2 Corinthians 4:5

4:5 For we do not proclaim ¹  ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves ²  for Jesus’ sake.

2 Corinthians 6:13

6:13 Now as a fair exchange – I speak as to my ³  children – open wide your hearts to us ⁴  also.

2 Corinthians 8:24

8:24 Therefore show ⁵  them openly before the churches the proof of your love and of our pride in you. ⁶ 

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¹ tn Or “preach.”

² tn Traditionally, “servants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

³ tn The word “my” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

⁴ tn The words “to us” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

⁵ tc The sense of this translation is attested by the fact that most of the later mss, along with several early and important ones (א C D² Ψ 0225 0243 1739 1881 Ï lat), have the imperative verb ἐνδείξασθε (ejndeixasqe) in place of the participle ἐνδεικνύμενοι (endeiknumenoi), which is found in B D* F G 33 pc. Since an imperatival participle is more Hebraic in style, many scribes would not have understood the idiom as easily and would have been likely to change the participle to an imperative (so TCGNT 513-14). But there is no good reason why scribes would change the imperative into a participle. Thus, ἐνδεικνύμενοι is almost surely the wording of the original text.

tn In the Greek text ἐνδεικνύμενοι (endeiknumenoi) is a present participle which is translated as an imperative verb (see BDF §468; ExSyn 650-52).

⁶ tn Or “our boasting about you.”