6:1 {Working together with him} (sunergountes). We are co-workers, partners with God (#1Co 3:9), in this work of grace. {In vain} (eis kenon). Into emptiness. The plan of God, the work of Christ on the Cross, the pleas of the ambassador may all be nullified by the recipient of the message.

6:2 {Behold, now is the acceptable time} (idou nun kairos euprosdektos). Here is another "Pauline parenthesis" (Plummer) as in #5:7 by the quotation from #Isa 49:8. The LXX has dektos (dektoi) verbal of decomai, but Paul employs the double compound (eu, pros, dektos), well-received. It occurs in Aristophanes, Plutarch, inscription, etc.

6:3 {Giving no occasion of stumbling in any thing} (medemian en medeni didontes proskopen). proskope, late word (Polybius, LXX), from proskoptw, to strike against, to stumble. Only here in N.T. Note double negative in the Greek. {That the ministry be not blamed} (hina me mwmeqei he diakonia). Negative purpose (hina me). First aorist passive subjunctive of old verb mwmaomai from mwmos, blot, blemish. One can read with profit J. A. Hutton's Warrack Lectures, _That the Ministry Be Not Blamed_.

6:4 {But in everything commending ourselves} (all' en panti sunistanontes heautous). Paul gives a marvellous summary of his argument about the dignity and glory of ministers of Christ as {ministers of God} (hws qeou diakonoi) under three aspects, the first with {in} (en) verses #3-7a, the second with {by} (dia) verses #7b,8, the third with {as} (hws) verses #9-10. The negative view with en we have in verse #3, qen the positive in verses #4-7a. Each word carries a story that can be filled in from Paul's own life as a preacher with an echo in that of us all. {In distresses} (en stenocwriais). In tight places (#12:10). Late word from stenocwrew (see on #4:8).

6:5 {In stripes} (en plegais). In blows, wounds (#Lu 10:30; 12:48; Ac 16:23,33). Our plague. {In tumults} (en akatastasiais). See on #1Co 14:33). Instabilities, often from politics. {In watchings} (en agrupniais). In sleeplessnesses, instances of insomnia. Old word, in N.T. only here and #11:27. Paul knew all about this .

6:6 {In love unfeigned} (en agapei anupokritwi). Late and rare word (a privative and hupokritos, from hupokrinomai) this is the only love that is worth while (#Ro 12:9).

6:7 {On the right hand and on the left} (twn dexiwn kai aristerwn). Offensive weapons (hoplwn) on the right, defensive on the left. See #1Th 5:8; Eph 6:11 for Paul's description of the panoply of God and #Ro 6:13 for the phrase "weapons of righteousness," the only kind that will stand the strain. See also Book of Wisdom 5:18ff.

6:8 {By glory and dishonor} (dia doxes kai atimias). Here dia is no longer instrument, but state or condition. doxa here is glory. See #Ro 9:21; 2Ti 2:20 for contrast between honor and dishonor (time, atimia). {By evil report and good report} (dia dusfemias kai eufemias). Play on the words with prefixes dus- and eu- and feme. dusfemia is a late word, only here in N.T. eufemia, old and common word, only here in N.T. {As deceivers and yet true} (hws planoi kai aleqeis). Paul takes up hws now in place of dia which succeeded en. Note use of kai in sense of "and yet" (adversative). planos is late word (Diodorus, Josephus) for wandering, vagabond, impostor (cf. planaw, to lead astray, used of Christ, #Joh 7:12). In N.T. only here; #Mt 27:63 (of Christ by Pharisees); #2Jo 1:7. "In the Clementines St. Paul is expressly described by his adversaries as planos and as disseminating deceit (planen)" (Bernard). Such slander from one's enemies is praise.

6:9 {As unknown and yet well known} (hws agnooumenoi kai epiginoskomenoi). "As ignored (as nonentities, obscure, without proper credentials #3:2) and yet fully recognized (by all who really matter as in #11:6)." {And behold, we live} (kai idou zwmen). Cf. the hazards of his life (#1:8; 4:10; 11:23). His whole career is full of paradox).

