Bible Reading November 28 
2 Corinthians 4:1--6:18
Context4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, 1 we do not become discouraged. 2 4:2 But we have rejected 3 shameful hidden deeds, 4 not behaving 5 with deceptiveness 6 or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God. 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing, 4:4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe 7 so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel 8 of Christ, 9 who is the image of God. 4:5 For we do not proclaim 10 ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves 11 for Jesus’ sake. 4:6 For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” 12 is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge 13 of God in the face of Christ. 14
4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power 15 belongs to God and does not come from us. 4:8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, 16 but are not crushed; we are perplexed, 17 but not driven to despair; 4:9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; 18 we are knocked down, 19 but not destroyed, 4:10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, 20 so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible 21 in our body. 4:11 For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible 22 in our mortal body. 23 4:12 As a result, 24 death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 25 4:13 But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in 26 what has been written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,” 27 we also believe, therefore we also speak. 4:14 We do so 28 because we know that the one who raised up Jesus 29 will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence. 4:15 For all these things are for your sake, so that the grace that is including 30 more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase 31 to the glory of God. 4:16 Therefore we do not despair, 32 but even if our physical body 33 is wearing away, our inner person 34 is being renewed day by day. 4:17 For our momentary, light suffering 35 is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison 4:18 because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, 36 is dismantled, 37 we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens. 5:2 For in this earthly house 38 we groan, because we desire to put on 39 our heavenly dwelling, 5:3 if indeed, after we have put on 40 our heavenly house, 41 we will not be found naked. 5:4 For we groan while we are in this tent, 42 since we are weighed down, 43 because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5:5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose 44 is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. 45 5:6 Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth 46 we are absent from the Lord – 5:7 for we live 47 by faith, not by sight. 5:8 Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away 48 from the body and at home with the Lord. 5:9 So then whether we are alive 49 or away, we make it our ambition to please him. 50 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, 51 so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil. 52
5:11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, 53 we try to persuade 54 people, 55 but we are well known 56 to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too. 5:12 We are not trying to commend 57 ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, 58 so that you may be able to answer those who take pride 59 in outward appearance 60 and not in what is in the heart. 5:13 For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 5:14 For the love of Christ 61 controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ 62 died for all; therefore all have died. 5:15 And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised. 63 5:16 So then from now on we acknowledge 64 no one from an outward human point of view. 65 Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, 66 now we do not know him in that way any longer. 5:17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away 67 – look, what is new 68 has come! 69 5:18 And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 5:19 In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us 70 the message of reconciliation. 5:20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea 71 through us. We plead with you 72 on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” 5:21 God 73 made the one who did not know sin 74 to be sin for us, so that in him 75 we would become the righteousness of God.
6:1 Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 76 6:2 For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” 77 Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! 6:3 We do not give anyone 78 an occasion for taking an offense in anything, 79 so that no fault may be found with our ministry. 6:4 But as God’s servants, 80 we have commended ourselves in every way, 81 with great endurance, in persecutions, 82 in difficulties, in distresses, 6:5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, 83 in troubles, 84 in sleepless nights, in hunger, 6:6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by benevolence, by the Holy Spirit, 85 by genuine 86 love, 6:7 by truthful 87 teaching, 88 by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left, 89 6:8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and praise; regarded as impostors, 90 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 91 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, 92 Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you. 6:12 Our affection for you is not restricted, 93 but you are restricted in your affections for us. 6:13 Now as a fair exchange – I speak as to my 94 children – open wide your hearts to us 95 also.
6:14 Do not become partners 96 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? 97 Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? 6:16 And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are 98 the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them 99 and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 100 6:17 Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, 101 and I will welcome 102 you, 103 6:18 and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” 104 says the All-Powerful Lord. 105
[4:1] 1 tn Grk “just as we have been shown mercy”; ἠλεήθημεν (hlehqhmen) has been translated as a “divine passive” which is a circumlocution for God as the active agent. For clarity this was converted to an active construction with God as subject in the translation.
[4:1] 2 tn Or “we do not lose heart.”
[4:2] 3 tn L&N 13.156; the word can also mean “to assert opposition to,” thus here “we have denounced” (L&N 33.220).
