Discovery Box2 Corinthians 4:6-18
Context4:6 For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” 1 is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge 2 of God in the face of Christ. 3
4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power 4 belongs to God and does not come from us. 4:8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, 5 but are not crushed; we are perplexed, 6 but not driven to despair; 4:9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; 7 we are knocked down, 8 but not destroyed, 4:10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, 9 so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible 10 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 11 in our mortal body. 12 4:12 As a result, 13 death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 14 4:13 But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in 15 what has been written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,” 16 we also believe, therefore we also speak. 4:14 We do so 17 because we know that the one who raised up Jesus 18 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 19 more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase 20 to the glory of God. 4:16 Therefore we do not despair, 21 but even if our physical body 22 is wearing away, our inner person 23 is being renewed day by day. 4:17 For our momentary, light suffering 24 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.
[4:6] 1 sn An allusion to Gen 1:3; see also Isa 9:2.
[4:6] 2 tn Grk “the light of the knowledge of the glory”; δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[4:6] 3 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] 4 tn Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunamew") has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).
[4:8] 5 tn Grk “we are hard pressed [by crowds] on every side.”
[4:9] 8 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] 9 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] 10 tn Or “may also be revealed.”
[4:11] 11 tn Or “may also be revealed.”
[4:11] 12 tn Grk “mortal flesh.”
[4:12] 14 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] 15 tn Grk “spirit of faith according to.”
[4:13] 16 sn A quotation from Ps 116:10.
[4:14] 17 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] 18 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] 19 tn Or “that is abounding to.”
[4:16] 21 tn Or “do not lose heart.”
[4:16] 22 tn Grk “our outer man.”
