Paul's Hardships and Open Hearts
2 Corinthians 6:3-13
2Cor.6.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- μηδεμιαν: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- μηδενι: PRON,dat,sg,n
- διδοντες: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- προσκοπην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ινα: CONJ
- μη: PART
- μωμηθη: VERB,aor,pass,subj,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- διακονια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- 1 Corinthians 10:32 (verbal): Uses the same command to 'give no offense' (in anything) — identical ethical wording about avoiding offense toward different groups.
- Acts 24:16 (verbal): Paul's stated aim to keep a conscience 'void of offence toward God, and toward men' — echoes the goal that ministry not be blamed.
- Romans 14:13 (thematic): Urges believers not to put a stumbling-block or occasion to fall before others — same concern for avoiding actions that harm others' faith or cause offense.
- 2 Corinthians 4:2 (structural): Within the same letter Paul insists on rejecting dishonest practices and commending truth to every conscience so that the ministry is above reproach, complementing 6:3's aim.
- 1 Timothy 3:7 (thematic): Requires leaders to have a good testimony with outsiders 'lest he fall into reproach' — parallels the concern that ministry not be blamed by those outside the church.
Alternative generated candidates
- We give no one occasion for stumbling, that the ministry may not be discredited.
- We give no occasion of stumbling to anyone, so that the ministry will not be discredited.
2Cor.6.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αλλ᾽εν: CONJ
- παντι: PRON,dat,sg,m
- συνιστανοντες: VERB,part,pres,act,nom,pl,m
- εαυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- ως: ADV
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- διακονοι·εν: NOUN,nom,pl,m+PREP
- υπομονη: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- πολλη: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- θλιψεσιν: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- εν: PREP
- αναγκαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- εν: PREP
- στενοχωριαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
Parallels
- 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 (structural): Same rhetorical context of defending the ministry and 'commending' themselves as servants of God; both passages frame Paul’s service in terms of integrity and public vindication.
- 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 (verbal): A parallel catalogue of sufferings (imprisonments, beatings, hardships, sleeplessness, hunger, etc.) that closely echoes the lists of trials in 6:4–5 and amplifies the theme of apostolic endurance.
- 1 Corinthians 4:11-13 (thematic): Paul describes apostles enduring hunger, thirst, poor clothing, and revilement—the same motif of suffering and humiliation tied to faithful service as 'servants of Christ/God.'
- Acts 20:24 (allusion): Paul’s determination to complete his ministry despite trials ('testify to the gospel of the grace of God') resonates with 6:4’s presentation of ministry conducted amid hardship and necessity.
Alternative generated candidates
- But in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
- But in everything we commend ourselves as servants of God: by much endurance, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
2Cor.6.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εν: PREP
- πληγαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- εν: PREP
- φυλακαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- εν: PREP
- ακαταστασιαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- εν: PREP
- κοποις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- αγρυπνιαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- εν: PREP
- νηστειαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
Parallels
- 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 (verbal): Paul gives a nearly identical catalogue of hardships—beatings, imprisonments, labors, sleeplessness, hunger—matching the verse's list of sufferings.
- 1 Corinthians 4:11-13 (verbal): Paul describes apostles enduring hunger, thirst, poor clothing, and abuse—another Pauline list emphasizing bodily hardship and humiliation similar to 2 Cor 6:5.
- Matthew 5:10-12 (thematic): The Beatitude on those persecuted for righteousness connects thematically to the celebration/endurance of suffering and persecution found in 2 Cor 6:5.
- Luke 21:12-19 (thematic): Jesus' prediction of persecutions, imprisonments, trials, and the call to endurance parallels the theme of sustained suffering and witness present in 2 Cor 6:5.
Alternative generated candidates
- in beatings, in imprisonments, in upheavals, in labors, in sleepless nights, in fastings;
- in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger;
2Cor.6.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εν: PREP
- αγνοτητι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- γνωσει: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- μακροθυμια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- χρηστοτητι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- πνευματι: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- αγιω: ADJ,dat,sg,n
- εν: PREP
- αγαπη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ανυποκριτω: ADJ,dat,sg,n
Parallels
- 1 Cor 13:4-7 (verbal): Describes love as patient (μακροθυμεῖ) and kind (χρηστεύεται), directly echoing μακροθυμία and χρηστότης in 2 Cor 6:6.
- Gal 5:22-23 (thematic): The fruit of the Spirit lists love, patience (μακροθυμία), kindness/gentleness and self-control—overlapping the virtues and the reference to the Spirit in 2 Cor 6:6.
- Rom 12:9 (verbal): States 'let love be genuine' (Ἡ ἀγάπη ἀνυπόκριτος), using the same key adjective ἀνυπόκριτος (sincere) found in 2 Cor 6:6.
