With verse 5 Paul returns to the subject of his travel plans which he left in 2.13. See the comments at the section heading for 2.14-17. It will be important to make a paragraph break at this point in the receptor language, as in most English versions.

On Macedonia see 2.13. Paul is writing from Macedonia (see 9.1-4), so the verb we came probably refers to a recent arrival.

Our bodies had no rest is literally “our flesh had no rest.” Here “flesh” refers to the entire person, with the additional sense that human beings are subject to frailty. The natural translation of this thought into English is expressed in the Good News Translation‘s pronoun “we,” though perhaps Good News Translation lacks the idea expressed by “flesh,” that the body is subject to weariness and pain. In some languages it may be perfectly natural to say “we did not let our bodies rest,” retaining the notion of “body” but using the more natural subject “we.” Others may say “we were physically exhausted.”

We were afflicted: this passive verb will have to be translated actively in many cases. However, there is no direct evidence as to the cause of the affliction. It may be possible to say simply “we suffered” or “there was trouble [for us].” Other languages will have to use the indefinite third person plural, “they caused us suffering.”

At every turn: literally “in all,” that is, in every way. Barclay translates this element by his choice of verb: “we were surrounded by troubles.”

Fighting without and fear within: the word fighting is not to be taken literally as referring to physical battle, but rather in the figurative sense of “quarrels” (Good News Translation) with other people who were without, meaning “outside the church.” These other people were perhaps Christian opponents, non-Christians, or both. Fear within: refers to concerns and anxieties within their own “hearts.” One possible model may be “while we struggled with other people, we also had to struggle with the fears in our minds [or, hearts].”

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 .