2 Corinthians 13:5

13:5 Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you – unless, indeed, you fail the test! ¹ 

2 Corinthians 10:12

Paul’s Mission

10:12 For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. ² 

2 Corinthians 4:5

4:5 For we do not proclaim ³  ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves ⁴  for Jesus’ sake.

2 Corinthians 3:1

A Living Letter

3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we? ⁵ 

2 Corinthians 6:4

6:4 But as God’s servants, ⁶  we have commended ourselves in every way, ⁷  with great endurance, in persecutions, ⁸  in difficulties, in distresses,

2 Corinthians 8:5

8:5 And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

2 Corinthians 5:12

5:12 We are not trying to commend ⁹  ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, ¹⁰  so that you may be able to answer those who take pride ¹¹  in outward appearance ¹²  and not in what is in the heart.

2 Corinthians 7:1

Self-Purification

7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves ¹³  from everything that could defile the body ¹⁴  and the spirit, and thus accomplish ¹⁵  holiness out of reverence for God. ¹⁶ 

2 Corinthians 10:14

10:14 For we were not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach as far as you, because we were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel about Christ. ¹⁷ 

2 Corinthians 4:2

4:2 But we have rejected ¹⁸  shameful hidden deeds, ¹⁹  not behaving ²⁰  with deceptiveness ²¹  or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God.

2 Corinthians 7:11

7:11 For see what this very thing, this sadness ²²  as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, ²³  what indignation, ²⁴  what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, ²⁵  what punishment! ²⁶  In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

[13:5]  ¹ tn Or “unless indeed you are disqualified.”

[10:12]  ² tn Or “they are unintelligent.”

[4:5]  ³ tn Or “preach.”

[4:5]  ⁴ 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.

[3:1]  ⁴ tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply (“No, we do not”) which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ at the end, “do we?”

[6:4]  ⁵ tn Or “ministers.”

[6:4]  ⁶ tn Or “we have commended ourselves by all things.”

[6:4]  ⁷ tn Or “in trouble and suffering.”

[5:12]  ⁶ tn The present tense of συνιστάνομεν (sunistanomen) has been translated as a conative present.

[5:12]  ⁷ tn Or “to boast about us.”

[5:12]  ⁸ tn Or “who boast.”

[5:12]  ⁹ tn Or “in what is seen.”

[7:1]  ⁷ tn Or “purify ourselves.”

[7:1]  ⁸ tn Grk “from every defilement of the flesh.”

[7:1]  ⁹ tn Grk “accomplishing.” The participle has been translated as a finite verb due to considerations of contemporary English style, and “thus” has been supplied to indicate that it represents a result of the previous cleansing.

[7:1]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “in the fear of God.”

[10:14]  ⁸ tn Grk “with the gospel of Christ,” but since Χριστοῦ (Cristou) is clearly an objective genitive here, it is better to translate “with the gospel about Christ.”

[4:2]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “the hidden things [deeds] of shame”; here αἰσχύνης (aiscunh") has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[4:2]  ¹¹ tn Or “not conducting ourselves”; Grk “not walking” (a common NT idiom for conduct, way of life, or behavior).

[4:2]  ¹² tn Or “craftiness.”

[7:11]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “this very thing, to be grieved.”

[7:11]  ¹¹ tn The words “of yourselves” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[7:11]  ¹² sn What indignation refers to the Corinthians’ indignation at the offender.

[7:11]  ¹³ tn Or “what zeal.”

[7:11]  ¹⁴ sn That is, punishment for the offender.