2 Corinthians 4:9

Contextual Overview

⁸We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁸We are surrounded by things that could kill us, but we ain't even been whipped yet. We may not know what we're doing, but we know better than to give up. ⁸ we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; ⁸in every way afflicted, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; ⁸ Troubles are round us on every side, but we are not shut in; things are hard for us, but we see a way out of them; ⁸ every way afflicted, but not straitened; seeing no apparent issue, but our way not entirely shut up; ⁸ We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; ⁸ We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; ⁸ We are troubled on every side, yet not crushed;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

but: Psalms 9:10, Psalms 22:1, Psalms 37:25, Psalms 37:28, Isaiah 62:4, Hebrews 13:5

cast: 2 Corinthians 7:6, Job 5:17-19, Job 22:29, Psalms 37:24, Psalms 42:5, Psalms 42:11, Isaiah 43:2

Reciprocal: Judges 8:4 - faint Judges 15:18 - he was sore 1 Samuel 2:4 - stumbled Job 19:10 - destroyed Psalms 25:17 - General Psalms 62:2 - I shall Psalms 102:10 - thou hast Jeremiah 38:6 - into Acts 16:25 - sang Acts 20:24 - none Acts 27:22 - I exhort Hebrews 12:5 - nor faint

Cross-References

Genesis 4:4
But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:4
And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:4
Abel, on his part, also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And Yahweh had regard for Abel and for his offering;

Genesis 4:4
Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering;

Genesis 4:4
Habel also brought of the firstlynges of his sheepe, & of the fatte thereof: and the Lorde had respect vnto Habel, and to his oblation.

Genesis 4:4
and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:4
and Abel offride of the first gendrid of his floc, and of the fatnesse of tho. And the Lord bihelde to Abel and to the yiftis of hym;

Genesis 4:4
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flocke, and of the fat thereof: and the LORD had respect vnto Abel, and to his offering.

Genesis 4:4
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

Genesis 4:4
And Abell brought also of the firstlinges of his shepe, and of ye fat of them. And the LORDE had respecte vnto Abell and to his offerynge:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Persecuted, but not forsaken,.... Pursued from place to place, and followed with menaces, curses, and reproaches; laid hold on, proscribed, imprisoned, and threatened with the severest tortures, and death itself; but our God never leaves us nor forsakes us; though we are followed close by evil men, and left by our friends, we are not forsaken of God:

cast down we sometimes are, as an earthen vessel; 2 Corinthians 4:7, which may be cast out of a man's hands, in order to be dashed to pieces; or as a man in wrestling, see Ephesians 6:12 may be thrown to the ground by his antagonist, so we are sometimes foiled by sin, Satan, and the world:

but not destroyed; we are still safe in the hands of Christ, and are kept by the power of God; and, indeed, to what else can all this be ascribed? it is surprising that earthen vessels should bear and suffer so much, and not fall, or be dashed to pieces.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Persecuted - Often persecuted, persecuted in all places. The Book of Acts shows how true this was.

But not forsaken - Not deserted; nor left by God Though persecuted by people, yet they experi enced the fulfillment of the divine promise that he would never leave nor forsake them. God always interposed to aid them; always saved them from the power of their enemies; always sustained them in the time of persecution. It is still true. His people have been often persecuted. Yet God has often interposed to save them from the hands of their enemies; and where he has not saved them from their hands, and preserved their lives, yet he has never left them, but has sustained, upheld, and comforted them even in the dreadful agonies of death.

Cast down - Thrown down by our enemies, perhaps in allusion to the contests of wrestlers, or of gladiators.

But not destroyed - Not killed. They rose again; they recovered their strength; they were prepared for new conflicts. They surmounted every difficulty, and were ready to engage in new strifes, and to meet new trials and persecutions.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 4:9. Persecuted, but not forsaken — Διωκομενοι, αλλ' ουκ εγκαταλειπομενοι. The διωκομενοι, pursued, is peculiar to the δρομος, or race, when one being foremost others pursue, and get up close after him, endeavouring to outstrip him, but cannot succeed: this is the meaning of ουκ εγκαταλειπομενοι, not outstripped, or outgone, as the word implies. So in PLUTARCH: τους απολειφθεντας ου στεφανουσι, they do not crown them that are distanced or left behind. So says the apostle, 1 Corinthians 9:24: All run, but only ONE receiveth the PRIZE.

Cast down, but not destroyed. — Καταβαλλομενοι αλλ' ουκ απολλυμενοι. This also belongs to wrestlers, where he that throws the other first is conqueror. And so Hesychius: καταβαλει, νικησει, ῥιψει, to cast down is to overcome, to throw. And then, the being not destroyed signifies that, although they were thrown down-cast into troubles and difficulties, yet they rose again, and surmounted them all.