OET interlinear 2 COR 6:4

6:4a

as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: There are two ways to interpret as servants of God:

1. In this clause, Paul is saying that he and the other evangelists are servants of God and they commend themselves in a manner fitting to their identity as servants of God. For example:

   as God’s servants, we have commended ourselves in every way (NET) (BSB, RSV, NIV, NABRE, NET, REB, ESV)

2. This clause indicates that Paul and the other evangelists had to prove that they were servants of God. For example:

   we prove ourselves authentic servants of God (NJB) (GNT, NJB, NLT, GW, CEV, NCV, KJV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because it follows the normal meaning of the Greek words.Thrall (p. 455) says “he commends himself in the way proper to such a vocation.” Harris (p. 470) and Martin (p. 172) understand the Greek text in the same way.

servants of God: The Greek word that the BSB translates as servants refers to people who do ministry (according to the meaning of this word in 6:3b). Here Paul and the others serve God by:

1. preaching to people about Jesus;

2. showing God’s love for them by helping them.

Other ways to translate this phrase are:

people who serve God

people who do God’s work

commend: Here the word commend refers to saying they are good people. The list of their good deeds is in 6:4b–10c. The people saw that they were worthy of their approval. For example:

recommend (REB)

show that we are good people

See how you translated this word in 3:1 or 4:2.

6:4b–10c

In these verses, Paul listed some of the ways in which he and the other evangelists lived. These deeds commended them. These deeds showed that God was powerful and that the believers in Corinth should accept them as approved by God.

The BSB indicates the list begins at 6:4b with a colon (:) at the end of 6:4a. It shows the list continues until 6:10c by translating 6:4a–10c as one sentence.

Other English versions have several sentences in 6:4b–10c. In some languages it is more natural to use several sentences here. If that is true in your language, indicate that the list continues at each new sentence, for example, by repeating “We also commend ourselves” at the beginning of each new sentence:

^4bin great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and distresses; ⁵in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger. ⁶We also commend ourselves in purity, understanding, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; ⁷in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left. ⁸We also commend ourselves through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; ⁹known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; ¹⁰sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

6:4b–5b

in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities; in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger: The phrase in great endurance describes the way Paul and the evangelists with him lived during the other things that he lists here. Other ways to indicate that relationship here are:

by means of great endurance in the midst of troubles, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, riots, hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger

with great endurance during troubles, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, riots, hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger

6:4b

in: Here the word in indicates that “great endurance” was one of the ways that Paul and the others commended themselves. They practiced great endurance, and that showed that people should accept them. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

by (ESV)

with (NET)

through (RSV)

by means of

endurance: The Greek word that the BSB translates as endurance refers to continuing to follow God even though there are hardships or opposition. The attitude of patience is included in the meaning. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

perseverance

patience to continue

See how you translated this Greek word in 1:6 (“patient endurance”).

6:4c–5b

in troubles, hardships, and calamities; in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger: This list is probably three groups of three items:

1. troubles, hardships, and calamities

2. beatings, imprisonments, and riots

3. labor, sleepless nights, and hunger

Within each group, the items are similar in some way to each other. The BSB indicates the three groups by using and only once within each group and separating the groups with semi-colons (;). If possible, indicate in your translation that these items are in three groups. But clearly indicating that all these items connect to “great endurance” is more important for the correct meaning of these verses.

6:4c

in: Here the word in indicates that the list in 6:4c–5b describes various situations that Paul and the others experienced. They practiced great endurance during those situations. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

in the midst of

during

In the Greek, the word in occurs with each of the nine items. The BSB translates it three times, corresponding to the three groups of items. Other versions, such as the RSV, translate it only once, at the beginning of the list.

troubles, hardships, and calamities: These three words refer to difficult situations of various kinds. Since God rules all things, you should not use words such as “misfortune” or “bad luck.”

troubles: This word probably refers to persecution and physical dangers. Paul describes some of his troubles in 1:8–10 and 11:23–27. Other ways to translate this word are:

afflictions (RSV)

adversity

See how you translated this word in 1:4 (where the BSB says “troubles”) or 4:17 (where the BSB says “affliction”). But you should use a word that is different from “hardships” and “distresses.”

hardships: This word refers to very difficult circumstances/situations. Other ways to translate this word are:

disasters (JBP)

difficulties (NJB)

calamities: This refers to very bad situations or circumstances that overwhelm the people in them. The people have no way to escape from those situations. They must endure through them. Other ways to translate this word are:

distresses (NIV)

very hard times

terrible situations/circumstances