2 Corinthians 6:1-13

God’s Suffering Servants

6:1 Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ¹  6:2 For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” ²  Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! 6:3 We do not give anyone ³  an occasion for taking an offense in anything, ⁴  so that no fault may be found with our ministry. 6:4 But as God’s servants, ⁵  we have commended ourselves in every way, ⁶  with great endurance, in persecutions, ⁷  in difficulties, in distresses, 6:5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, ⁸  in troubles, ⁹  in sleepless nights, in hunger, 6:6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by benevolence, by the Holy Spirit, ¹⁰  by genuine ¹¹  love, 6:7 by truthful ¹²  teaching, ¹³  by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left, ¹⁴  6:8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and praise; regarded as impostors, ¹⁵  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 ¹⁶  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, ¹⁷  Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you. 6:12 Our affection for you is not restricted, ¹⁸  but you are restricted in your affections for us. 6:13 Now as a fair exchange – I speak as to my ¹⁹  children – open wide your hearts to us ²⁰  also.

[6:1]  ¹ tn Or “receive the grace of God uselessly.”

[6:2]  ² sn A quotation from Isa 49:8.

[6:3]  ³ 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]  ⁴ 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]  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.”

[6:5]  ⁸ tn Or “rebellions” (uprisings in open defiance of civil authority).

[6:5]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Or “by holiness of spirit.”

[6:6]  ¹¹ tn Or “sincere.”

[6:7]  ¹² tn Grk “by the word of truth”; understanding ἀληθείας (alhqeias) as an attributive genitive (“truthful word”).

[6:7]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵ tn Or “regarded as deceivers.”

[6:9]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “disciplined,” but in this context probably a reference to scourging prior to execution (yet the execution is not carried out).

[6:11]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “our mouth has been open to you,” an idiom for openness in communication.

[6:12]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “You are not restricted by us.”

[6:13]  ¹⁹ tn The word “my” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[6:13]  ²⁰ tn The words “to us” are not in the Greek text but are implied.