6:10 {Always rejoicing} (aei cairontes). Even in sorrow (#11:9; 1Th 5:16; Ro 5:3-5; 9:2; Php 2:18,27; 3:1; 4:4,15). {Yet making many rich} (pollous de ploutizontes). Old word from ploutos (wealth), to enrich. Spiritual riches Paul has in mind as in #1Co 1:5 (cf. #Mt 5:37). {As having nothing and yet possessing all things} (hws meden econtes kai panta katecontes). Contrast between meden (nothing) and panta (all things, cf. #1Co 3:22) and ecw (to have) and katecw (to hold down, to hold fast). Play on words (simple and compound) as in #3:2; 4:8. Climax of Paul's panegyric on the Christian ministry. He now resumes the thread of the story broken off in #2:14.

6:11 {Our mouth is open unto you} (to stoma hemwn anewigen pros humas). Second perfect active indicative of anoigw and intransitive, stand open. He has kept back nothing in his portrayal of the glory of the ministry as the picture of the open mouth shows. {Our heart is enlarged} (he kardia hemwn peplatuntai). Perfect passive indicative of old verb platunw, to broaden, from platus, broad. In N T. only here and #Mt 23:5 (cf. phylacteries). Hence his freedom of speech for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (#Mt 12:34).

6:12 {Ye are not straitened in us} (ou stenocwreisqe en hemin). The same figure as in verse #11. See on ¯4:8 for stenocwrew. There is no restraint in me (my heart). My adversaries may have caused some of you to tighten up your affections (splagcna for affection as in #Jas 5:11; 1Pe 3:8).

6:13 {Now for a recompense in like kind} (ten de auten antimisqian). No example of this expressive word outside of this passage and #Ro 1:27 and later Christian writers. Paul may have found it in use in the _Koin‚_ vernacular or he may have coined it from antimisqos, remunerating (paying back). There is no verb here to explain the accusative which may be the accusative of general reference or the object of a verb not expressed. {Be ye also enlarged} (platunqete kai humeis). As I have been (verse #11). First aorist passive imperative of platunw.

6:14 {Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers} (me ginesqe heterozugountes apistois). No other example of this verb has yet been found, though the adjective from which it is apparently formed, heterozugos (yoked with a different yoke) occurs in #Le 19:19 of the union of beasts of different kinds. In #De 22:10 we read: "Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass together." Literally, "Stop becoming (me ginesqe present imperative, not mˆ genesqe aorist subj.) unequally yoked with unconverted heathen (unbelievers)." Some were already guilty. Marriage is certainly included, but other unions may be in mind. Cf. #Eph 5:7. Paul gives as the reason (gar) for this prohibition five words in questions to distinguish the contrasts. {Fellowship} (metoce). Sharing with and followed by associative instrumental case of dikaiosunei (righteousness) and iniquity (anomiai). A pertinent challenge today when church members wink at violations of laws of the land and laws of God. {Communion} (koinwnia). Partnership to light (fwti dative case) with (pros), facing darkness.

6:15 {Concord} (sumfwnesis). Symphony. Late word from sumfwnew, only here and ecclesiastical writers, though sumfwnema in the papyri. {Belial} (belial). Transliteration of Hebrew word for worthlessness and applied to Satan (_Book of Jubilees_ 1.20) as here. Paul graphically sums up the contrast between Christ and Belial (Satan), the heads of the contending forces of good and evil. {Portion} (meris). The fourth of the words. Here by "unbeliever" (apistou) Paul means "disbeliever," not just an unconverted man who yet approves Christ.

6:16 {Agreement} (sunkataqesis). Fifth of these words. Late word, but common, though here only in N.T. Approved by putting together the votes. In the papyri ek sunkataqesews means "by agreement." On the temple of God and idols see #1Co 10:14-22. See #Lu 23:51 for the verb sunkatatiqemi. {For we are the temple of the living God} (hemeis gar naos qeou esmen zwntos). We, not temples (#Ac 7:48; 17:24; 1Co 3:16; 6:19). {As God said} (kaqws eipen ho qeos). A paraphrase and catena of quotations, what J. Rendel Harris calls _Testimonia_ (from #Le 26:11f.; Isa 52:11; Eze 20:34; 37:27; 2Sa 7:8,14). Plummer notes that at the beginning "I will dwell in them" (enoikesw en autois) is not in any of them. "As God said" points to #Le 26:12; Eze 37:27.

6:17 {Saith the Lord} (legei kurios). #Isa 52:5; Eze 20:33. Cf. #Re 18:4. {Unclean thing} (akaqartou). Or unclean person. Genitive case is the same for both.