- Phil 1:9 (verbal): Paul prays that love may abound 'in knowledge' (ἐν γνώσει), echoing the phrase ἐν γνώσει present in 2 Cor 6:6.
- Eph 4:2 (thematic): Urges believers to live 'with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,' paralleling the cluster of humility/patience/kindness/love found in 2 Cor 6:6.
Alternative generated candidates
- by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love;
- by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
2Cor.6.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εν: PREP
- λογω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- αληθειας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- δυναμει: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- θεου·δια: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- οπλων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- δικαιοσυνης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- δεξιων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- αριστερων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- 1 Thessalonians 1:5 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language ('in word and in power') to describe the gospel’s proclamation — parallels Paul’s coupling of truthful speech with divine power.
- 1 Corinthians 2:4 (verbal): Paul contrasts mere persuasive words with demonstration of the Spirit and of power, echoing the emphasis on truth spoken with God’s power rather than human eloquence.
- 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (thematic): Same epistolary warfare imagery: 'weapons of our warfare' that are spiritual and effective to destroy strongholds, aligning with 'weapons of righteousness' language in 2 Cor 6:7.
- Ephesians 6:13-17 (thematic): The 'armor of God' motif (belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, sword of the Spirit) parallels the coupling of truth and righteous armament as Paul’s martial metaphor for spiritual struggle.
Alternative generated candidates
- by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left;
- by truthful speech and by the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left,
2Cor.6.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- δια: PREP
- δοξης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- ατιμιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- δια: PREP
- δυσφημιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- ευφημιας·ως: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- πλανοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- αληθεις: ADJ,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- 1 Cor.4.9-13 (thematic): Paul lists the same paradoxical experience of apostles — being exhibited, honored and dishonored, praised and reviled — describing slander, poverty, and shame that parallel ‘glory and dishonor… bad report and good report.’
- 2 Cor.4.2-4 (thematic): Addresses the tension between truthfulness and apparent concealment: Paul denies deceitful practice yet acknowledges that the gospel may be veiled to some — resonating with ‘as deceivers and yet true.’
- 2 Cor.11.13 (verbal): Speaks of ‘false apostles’ and deceitful workers (Greek uses related terms to πλάνοι), setting up an implicit contrast between those who appear deceptive and Paul’s true apostleship as in 6:8’s ‘as deceivers and yet true.’
- 1 Pet.4.12-16 (thematic): Encourages Christians to endure reproach and suffering for Christ without shame, treating suffering and dishonor as part of faithful witness — thematically parallel to enduring glory and dishonor and being reviled yet faithful.
Alternative generated candidates
- by honor and dishonor, by slander and praise—treated as impostors, yet true;
- through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise; as impostors, yet true;
2Cor.6.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ως: ADV
- αγνοουμενοι: VERB,pres,mid/pass,part,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- επιγινωσκομενοι: VERB,pres,mid/pass,part,nom,pl,m
- ως: ADV
- αποθνησκοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ιδου: PART
- ζωμεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,pl
- ως: ADV
- παιδευομενοι: VERB,pres,mid/pass,part,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- μη: PART
- θανατουμενοι: VERB,pres,pass,part,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- 2 Cor 4:8-12 (verbal): A closely related cluster of contrasts (troubled but not distressed, persecuted but not forsaken; dying yet living) that repeats the same paradoxical language about suffering and endurance.
- 2 Cor 1:8-10 (thematic): Paul describes being brought to the point of death and then delivered by God—theme of apparent death but actual life/trust in God, paralleling 'as dying and behold, we live.'
- Rom 6:8-9 (thematic): The language of having died with Christ and therefore living with him echoes the paradox of being 'as dying' yet living, connecting suffering/death to new life.
- 1 Cor 4:9-13 (structural): A catalogue of apostolic hardships and paradoxical reversals (honored yet mocked, hungry yet filled) that matches 2 Cor 6:9's list-like presentation of opposites describing the apostles' condition.
Alternative generated candidates
- as unknown, yet well known; as dying, and behold—we live; as disciplined, yet not killed;
- as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold—we live; as punished, and yet not killed;
2Cor.6.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ως: ADV
- λυπουμενοι: VERB,pres,mid/pass,part,nom,pl,m
- αει: ADV
- δε: CONJ
- χαιροντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,m,pl
- ως: ADV
- πτωχοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- πολλους: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- πλουτιζοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- ως: ADV
- μηδεν: PRON,acc,sg,n
- εχοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- παντα: ADJ,nom,pl,n
- κατεχοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (verbal): Both passages use a series of antithetical clauses to describe apostolic hardships and endurance (troubled/not distressed; sorrowful/yet always rejoicing), employing similar paradoxical diction.
- Philippians 4:11-13 (thematic): Paul contrasts states of need and plenty and affirms inner sufficiency in Christ—paralleling 'as poor... yet enriching many' and 'as having nothing and yet possessing all things.'
