II Corinthians 6:4
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Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities;
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
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 Co2 3:1, he implies, We commend ourselves, not like them by word, but by deed. patience-- (Co2 12:12). Put first. "Pure-minded" follows (Co2 6:6). Three triplets of trials exercising the "patience" (patient endurance) follow: Afflictions (or "tribulations"), necessities, distresses (or "straits"); stripes, imprisonments, tumults; labors, watchings, fastings. The first triplet expresses afflictions generally; the second, those in particular arising from the violence of men; the third, those which he brought on himself directly or indirectly.
Open source ↗In this chapter the apostle gives an account of his general errand to all to whom he preached; with the several arguments and methods he used (Co2 6:1-10). Then he addresses himself particularly to the Corinthians, giving them good cautions with great affection and strong arguments (Co2 6:11-18).
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That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
in labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure.
I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus.
And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Let the priests who minister before the LORD weep between the portico and the altar, saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not make Your heritage a reproach, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role.
So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.