As the Revised Standard Version translation indicates, verse 4 in Greek consists of four short phrases followed by the words With all our affliction. There are two different ways in which the words With all our affliction may be connected to the preceding words. Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Bible en français courant connect the words With all our affliction with the final two clauses, I am filled with comfort and I am overjoyed. Revised English Bible says “In all our many troubles my cup is full of consolation and overflows with joy.” Other translations such as New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, however, agree with Revised Standard Version in connecting the words With all our affliction with the last clause only, that is, with I am overjoyed. Though both interpretations are possible, perhaps the grammatical construction favors the Revised Standard Version translation more than the Good News Translation.

The translation I have great confidence in you does not seem to capture the meaning of the Greek. The word confidence in Revised Standard Version is the same word translated as “bold” in 3.12. As indicated in the comments on that verse, this Greek word often means “boldness in speech.” Paul’s relationship of trust with the Corinthians permits him to speak boldly to them. It may be translated “I have great confidence before you….” Anchor Bible expresses the meaning clearly: “I feel I can speak quite candidly to you.” Revised English Bible similarly says “I am speaking to you with great frankness.” New American Bible and Phillips translate similarly, speaking of “utter frankness.”

I have great pride in you: in some languages the idea of taking pride in someone else is expressed by saying “I am very happy about you” or “you make my heart rejoice.”

I am filled with comfort: while comfort and encouragement are closely related, the latter seems more appropriate in this context. Paul states that he is encouraged by the Corinthians. The passive may be avoided by saying “I have received great comfort,” or by making the Corinthians the subject of the verb, “you give me much encouragement….”

The pronoun our in all our affliction probably does not include the readers.

I am overjoyed: literally “I overflow with joy.” The sense is that, in spite of all his trouble, Paul is nevertheless extremely happy.

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 .