(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

We are God’s Servants

We do not put an obstacle in anyone’s way. Otherwise, fault may be found with our ministry. Instead, in every way we demonstrate that we are God’s servants by tremendous endurance in the midst of difficulties, hardships, and calamities; in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger; with purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; with the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and divine power; through the weapons of righteousness in the right and left hands; through honor and dishonor; through ill repute and good repute; perceived[a] as deceivers and yet true, as unknown and yet well-known, as dying and yet—as you see—very much alive, as punished and yet not killed, 10 as sorrowful and yet always rejoicing, as poor and yet enriching many, as having nothing and yet possessing everything.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:8 The Gk. lacks perceived