- 2 Corinthians 8:9 (allusion): Speaks of Christ's paradoxical exchange—'though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor'—which echoes the paradox of poverty and enrichment in 2 Cor 6:10.
- 1 Peter 4:13 (thematic): Calls believers to rejoice insofar as they share Christ's sufferings, reflecting the motif 'sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.'
- James 1:2-4 (thematic): Commands counting trials as joy because they produce maturity—another expression of rejoicing amid hardship found in 2 Cor 6:10.
Alternative generated candidates
- as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
- as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
2Cor.6.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Το: ART,nom,sg,n
- στομα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- ανεωγεν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- προς: PREP
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- Κορινθιοι: NOUN,voc,pl,m
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- καρδια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- πεπλατυνται·: VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- 2Cor.6.13 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same appeal—Paul urges the Corinthians to 'open wide' to him, closely linked to 'our mouth has been opened' and 'our heart is enlarged.'
- 2Cor.7.2 (verbal): Repeats the language of opened hearts—Paul again speaks of opening the heart toward the Corinthians, echoing the intimate transparency of 6:11.
- 1Thess.2.8 (thematic): Expresses the same pastoral openness and affection: Paul’s willingness to share not only the gospel but his very life with the church, reflecting enlarged heart and open mouth toward believers.
- Phil.1.8 (thematic): Paul’s deep affection and longing for the recipients ('I long for you with the affection of Christ Jesus') parallels the emotional openness and enlarged heart conveyed in 2 Cor 6:11.
Alternative generated candidates
- O Corinthians, our mouth is open to you; our heart is wide.
- O Corinthians! Our mouth is open to you; our heart is wide.
2Cor.6.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ου: PART,neg
- στενοχωρεισθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,ind,2,pl
- εν: PREP
- ημιν: PRON,dat,pl,1
- στενοχωρεισθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,ind,2,pl
- δε: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- σπλαγχνοις: NOUN,dat,pl,n
- υμων·: PRON,gen,pl,2
Parallels
- 2 Corinthians 6:11 (structural): Immediate context/contrast: Paul speaks of an 'open mouth' and an 'enlarged heart' toward the Corinthians, which sets up the contrast with 6:12's charge that the Corinthians are 'straitened' in themselves.
- 2 Corinthians 6:13 (structural): Direct continuation: 6:13 repeats the appeal ('be ye also enlarged')—the same paragraph turns the reproach in 6:12 into a call for reciprocal openness.
- Philippians 1:8 (thematic): Paul expresses deep affection and longing for the recipients ('God is my witness... I long for you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ'), echoing the theme of inward affection/constraining feelings found in 2 Cor 6:12.
- Philemon 1:8-9 (thematic): Paul appeals on the basis of love and persuasion rather than command—similar pastoral strategy to the Corinthians passage, which confronts inward reluctance and calls for open-hearted response.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:8 (thematic): Paul emphasizes that he shared not only the gospel but his very self out of affection for the Thessalonians—parallels the appeal to inward affection and relational openness opposed to being 'straitened.'
Alternative generated candidates
- You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.
- You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.
2Cor.6.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- αυτην: PRON,acc,sg,f
- αντιμισθιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ως: ADV
- τεκνοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- πλατυνθητε: VERB,aor,pass,imp,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
Parallels
- 2 Corinthians 6:11 (verbal): Immediate context and near-verbatim parallel: Paul declares his openness to the Corinthians ('our mouth is open, our heart is wide'), which 6:13 echoes with the appeal 'I speak as to children, open wide also you.'
- 2 Corinthians 6:12 (thematic): Direct thematic continuation: 6:12–13 contrasts external openness with the Corinthians' self-imposed restraint of affection and calls them to reciprocate by widening their hearts.
- 1 Corinthians 4:14 (verbal): Paul uses the same paternal/parental rhetorical stance ('I write not to shame you but to admonish as beloved children'), paralleling the phrase 'as to children' in 2 Cor 6:13 and the tone of pastoral exhortation.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:11 (thematic): Paul's fatherly ministry language ('as a father encourages his children') echoes the filial metaphor in 2 Cor 6:13 and underscores the pastoral appeal for openness and receptivity.
Alternative generated candidates
- I speak as to children—open wide to us also.
- In return — I speak as to children — open wide your hearts also to us.
We give no one an occasion for stumbling, so that no fault may be found with our ministry. But in everything we commend ourselves as servants of God: in much endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleepless nights, in hunger,
by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
by honor and dishonor, by ill report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold—we live; as chastened, and not put to death;
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
O Corinthians, our mouth has been opened to you; our heart is enlarged.
It is not that you are restrained toward us, but that you are restrained in your own affections.
I speak as to children: open wide to us also your hearts.