We are sending is literally “we sent.” Paul has again used the past tense when writing about a future event; this is an epistolary aorist (see 8.17). The three individuals had not already been sent when Paul was writing; rather, they were about to be sent, probably taking this letter with them.

The brother will require a possessive pronoun in some languages. Possibly this person was Titus’ own brother. More likely Paul means simply “a fellow Christian.” Since this “brother” was known to Paul and his companions but may not yet have been known to the Corinthians, the exclusive first person plural pronoun may be used: “our brother.” See the comments below on the words all the churches.

This brother is said to be famous for his preaching of the gospel. The Greek is literally “of whom the praise in the gospel in all the churches.” What exactly does “in the gospel” mean? Most interpreters take it to mean that he preached (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New American Bible). Since the Greek is not specific, some translations use a general expression such as “for his service to the gospel” (New International Version; also Revised English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Luther 1984, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). The choice of a verb to translate the idea of fame or praise may require a slight change in the subject of the verb. In some languages this clause may have to be rephrased as follows: “the brother whom the people in all the churches respect for his work in proclaiming the Good News.”

All the churches: on the word churches see comments on 2 Cor. 8.1 of this chapter. The term is used again in verse 19. It is not clear how inclusive the words all the churches are here. If Paul refers only to the churches in Macedonia, as in 8.1, then the Corinthian readers probably did not know the brother mentioned in this verse. If all the churches includes the Corinthians, then they would have known this man whom Paul was sending with Titus.

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 .