4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power 9 belongs to God and does not come from us.
1 tn Grk “as you are sharers in.”
2 tn Grk “will be sharers in.”
3 tn Grk “than the things.”
4 tn Grk “to the end,” a Greek idiom for “fully,” “totally,” “completely.”
5 tn Grk “that we are your boast even as you are our boast.”
6 tc ‡ On the wording “the Lord Jesus” (τοῦ κυρίου ᾿Ιησοῦ, tou kuriou Ihsou) there is some variation in the extant witnesses: ἡμῶν (Jhmwn, “our”) is found after κυρίου in several significant witnesses (א B F G P 0121 0243 6 33 81 1739 1881 2464 al lat co); the pronoun is lacking from Ì46vid A C D Ψ Ï. Although in Paul “our Lord Jesus Christ” is a common expression, “our Lord Jesus” is relatively infrequent (cf., e.g., Rom 16:20; 2 Cor 1:14; 1 Thess 2:19; 3:11, 13; 2 Thess 1:8, 12). “The Lord Jesus” occurs about as often as “our Lord Jesus” (cf. 1 Cor 11:23; 16:23; 2 Cor 4:14; 11:31; Eph 1:15; 1 Thess 4:2; 2 Thess 1:7; Phlm 5). Thus, on balance, since scribes would tend to expand on the text, it is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic. NA27 places the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
7 tn Or “competent.”
8 tn Or “competence.”
9 tn Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunamew") has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).
10 tn Or “do not lose heart.”
11 tn Grk “our outer man.”
12 tn Grk “our inner [man].”
13 tn Or “be absent.”
14 tn The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ (Jh agaph tou Cristou, “the love of Christ”) could be translated as either objective genitive (“our love for Christ”) or subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”). Either is grammatically possible, but with the reference to Christ’s death for all in the following clauses, a subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”) is more likely.
15 tn Grk “one”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
16 tn Grk “He”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
17 sn The one who did not know sin is a reference to Jesus Christ.
18 sn That is, “in Christ.”
19 tn The word “anyone” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
20 tn Other interpretations of the first part of 2 Cor 6:3 are possible. The phrase could also mean, “not putting an obstacle in the way of anyone” (L&N 22.14), or “giving no one in anything a cause to sin” (L&N 88.307).
21 tn Or “ministers.”
22 tn Or “we have commended ourselves by all things.”
23 tn Or “in trouble and suffering.”
24 tn Grk “disciplined,” but in this context probably a reference to scourging prior to execution (yet the execution is not carried out).
25 tn A new sentence was started here in the translation and the word “thus” was supplied to indicate that it expresses the result of the previous clause.
26 tn Or “we exhorted.”
27 tn The words “this work” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted and must be supplied from the context.
28 tn Grk “this grace.”
29 tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.
30 tn Grk “the brother of whom the praise in the gospel [is] throughout all the churches.”
31 tn Grk “are not fleshly [weapons].” The repetition of the word “warfare” does not occur in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity.
32 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.”
33 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.
34 tn Or “speculations.”
35 tn The phrase “every arrogant obstacle” could be translated simply “all arrogance” (so L&N 88.207).
36 tn Grk “to the obedience of Christ”; but since Χριστοῦ (Cristou) is clearly an objective genitive here, it is better to translate “to make it obey Christ.”