2 Corinthians 4:1

Paul’s Perseverance in Ministry

4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, ¹  we do not become discouraged. ² 

2 Corinthians 4:8-14

4:8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, ³  but are not crushed; we are perplexed, ⁴  but not driven to despair; 4:9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; ⁵  we are knocked down, ⁶  but not destroyed, 4:10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, ⁷  so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible ⁸  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 ⁹  in our mortal body. ¹⁰  4:12 As a result, ¹¹  death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. ¹²  4:13 But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in ¹³  what has been written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,” ¹⁴  we also believe, therefore we also speak. 4:14 We do so ¹⁵  because we know that the one who raised up Jesus ¹⁶  will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence.

2 Corinthians 4:16

4:16 Therefore we do not despair, ¹⁷  but even if our physical body ¹⁸  is wearing away, our inner person ¹⁹  is being renewed day by day.

[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.”

[4:8]  ³ tn Grk “we are hard pressed [by crowds] on every side.”

[4:8]  ⁴ tn Or “at a loss.”

[4:9]  ⁵ tn Or “forsaken.”

[4:9]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Or “may also be revealed.”

[4:11]  ⁹ tn Or “may also be revealed.”

[4:11]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “mortal flesh.”

[4:12]  ¹¹ tn Or “So then.”

[4:12]  ¹² 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]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ 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.

[4:16]  ¹⁷ tn Or “do not lose heart.”

[4:16]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “our outer man.”

[4:16]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “our inner [man].”