[4:2] 4 tn Grk “the hidden things [deeds] of shame”; here αἰσχύνης (aiscunh") has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[4:2] 5 tn Or “not conducting ourselves”; Grk “not walking” (a common NT idiom for conduct, way of life, or behavior).
[4:4] 7 tn Or “of unbelievers.”
[4:4] 8 tn Grk “the gospel of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[4:4] 9 tn Or “so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ would not be evident to them” (L&N 28.37).
[4:5] 11 tn Traditionally, “servants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
[4:6] 12 sn An allusion to Gen 1:3; see also Isa 9:2.
[4:6] 13 tn Grk “the light of the knowledge of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[4:6] 14 tc ‡ Most witnesses, including several early and important ones (Ì46 א C H Ψ 0209 1739c Ï sy), read ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (Ihsou Cristou, “Jesus Christ”), while other important witnesses, especially of the Western text (D F G 0243 630 1739* 1881 lat Ambst), have Χριστοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ. The reading with just Χριστοῦ is found in A B 33 {sa} Tert {Or Ath Chr}. Even though the witnesses for the shorter reading are not numerous, they are weighty. And in light of the natural scribal proclivity to fill out the text, particularly with reference to divine names, as well as the discrepancy among the witnesses as to the order of the names, the simple reading Χριστοῦ seems to be the best candidate for authenticity. NA27 reads ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ with ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
[4:7] 15 tn Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunamew") has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).
[4:8] 16 tn Grk “we are hard pressed [by crowds] on every side.”
[4:9] 19 tn Or “badly hurt.” It is possible to interpret καταβαλλόμενοι (kataballomenoi) here as “badly hurt”: “[we are] badly hurt, but not destroyed” (L&N 20.21).
[4:10] 20 tn The first clause of 2 Cor 4:10 is elliptical and apparently refers to the fact that Paul was constantly in danger of dying in the same way Jesus died (by violence at least). According to L&N 23.99 it could be translated, “at all times we live in the constant threat of being killed as Jesus was.”
[4:10] 21 tn Or “may also be revealed.”
[4:11] 22 tn Or “may also be revealed.”
[4:11] 23 tn Grk “mortal flesh.”
[4:12] 25 tn Grk “death is at work in us, but life in you”; the phrase “is at work in” is repeated in the translation for clarity.
[4:13] 26 tn Grk “spirit of faith according to.”
[4:13] 27 sn A quotation from Ps 116:10.
[4:14] 28 tn Grk “speak, because.” A new sentence was started here in the translation, with the words “We do so” supplied to preserve the connection with the preceding statement.
[4:14] 29 tc ‡ Several important witnesses (א C D F G Ψ 1881), as well as the Byzantine text, add κύριον (kurion) here, changing the reading to “the Lord Jesus.” Although the external evidence in favor of the shorter reading is slim, the witnesses are important, early, and diverse (Ì46 B [0243 33] 629 [630] 1175* [1739] pc r sa). Very likely scribes with pietistic motives added the word κύριον, as they were prone to do, thus compounding this title for the Lord.
[4:15] 30 tn Or “that is abounding to.”
[4:16] 32 tn Or “do not lose heart.”
[4:16] 33 tn Grk “our outer man.”
[4:16] 34 tn Grk “our inner [man].”
[4:17] 35 tn Grk “momentary lightness of affliction.”
[5:1] 36 sn The expression the tent we live in refers to “our earthly house, our body.” Paul uses the metaphor of the physical body as a house or tent, the residence of the immaterial part of a person.
[5:2] 38 tn Or “dwelling place.”
[5:2] 39 tn Or “to be clothed with.”
[5:3] 40 tc ‡ Some
[5:3] 41 tn Grk “it”; the referent (the “heavenly dwelling” of the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:4] 42 sn See the note in 5:1 on the phrase the tent we live in.
[5:4] 43 tn Or “we are burdened.”
[5:5] 44 tn Grk “for this very thing.”
[5:5] 45 tn Or “first installment,” “pledge,” “deposit” (see the note on the phrase “down payment” in 1:22).
[5:6] 46 tn Grk “we know that being at home in the body”; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91).
