2 Korintus 4:7-12

An Eternal Weight of Glory

4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power ¹  belongs to God and does not come from us. 4:8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, ²  but are not crushed; we are perplexed, ³  but not driven to despair; 4:9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; ⁴  we are knocked down, ⁵  but not destroyed, 4:10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, ⁶  so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible ⁷  in our body. 4:11 For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible ⁸  in our mortal body. ⁹  4:12 As a result, ¹⁰  death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. ¹¹ 

2 Korintus 10:3-4

10:3 For though we live ¹²  as human beings, ¹³  we do not wage war according to human standards, ¹⁴  10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, ¹⁵  but are made powerful by God ¹⁶  for tearing down strongholds. ¹⁷  We tear down arguments ¹⁸ 

2 Korintus 10:10

10:10 because some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak ¹⁹  and his speech is of no account.” ²⁰ 

[4:7]  ¹ tn Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunamew") has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).

[4:8]  ² tn Grk “we are hard pressed [by crowds] on every side.”

[4:8]  ³ tn Or “at a loss.”

[4:9]  ⁴ tn Or “forsaken.”

[4:9]  ⁵ tn Or “badly hurt.” It is possible to interpret καταβαλλόμενοι (kataballomenoi) here as “badly hurt”: “[we are] badly hurt, but not destroyed” (L&N 20.21).

[4:10]  ⁶ tn The first clause of 2 Cor 4:10 is elliptical and apparently refers to the fact that Paul was constantly in danger of dying in the same way Jesus died (by violence at least). According to L&N 23.99 it could be translated, “at all times we live in the constant threat of being killed as Jesus was.”

[4:10]  ⁷ tn Or “may also be revealed.”

[4:11]  ⁸ tn Or “may also be revealed.”

[4:11]  ⁹ tn Grk “mortal flesh.”

[4:12]  ¹⁰ tn Or “So then.”

[4:12]  ¹¹ tn Grk “death is at work in us, but life in you”; the phrase “is at work in” is repeated in the translation for clarity.

[10:3]  ¹² tn Grk “we walk.”

[10:3]  ¹³ tn Grk “in the flesh.”

[10:3]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “according to the flesh.”

[10:4]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “are not fleshly [weapons].” The repetition of the word “warfare” does not occur in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity.

[10:4]  ¹⁶ tn Or “but (are) divinely powerful,” “but they have divine power,” or “but are powerful for God’s [service]”; Grk “but are powerful to God.”

[10:4]  ¹⁷ sn Ultimately Paul is referring here to the false arguments of his opponents, calling them figuratively “strongholds.” This Greek word (ὀχύρωμα, ocurwma) is used only here in the NT.

[10:4]  ¹⁸ tn Or “speculations.”

[10:10]  ¹⁹ tn Or “unimpressive.”

[10:10]  ²⁰ tn Or “is contemptible”; Grk “is despised.”