2 Corinthians 4

2 Corinthians · Chapter 4

2 Corinthians 4:17

1Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.3But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.5For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.8We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;9Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;10Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.11For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.12So then death worketh in us, but life in you.13We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;14Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.15For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

2 Corinthians 4:16-18We faint not

About 2 Corinthians 4Because "we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not," Paul writes, and he will not handle "the word of God deceitfully," for "we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord." "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us": they are "troubled on every side, yet not distressed... cast down, but not destroyed." So "we faint not," for "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," and "the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:12 Corinthians 4:22 Corinthians 4:52 Corinthians 4:72 Corinthians 4:82 Corinthians 4:92 Corinthians 4:162 Corinthians 4:172 Corinthians 4:18

Why this verse matters here"Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2 Corinthians 4:162 Corinthians 4:172 Corinthians 4:18

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
forγὰρgarG1063
for

γάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. …

momentaryπαραυτίκαparautikaG3910
momentary

παραυτίκα (parautika) παρ-αυτίκα adv. (πάραυτα = παρ ̓ αὐτά, sc. τὰ πράγματα) [in LXX: Psa.70:3, Tob.4:14 * ;] 1. immediately. 2. C. subst., to express brief duration (cf. ἡ π. λαμπρότης, Thuc., ii, 64), momentary, for a moment: 2Co.4:17.† (AS)

lightnessἐλαφρὸνelaphronG1645
light

ἐλαφρός (elaphros) ἐλαφρός, -ά, -όν [in LXX chiefly for קַל, קָלָל ;] light in weight easy to bear: Mat.11:30; θλίψρις (EV, our light affliction), 2Co.4:17.† (AS)

afflictionθλίψεωςthlipseōsG2347
pressure

θλῖψις (thlipsis) θλίψις (LTr., θλῖψις), -εως, ἡ (θλίβω), [in LXX for צָרָה, etc. ;] pressure (Arist.). In LXX and NT metaphorically, tribulation, affliction, distress: Mat.24:9, 21 24:29, Mrk.13:19, 24, Jhn.16:21, Act.7:11 11:19, Rom.12:12, 2Co.1:4 1:8 4:17 6:4 7:4 8:2 8:13, Php.4:14, 2Th.1:6, Jas.1:27, Rev.1:9 2:9, 22 7:14; with ἀνάγκη (which see), 1Th.3:7; στενοχωρία (which from the order of the words would appear to be the stronger term), Rom.2:9 8:35; διωγμός, Mat.13:21, Mrk.4:17, 2Th.1:4; θ. ἔχω, Jhn.16:33, 1Co.7:23, Rev.2:10; ἔρχεσθαι ἐπί, Act.7:11; ἐν θλίψει 1Th.1:6; pl., Act.7:10 14:22 20:28, Rom.5:3 …

of usἡμῶνhēmōnG3165
me

μέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML)

farκαθ᾽kath᾽G2596
according to

κατά (kata) κατά (bef. a vowel κατ᾽, καθ᾽; on the frequently neglect of elision, see Tdf., Pr., 95; WH, App., 146a), prep. with genitive, accusative, down, downwards. I. C. genitive (WM, §47, k; Bl., §42, 2). 1. C. genitive of thing(s), in local sense; (a) down, down from: Mat.8:32, Mrk.5:13, Luk.8:33, 1Co.11:4; (b) throughout (late usage; Bl, l.with): κ. ὅλης κ.τ.λ., Luk.4:14 23:5, Act.9:31 10:37; (with) in a peculiar adjectival phrase: ἡ κ. βάθους, deep or extreme poverty, 2Co.8:2. 2. C. genitive of person(s), usually in hostile sense; …

surpassingὑπερβολὴνhuperbolēnG5236
surpassing

ὑπερβολή (huperbolē) ὑπερ-βολή, -ῆς, ἡ (ὑπερβάλλω), [in LXX: καθ᾽ ὑ., 4Ma.3:18 * ;] a throwing beyond. Metaphorical, excess, superiority, excellence: 2Co.4:7 12:7; καθ᾽ ὑπερβολήν, beyond measure, exceedingly, Rom.7:13, 1Co.12:31, 2Co.1:8, Gal.1:13; κ. ὑ. εἰς ὑ., beyond all measure, 2Co.4:17.† (AS)

toεἰςeisG1519
toward

εἰς (eis) εἰς, prep. with accusative, expressing entrance, direction, limit, into, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among (Lat. in, with accusative). I. Of place. 1. After verbs of motion; (a) of entrance into: Mat.8:23, 9:7, Mrk.1:45, Luk.2:15, 8:31, al.; (b) of approach, to or towards: Mrk.11:1, Luk.6:8, 19:28, Jhn.11:31, 21:6, al.; (with) before pl. and collective nouns, among: Mrk.4:7, 8:19, 20, Luk.11:49, Jhn.21:23, al.; …

excessivenessὑπερβολὴνhuperbolēnG5236
surpassing

ὑπερβολή (huperbolē) ὑπερ-βολή, -ῆς, ἡ (ὑπερβάλλω), [in LXX: καθ᾽ ὑ., 4Ma.3:18 * ;] a throwing beyond. Metaphorical, excess, superiority, excellence: 2Co.4:7 12:7; καθ᾽ ὑπερβολήν, beyond measure, exceedingly, Rom.7:13, 1Co.12:31, 2Co.1:8, Gal.1:13; κ. ὑ. εἰς ὑ., beyond all measure, 2Co.4:17.† (AS)

an eternalαἰώνιονaiōnionG0166
eternal

αἰώνιος (aiōnios) αἰώνιος, -ον (as usual in Attic), also -α, -ον. 2Th.2:16, Heb.9:12; (αἰών), [in LXX chiefly for עוֹלָם ;] age-long, eternal, (a) of that which is without either beginning or end: Rom.16:26, Heb.9:14; (b) of that which is without beginning: Rom.16:25, 2Ti.1:9, Tit.1:2; (with) of that which is without end (MM, VGT, see word): σκηναί, Luk.16:9 οἰκία, 2Co.5:1; διαθήκη, Heb.13:20; εὐαγγέλιον, Rev.14:6; παράκλησις, 2Th.2:16; λύτρωσις, Heb.9:12; κληρονομία, ib. 15; κόλασις, Mat.25:46; κρίμα, Heb.6:2; κρίσις, Mrk.3:29; ὄλεθρον, 2Th.1:9; πῦρ, Mat.18:8; frequently with ζωή, which see …

weightβάροςbarosG0922
burden

βάρος (baros) βάρος, -εος, τό, [in LXX: Jdg.18:21 (כּבד), Jdth.7:4, Sir.13:2, 2Ma.9:10, 3Ma.5:47 * ;] weight; (a) a weight, burden, lit. and metaphorically: Mat.20:12, Act.15:28, 2Co.4:17, Rev.2:24; ἀλλήλων τὰ β., one another's faults, Gal.6:2; ἐν β., burdensome: 1Th.2:6, R, txt., but see infr.; (b) in late Gk. (Soph., Lex., see word), dignity, authority: ἐν βάρει, 1Th.2:6 (R, mg.; see Milligan, ICG, in l.).† SYN.: ὄγκος, an encumbrance; φορτίον, a burden, that which is borne. (AS)

of gloryδόξηςdoxēsG1391
glory

δόξα (doxa) δόξα, -ης, ἡ (δοκέω), [in LXX very frequently for כָּבוֹד, also for הוֹד ,פִּפְאֶרֶת, etc., 25 words in all ;] in cl., 1. expectation, judgment, opinion (4Ma.5:18). 2. opinion, estimation in which one is held, repute; in NT, always good opinion, hence reputation, praise, honour, glory: Luk.14:10, Jhn.12:43, Heb.3:3; opposite to αἰσχύνη, Php.3:19; to ἀτιμία, 2Co.6:8; δ. κ. τιμή, Rom.2:7, 10 1Pe.1:7, 2Pe.1:17; ζητεῖν, Jhn.5:44 7:18 8:50, 1Th.2:6; λαμβάνειν, Jhn.5:41, 2Pe.1:17, Rev.5:12; διδόναι δ. τ. θεῷ (cf. נָתַן כָּבוֹד לַיהוָֹה, Jer.13:16, al.), Luk.17:18, Jhn.9:24, Act.12:23, Rom.4:20, …

is producingκατεργάζεταιkatergazetaiG2716
to workout/produce

κατεργάζομαι (katergazomai) κατ-εργάζομαι (emphatic form of ἐργάζομαι), [in LXX for פָּעַל, etc. (9 exx., each for a different Heb. word) ;] to effect by labour, achieve, work out, bring about: with accusative, Rom.4:15 5:3 7:8, 15-20, 2Co.7:10, Eph.6:13, Jas.1:3; pass., 2Co.12:12; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s), Rom.7:13, 2Co.4:17 7:11 9:11; id. before διά, with genitive of person(s), Rom.15:18; τ. σωτηρίαν, Php.2:12; with accusative of person(s) before εἰς, 2Co.5:5 (RV, wrought); of evil deeds, Rom.1:27 2:9, 1Co.5:3, 1Pe.4:3.† (AS)

for us,ἡμῖν,hēminG3165
me

μέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.