[5:9] 49 tn Grk “whether we are at home” [in the body]; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91).
[5:9] 50 tn Grk “to be pleasing to him.”
[5:10] 51 sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a common item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city. Use of the term in reference to Christ’s judgment would be familiar to Paul’s 1st century readers.
[5:10] 52 tn Or “whether good or bad.”
[5:11] 53 tn Or “because we know what it means to fear the Lord.”
[5:11] 54 tn The present tense of πείθομεν (peiqomen) has been translated as a conative present.
[5:11] 55 tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is generic here since clearly both men and women are in view (Paul did not attempt to win only men to the gospel he preached).
[5:11] 56 tn Or “clearly evident.” BDAG 1048 s.v. φανερόω 2.b.β has “θεῷ πεφανερώμεθα we are well known to God 2 Cor 5:11a, cp. 11b; 11:6 v.l.”
[5:12] 57 tn The present tense of συνιστάνομεν (sunistanomen) has been translated as a conative present.
[5:12] 58 tn Or “to boast about us.”
[5:12] 60 tn Or “in what is seen.”
[5:14] 61 tn The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ (Jh agaph tou Cristou, “the love of Christ”) could be translated as either objective genitive (“our love for Christ”) or subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”). Either is grammatically possible, but with the reference to Christ’s death for all in the following clauses, a subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”) is more likely.
[5:14] 62 tn Grk “one”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:15] 63 tn Or “but for him who died and was raised for them.”
[5:16] 65 tn Grk “no one according to the flesh.”
[5:16] 66 tn Grk “we have known Christ according to the flesh.”
[5:17] 67 tn Grk “old things have passed away.”
[5:17] 68 tc Most
[5:17] 69 tn Grk “new things have come [about].”
[5:19] 70 tn Or “he has entrusted to us.”
[5:20] 71 tn Or “as though God were begging.”
[5:21] 73 tn Grk “He”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:21] 74 sn The one who did not know sin is a reference to Jesus Christ.
[5:21] 75 sn That is, “in Christ.”
[6:1] 76 tn Or “receive the grace of God uselessly.”
[6:2] 77 sn A quotation from Isa 49:8.
[6:3] 78 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.
[6:3] 79 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).
[6:4] 81 tn Or “we have commended ourselves by all things.”
[6:4] 82 tn Or “in trouble and suffering.”
[6:5] 83 tn Or “rebellions” (uprisings in open defiance of civil authority).
[6:5] 84 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.
[6:6] 85 tn Or “by holiness of spirit.”
[6:7] 87 tn Grk “by the word of truth”; understanding ἀληθείας (alhqeias) as an attributive genitive (“truthful word”).
[6:7] 88 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.
[6:7] 89 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).
[6:8] 90 tn Or “regarded as deceivers.”
[6:9] 91 tn Grk “disciplined,” but in this context probably a reference to scourging prior to execution (yet the execution is not carried out).
[6:11] 92 tn Grk “our mouth has been open to you,” an idiom for openness in communication.
[6:12] 93 tn Grk “You are not restricted by us.”
[6:13] 94 tn The word “my” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[6:13] 95 tn The words “to us” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[6:14] 96 tn Or “Do not be mismatched.”
[6:15] 97 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.
[6:16] 98 tc Most witnesses, including some important ones (Ì46 א2 C D2 F G Ψ 0209 Ï lat sy Tert), read ὑμεῖς…ἐστε (Jumei"…este, “you are”) instead of ἡμεῖς…ἐσμεν (Jhmei"…esmen, “we are”) here, but several other early and important
[6:16] 99 tn Or “live among them,” “live with them.”
[6:16] 100 sn A quotation from Lev 26:12; also similar to Jer 32:38; Ezek 37:27.
[6:17] 101 sn A quotation from Isa 52:11.
[6:17] 102 tn Or “will receive.”
[6:17] 103 sn A paraphrased quotation from Ezek 20:41.
[6:18] 104 sn A paraphrased quotation from 2 Sam 7:14 and Isa 43:6.
[6:18] 105 tn Traditionally, “the Lord Almighty.” BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…κύριος π. (oft. LXX) 2 Cor 6:18.”
