1 But I had determined Whoever it was that divided the chapters, made here a foolish division. For now at length the Apostle explains, in what manner he had spared them. “I had determined,” says he, “not to come to you any more in sorrow,” or in other words, to occasion you sorrow by my coming. For he had come once by an Epistle, by means of which he had severely pained them. Hence, so long as they had not repented, he was unwilling to come to them, lest he should be constrained to grieve them again, when present with them, for he chose rather to give them longer time for repentance. (311) The word ἔκρινα (I determined) must be rendered in the pluperfect tense, (312) for, when assigning a reason for the delay that had occurred, he explains what had been his intention previously.
(311) “ De se repentir et amender;” — “For repentance and amendment.”
(312) “ Et de faict il faut necessairement traduire, l’auoye delitere: non pas, l’ay deliberé;” — “And indeed we must necessarily render it — I had determined: not I have determined. ”