2 Corinthians 6:4

2 Corinthians 6:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
• New International Version (NIV)Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;
• English Standard Version (ESV)but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
• New King James Version (NKJV)But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,

Context of 2 Corinthians 6:4

2For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation. 3We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.

2 Corinthians 6:4 word by word

ἀλλ᾽ ἐν παντὶ συνιστάντες ἑαυτοὺς ὡς θεοῦ διάκονοι ἐν ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ, ἐν θλίψεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν στενοχωρίαις,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butἀλλάalla · butG235
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• approvingσυνίστημι, συνιστάωsunistaō sunistanō sunistēmi · to commendG4921
• ourselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• the ministersδιάκονοςdiakonos · servantG1249
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• muchπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• patienceὑπομονήhupomonē · perseveranceG5281
• afflictionsθλῖψιςthlipsis · pressureG2347
• necessitiesἀνάγκηanagkē · necessityG318
• distressesστενοχωρίαstenochōria · hardshipG4730

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 6:4

• 2 Corinthians 2:17You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.
• 2 Corinthians 7:11Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.
• Acts 2:22“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.
• Romans 14:18If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.
• Romans 16:10Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus.
• 1 Corinthians 9:11Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink?
• 1 Thessalonians 2:3So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.
• 1 Timothy 2:15But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
• Romans 5:8But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
• 2 Corinthians 3:6He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.
• 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
• Isaiah 61:6You will be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God. You will feed on the treasures of the nations and boast in their riches.
• Joel 1:9For there is no grain or wine to offer at the Temple of the Lord. So the priests are in mourning. The ministers of the Lord are weeping.
• Joel 2:17Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence, stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar. Let them pray, “Spare your people, Lord! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say, ‘Has the God of Israel left them?’”
• 1 Corinthians 3:5After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 6:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4But in all things approving ourselves - The apostle now proceeds to show how conscientiously himself and his fellow laborers acted, in order to render the ministry of reconciliation effectual to the salvation of men. They not only gave no offense in any thing, but they labored to manifest themselves to be the genuine ministers of God, in much patience - bearing calmly up under the most painful and oppressive afflictions. In afflictions - . This may…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4But in all things - In every respect. In all that we do. In every way, both by words and deeds. How this was done, Paul proceeds to state in the following verses. Approving ourselves as the ministers of God - Margin, “Commending.” Tyndale renders it, “In all things let us behave ourselves as the ministers of God.” The idea is, that Paul and his fellowlaborers endeavored to live as became the ministers of God, and so as to commend the ministry to the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-10Paul provides a clear picture of the challenges in his ministry (compare 4:7–18). He lists nine trials, many of which are recorded in Acts (for example, Acts 14:5–6, 19–20; 16:19–24; 21:30–36). Through their unwavering suffering for the good news, Paul and Timothy (2 Corinthians 1:1) proved they were true ministers of God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Translate, to mark the true order of the Greek words, "in everything, as God's ministers recommending ourselves," that is, that our hearers may give our message a favorable hearing, through our consistency in every respect, not that they may glorify us. Alluding to 2Co 3:1, he implies, We commend ourselves, not like them by word, but by deed. patience--(2Co 12:12). Put first. "Pure-minded" follows (2Co 6:6). Three triplets of trials exercising the…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 6:4

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Holy Spirit
• Longsuffering
• Love
• Minister, Christian
• Obedience
• Paradox
• Patience
• Paul
• Persecution
• Resignation
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Agreement
• Care
• Cause
• Communion
• Concord
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Unequally
• Unrighteousness

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings