2 Corinthians — Chapter 4
The light of the good news
4:1
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
For this reason, having this ministry, just as we received mercy, we do not lose heart.
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Ministry received through mercy gives reason to persevere. [Homily 8, on 2 Corinthians 4:1-2].
4:2
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in cunning or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every human conscience before God.
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Paul rejects deceit and distortion in presenting the gospel. [Homily 8, on 2 Corinthians 4:1-2].
4:3
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
And even if our good news is veiled, it is veiled among those perishing,
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: He attributes the gospel's concealment to the hearers' unbelief. [Homily 8, on 2 Corinthians 4:3-4].
4:4
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so that the illumination of the good news of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine upon them.
Textual & reception notes
The god of this age is kept lower-case as the hostile blinding agent in this construction. The text does not name Satan explicitly in this verse. Shine upon them makes the illumination relation explicit; seeing the illumination is another construal of augazō.
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: He reads God here as the universal God, using different punctuation. [Homily 8, on 2 Corinthians 4:3-4].
4:5
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
For we proclaim not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.
Textual & reception notes
Slaves translates douloi in Paul’s self-description of service to the readers; ministers elsewhere represents a different word, diakonoi.
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: The apostles serve their hearers for Christ rather than promote themselves. [Homily 8, on 2 Corinthians 4:5].
4:6
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
For God, who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” is the One who shone in our hearts for the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Textual & reception notes
Text [G]: The closing phrase has Christ without an added Jesus in the accessed running text.
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Illumination of the heart is a new act of divine creation. [Homily 8, on 2 Corinthians 4:6].
Treasure in earthen vessels
4:7
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing power may be God’s and not from us.
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Fragile human bearers make God's power conspicuous. [Homily 8, on 2 Corinthians 4:7].
4:8
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
We are afflicted in every way, but not confined; perplexed, but not utterly at a loss;
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Pressure reveals divine preservation rather than final defeat. [Homily 9, on 2 Corinthians 4:8-9].
4:9
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed;
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Persecution cannot overcome God's sustaining action. [Homily 9, on 2 Corinthians 4:8-9].
4:10
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Daily deliverance from danger witnesses to Christ's resurrection. [Homily 9, on 2 Corinthians 4:10].
4:11
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
For we who live are always being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal flesh.
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Mortal suffering becomes an occasion for Christ's power to appear. [Homily 9, on 2 Corinthians 4:11].
4:12
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: The apostles endure hardships while their hearers receive gospel life. [Homily 9, on 2 Corinthians 4:12].
4:13
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, and therefore also speak,
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: The psalmist and apostles share the same Spirit of faith. [Homily 9, on 2 Corinthians 4:13].
4:14
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
knowing that the One who raised Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us together with you.
Textual & reception notes
Text [G]: With Jesus preserves syn Iēsou; the accessed text does not use through Jesus here.
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Resurrection hope includes the apostle and the believing community. [Homily 9, on 2 Corinthians 4:14-15].
4:15
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
For all things are for your sake, so that grace, having increased through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Grace reaching many produces thanksgiving directed to God. [Homily 9, on 2 Corinthians 4:14-15].
An eternal weight of glory
4:16
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Therefore we do not lose heart; but even if our outer person is wasting away, our inner person is being renewed day by day.
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Trials can renew the inward person while the body suffers. [Homily 9, on 2 Corinthians 4:16].
4:17
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
For the momentary lightness of our affliction produces for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure,
Textual & reception notes
Lightness and weight preserve the deliberate contrast; beyond all measure compresses the emphatic repetition beyond excess unto excess.
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Present affliction appears light beside the weight of eternal glory. [Homily 9, on 2 Corinthians 4:17-18].
4:18
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
as we look not at the things seen but at the things not seen; for the things seen are temporary, but the things not seen are eternal.
Textual & reception notes
Reception (Tier A; direct commentary) — St John Chrysostom: Attention to unseen realities changes the assessment of present suffering. [Homily 9, on 2 Corinthians 4:17-18].