indicating a restored openness and trust, vital for their ongoing relationship and his apostolic ministry among them. This is coupled with "great pride" (kauchēsis), a legitimate, spiritual satisfaction or joy derived not from personal accomplishment but from seeing God's work in their lives, especially their repentance. This stands in stark contrast to the worldly boasting Paul frequently condemned.

The depth of Paul's emotional shift is conveyed through powerful verbs: he is "filled" (peplērōmai, perfect tense, lasting state) with comfort and "overflows" (hyperperisseuomai, intensive verb, superabundance) with joy. This comfort and joy are directly linked to their repentance and the positive outcome of his previous, stern letter. Crucially, this immense gladness is not contingent on his circumstances being easy or comfortable. Rather, it flourishes "in all our troubles" (epi pasē tē thlipsei hēmōn). Paul's profound joy exists concurrently with, and powerfully outweighs, his ongoing afflictions and ministerial hardships. This paradox underscores the spiritual resilience and the divine source of Paul's inner peace, demonstrating how the work of God in others can be a wellspring of joy that transcends personal suffering.