Discovery Box2 Corinthians 3:1
Context3:1 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? 1
2 Corinthians 4:1-18
Context4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, 2 we do not become discouraged. 3 4:2 But we have rejected 4 shameful hidden deeds, 5 not behaving 6 with deceptiveness 7 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 8 so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel 9 of Christ, 10 who is the image of God. 4:5 For we do not proclaim 11 ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves 12 for Jesus’ sake. 4:6 For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” 13 is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge 14 of God in the face of Christ. 15
4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power 16 belongs to God and does not come from us. 4:8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, 17 but are not crushed; we are perplexed, 18 but not driven to despair; 4:9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; 19 we are knocked down, 20 but not destroyed, 4:10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, 21 so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible 22 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 23 in our mortal body. 24 4:12 As a result, 25 death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 26 4:13 But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in 27 what has been written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,” 28 we also believe, therefore we also speak. 4:14 We do so 29 because we know that the one who raised up Jesus 30 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 31 more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase 32 to the glory of God. 4:16 Therefore we do not despair, 33 but even if our physical body 34 is wearing away, our inner person 35 is being renewed day by day. 4:17 For our momentary, light suffering 36 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.
2 Corinthians 6:1-18
Context6:1 Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 37 6:2 For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” 38 Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! 6:3 We do not give anyone 39 an occasion for taking an offense in anything, 40 so that no fault may be found with our ministry. 6:4 But as God’s servants, 41 we have commended ourselves in every way, 42 with great endurance, in persecutions, 43 in difficulties, in distresses, 6:5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, 44 in troubles, 45 in sleepless nights, in hunger, 6:6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by benevolence, by the Holy Spirit, 46 by genuine 47 love, 6:7 by truthful 48 teaching, 49 by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left, 50 6:8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and praise; regarded as impostors, 51 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 52 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, 53 Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you. 6:12 Our affection for you is not restricted, 54 but you are restricted in your affections for us. 6:13 Now as a fair exchange – I speak as to my 55 children – open wide your hearts to us 56 also.
6:14 Do not become partners 57 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? 58 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 59 the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them 60 and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 61 6:17 Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, 62 and I will welcome 63 you, 64 6:18 and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” 65 says the All-Powerful Lord. 66
[3:1] 1 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?”
[4:1] 2 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] 3 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] 4 tn Or “of unbelievers.”
[4:4] 5 tn Grk “the gospel of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[4:4] 6 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] 6 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] 6 sn An allusion to Gen 1:3; see also Isa 9:2.
[4:6] 7 tn Grk “the light of the knowledge of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[4:6] 8 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] 7 tn Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunamew") has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).
[4:8] 8 tn Grk “we are hard pressed [by crowds] on every side.”
[4:9] 10 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] 10 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] 11 tn Or “may also be revealed.”
[4:11] 11 tn Or “may also be revealed.”
[4:11] 12 tn Grk “mortal flesh.”
[4:12] 13 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] 13 tn Grk “spirit of faith according to.”
[4:13] 14 sn A quotation from Ps 116:10.
[4:14] 14 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] 15 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] 15 tn Or “that is abounding to.”
[4:16] 16 tn Or “do not lose heart.”
[4:16] 17 tn Grk “our outer man.”
[4:16] 18 tn Grk “our inner [man].”
[4:17] 17 tn Grk “momentary lightness of affliction.”
[6:1] 18 tn Or “receive the grace of God uselessly.”
[6:2] 19 sn A quotation from Isa 49:8.
[6:3] 20 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] 21 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] 22 tn Or “we have commended ourselves by all things.”
[6:4] 23 tn Or “in trouble and suffering.”
[6:5] 22 tn Or “rebellions” (uprisings in open defiance of civil authority).
[6:5] 23 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] 23 tn Or “by holiness of spirit.”
[6:7] 24 tn Grk “by the word of truth”; understanding ἀληθείας (alhqeias) as an attributive genitive (“truthful word”).
[6:7] 25 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] 26 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] 25 tn Or “regarded as deceivers.”
[6:9] 26 tn Grk “disciplined,” but in this context probably a reference to scourging prior to execution (yet the execution is not carried out).
[6:11] 27 tn Grk “our mouth has been open to you,” an idiom for openness in communication.
[6:12] 28 tn Grk “You are not restricted by us.”
[6:13] 29 tn The word “my” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
[6:13] 30 tn The words “to us” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
[6:14] 30 tn Or “Do not be mismatched.”
[6:15] 31 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] 32 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] 33 tn Or “live among them,” “live with them.”
[6:16] 34 sn A quotation from Lev 26:12; also similar to Jer 32:38; Ezek 37:27.
[6:17] 33 sn A quotation from Isa 52:11.
[6:17] 34 tn Or “will receive.”
[6:17] 35 sn A paraphrased quotation from Ezek 20:41.
[6:18] 34 sn A paraphrased quotation from 2 Sam 7:14 and Isa 43:6.
[6:18] 35 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.”
