Bible Strands
2 Corinthians 2:7
So instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Corinthian church while a disciplinary conflict is ongoing, specifically after the majority has already imposed sufficient punishment on a repentant individual. He issues the directive during the transition from judgment to restoration.
The words — The conjunction τοὐναντίον (tounantion) literally means "on the contrary," marking a direct pivot from the preceding disciplinary action. The imperative χαρίσασθαι (charisasthai) translates as "to forgive" or "to show favor," immediately joined by παρακαλὲσαι (parakalesai), "to comfort."
The thread — The text explicitly commands forgiveness and comfort, a pattern that runs through Ephesians 4:32, Galatians 6:1, and Colossians 3:13. These passages collectively establish that restoring a repentant person follows the same biblical mandate as the initial discipline.
Why it lands — The verse plainly requires believers to forgive and comfort a repentant individual to prevent him from being crushed by excessive sorrow. It asks readers to actively replace prolonged discipline with deliberate emotional and relational support.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
Cross-references
- Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
- Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
- Colossians 3:13 Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
- Proverbs 17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
- Isaiah 28:7 These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.
- 2 Samuel 20:19 I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel, but you are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”
- Psalms 21:9 You will place them in a fiery furnace at the time of Your appearing. In His wrath the LORD will engulf them, and the fire will consume them.
- Psalms 124:3 when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive,
- Proverbs 1:12 let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit.
- 1 Corinthians 15:54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”