Text -- 2 Corinthians 6:1-15 (NET)

God’s Suffering Servants

6:1 Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 6:2 For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! 6:3 We do not give anyone an occasion for taking an offense in anything, so that no fault may be found with our ministry. 6:4 But as God’s servants, we have commended ourselves in every way, with great endurance, in persecutions, in difficulties, in distresses, 6:5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in troubles, in sleepless nights, in hunger, 6:6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by benevolence, by the Holy Spirit, by genuine love, 6:7 by truthful teaching, by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left, 6:8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and praise; regarded as impostors, and yet true; 6:9 as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying and yet– see!– we continue to live; as those who are scourged and yet not executed; 6:10 as sorrowful, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 6:11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you. 6:12 Our affection for you is not restricted, but you are restricted in your affections for us. 6:13 Now as a fair exchange– I speak as to my children– open wide your hearts to us also.

Unequal Partners

6:14 Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 6:15 And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever?

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Co 6:1

¹ tn Or “receive the grace of God uselessly.”

NET Notes: 2Co 6:2

¹ sn A quotation from Isa 49:8.

NET Notes: 2Co 6:3

¹ tn The word “anyone” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.

² tn Other interpretations of the first part of 2 Cor 6:3 are possible. The phrase could also mean, “not putting an obstacle in the way of anyone” (L&N 22.14), or “giving no one in anything a cause to sin” (L&N 88.307).

NET Notes: 2Co 6:4

¹ tn Or “ministers.”

² tn Or “we have commended ourselves by all things.”

³ tn Or “in trouble and suffering.”

NET Notes: 2Co 6:5

¹ tn Or “rebellions” (uprisings in open defiance of civil authority).

² tn Usually κόποις (kopois) has been translated as “labors” or “hard work,” but see Matt 26:10 where it means “trouble”; “distress” (L&N 22.7). In this context with so many other terms denoting suffering and difficulty, such a meaning is preferable.

NET Notes: 2Co 6:6

¹ tn Or “by holiness of spirit.”

² tn Or “sincere.”

NET Notes: 2Co 6:7

¹ tn Grk “by the word of truth”; understanding ἀληθείας (alhqeias) as an attributive genitive (“truthful word”).

² tn Or “speech.” In this context it is more likely that λόγος (logos) refers to Paul’s message (thus “teaching”) than to his speech in general.

³ tn The phrase “for the right hand and for the left” possibly refers to a combination of an offensive weapon (a sword for the right hand) and a defensive weapon (a shield for the left).

NET Notes: 2Co 6:8

¹ tn Or “regarded as deceivers.”

NET Notes: 2Co 6:9

¹ tn Grk “disciplined,” but in this context probably a reference to scourging prior to execution (yet the execution is not carried out).

NET Notes: 2Co 6:11

¹ tn Grk “our mouth has been open to you,” an idiom for openness in communication.

NET Notes: 2Co 6:12

¹ tn Grk “You are not restricted by us.”

NET Notes: 2Co 6:13

¹ tn The word “my” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

² tn The words “to us” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

NET Notes: 2Co 6:14

¹ tn Or “Do not be mismatched.”

NET Notes: 2Co 6:15

¹ sn The Greek term Βελιάρ (Beliar) is a spelling variant for Βελιάλ (Belial, see Judg 20:13 LXX). It occurs only here in the NT. Beliar is a reference to Satan.