So: although some see this transition word as connecting this verse with verses 5-7, it is more likely that it joins what follows with the entire preceding passage, including verses 8-11.
On I wrote see comments on the “letter” in 7.8.
The one who did the wrong refers to the person mentioned in 2.5-8. The masculine singular participle in Greek shows that the one who did the wrong was a male. Some translators may wish to say “that man who acted wrongly” or “the person who committed the bad deed.”
Paul does not identify the one who suffered the wrong, but he probably is alluding indirectly to himself (see 2.5). However, it is not wise to make this explicit in translation. It will be better to leave the rendering indefinite, as does the original: “the injured party” (Moffatt); “the one who was hurt” (Contemporary English Version).
The Greek word translated as zeal in Revised Standard Version is the same word translated as “eagerness” by Revised Standard Version in 7.11 and is not the same as the Greek word translated as “zeal” in 7.11. Nevertheless, here it seems to be synonymous with the Greek word translated as “zeal” in verse 11. God’s New Covenant says “your earnest concern for us.”
In order that your zeal for us might be revealed to you: Paul here states positively the purpose of his writing after indicating two possible reasons that he did not have in mind. That is, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the person who had been wronged. Rather it was to bring about an understanding of how much the Corinthians cared for Paul and his associates. Since Paul is attempting to get the readers of his letter to become aware of something within themselves, some languages may require special grammatical forms or idiomatic expressions here. Although this is stated using a passive verb in Revised Standard Version, an active formulation will be required in many languages. One may consider saying something like “Rather I wrote to you so that you might see how much you care for us” or “… in order that you might come to understand how much you really do love us.” Contemporary English Version makes God the implied agent in the verb “reveal” by translating “so that God would show you how much you do care for us.” On the other hand Furnish thinks that the implied agent is the Corinthian congregation itself, though this is less probable.
The phrase in the sight of God occurs also at 4.2. See the comments on the similar phrase in 2.17.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .