The Character of Paul’s Ministry

We are not giving anyone an occasion for offense, so that the ministry will not be blamed. Instead, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties, by beatings, by imprisonments,(A) by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, by purity,(B) by knowledge,(C) by patience,(D) by kindness,(E) by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,(F) by the word of truth,[a](G) by the power of God;(H) through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, through glory(I) and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see—we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; 10 as grieving, yet always rejoicing;(J) as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

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Footnotes

  1. 6:7 Or by truthful speech

(A)giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything (B)commending ourselves as [a](C)servants of God, (D)in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, in (E)beatings, in imprisonments, in (F)[b]mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in (G)hunger, in purity, in (H)knowledge, in (I)patience, in kindness, in the (J)Holy Spirit, in (K)genuine love, in (L)the word of truth, and in (M)the power of God; by (N)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and (O)dishonor, by (P)evil report and good report; regarded as (Q)deceivers and yet (R)true; as unknown and yet well known, as (S)dying and yet behold, (T)we are alive; as [c]punished and yet not put to death, 10 as (U)sorrowful yet always (V)rejoicing, as (W)poor yet making many rich, as (X)having nothing and yet possessing (Y)all things.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:4 Or ministers
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:5 Lit tumults
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:9 Or disciplined