2 Corinthians 6:4–10

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 genuine11 love, 6:7 by truthful12 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 scourged16 and yet not executed; 6:10 as sorrowful, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

5	tn Or “ministers.”
6	tn Or “we have commended ourselves by all things.”
7	tn Or “in trouble and suffering.”
8	tn Or “rebellions” (uprisings in open defiance of civil authority).
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.
10	tn Or “by holiness of spirit.”
11	tn Or “sincere.”
12	tn Grk “by the word of truth”; understanding ἀληθείας (alētheias) as an attributive genitive (“truthful word”).
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.
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).
15	tn Or “regarded as deceivers.”
16	tn Grk “disciplined,” but in this context probably a reference to scourging prior to execution (yet the execution is not carried out).