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2 Corinthians Chapter 6

2 Corinthians Chapter 6

(Underlining marks a quotation/allusion. [Brackets] mark a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability.  "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love".  However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings — agapé centers on choice and behavior.  It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings.  (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".)  Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé".  Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing.  It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)

Glossary

Note: this glossary is currently a work in progress; entries that do not expand will be added as time permits

Ages/of ages
“ages” and “of ages” are the Greek words “αἰών” (aión, noun form) and “αἰώνιος” (aiónios, adjective form) respectively.  The adjective form is typically translated “eternal”, as in “eternal life”. The noun form refers to a whole time period, (Keizer, “Life Time Entirety”) such as a person’s lifetime (an older Greek sense), an age/epoch (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context often dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9).  Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen for the adjective form so that both the time and quality senses remain visible.

Clean/unclean

Covenant

Faith

Flesh

Forgive/forgiveness

Grace
The Greek word is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace”, “gift”, or “thanks”. It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place. The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis). A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron. The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful” by giving thanks in this way. Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation. A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons. The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met. New Testament usage typically casts God the Father as a Heavenly Patron, to whom Christians should be grateful and faithful because of the gifts He has given us. (e.g. salvation, provision, protection, etc.)

Holy

Justification

Law (Torah)

Make purification

Pure/Impure

Purification offering
In the Old Testament, this is typically the Hebrew “חַטָּ֖את” (khat-tat); in the New Testament, it’s typically “περὶ ἁμαρτίας” (peri hamartias), which is what the Septuagint (an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek) used to translate the Hebrew. It’s traditionally translated “sin offering”, but that translation has less support in high-level scholarship. The Hebrew word can mean “sin”, but it can also mean “purification” (e.g. Numbers 8:7). This offering was used to purify uncleanness, whether or not a sin was committed. Thus, it was required even when no sin was committed, such as after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8), for certain diseases (Leviticus 14), etc. High-level, peer-reviewed scholarship dedicated to the field (e.g. Milgrom, Levine, Gane, Sklar, Wright, Gorman, etc.) is largely united on the “purification offering” understanding. The BOS Bible has aligned itself with that high-level, peer-reviewed scholarship in its translation.

Ransom

Redemption

Repent/repentance

Righteous/righteousness

Salvation/save

Soul
“soul” is the Greek word “ψυχή/psuché” and Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. The BOS Bible translates these words as “soul” for consistency, and so the full meaning of “soul” isn’t obscured by different translations in different places. They closely overlap in meaning and are typically translated “soul” or “life”. They refer to the animating force of a living thing, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Revelation 8:9 and Genesis 1). They are frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has significant overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). The adjective forms of soul and spirit are contrasted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; see also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Sin

Click to Collapse the Glossary
Grace Through Trials

(Parallel teachings: 2 Corinthians 11:23-28; 2 Corinthians 4:8-12)

  • 1 And working together with Him, we also encourage you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
  • 2 For He says, “I heard you in an acceptable season, and I rushed to your aid in a day of salvation.“fnquotation/allusion to Isaiah 49:8  Behold, now is the season of favor.  Behold, now is the day of salvation.
  • 3 We’re putting nothing offensive in anyone’s way so that the ministry won’t be discredited.
  • 4 But in everything, we’re establishing ourselves as God’s servants by much endurance in afflictions, in distresses, in calamities,
  • 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in chaos, in exhausting labors, in sleepless nights, in fasts,
  • 6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in benevolence,fn“benevolence” this Greek word refers to kindness that is both practical (meeting real needs) and morally upright.  It also contains the idea of integrity. in the Holy Spirit, in sincere ^love,
  • 7 in the word of truth, in God’s power through the war equipmentfn“war equipment” is one word in Greek.  It refers to the various tools, implements, and weapons used to wage war.  The Greek word is “ὅπλον” (hoplon), which was one name for the large shield from which the “Hoplites” in the ancient Grecian military got their name. of righteousness in the right hand and the left hand.
  • 8 Through glory and disgrace, through slander and praise, regarded as deceivers and yet true,
  • 9 as unknown and yet fully known, as dying and behold we live, as being disciplined and not being put to death,
  • 10 as grieved but always rejoicing, as poor but making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.
  • 11 Our mouth has opened freely to you Corinthians, our heart has been enlarged for you.
  • 12 You aren’t restrained by us, but you’re restrained in your affections.
  • 13 And in return for the same, (I speak as to children) you must also be opened wide for us.
Don’t Become Unequally Yoked

(Parallel teachings: Ephesians 5:7-14; 1 Corinthians 10:14-22)

  • 14 Don’t become unequally yokedfn“unequally yoked” is literal, and a possible allusion to Deuteronomy 22:10.  A “yoke” is a contoured wooden beam used to join two beasts of burden (cows, oxen, etc.) together so they can pull a heavy load together.  Jesus used a different Greek word with a similar meaning in Matthew 19:6, there referring to marriage. with unbelievers.  For what alliance do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what association does light have with darkness?
  • 15 And what harmony does the Anointed have with Belial?fn“Belial” is likely a reference to Satan.  It likely comes from a Hebrew word which means “worthlessness”.  This could also be a play on words with a double meaning, asking: “what does someone who’s anointed (to God) have in common with worthlessness?”  Or what portionfn“portion” this Greek word sometimes referred to the division of an inheritance, which is likely the sense here.  Unbelievers and believers have a different “inheritance”, and thus can’t share it. can a believer share with an unbeliever?
  • 16 And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols?  For [we]fn“we” many manuscripts have “you” here. are the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them and will walk among them.  And I will be their God and they will be My people.“fnquotation/allusion to Leviticus 26:11-12, & Ezekiel 37:27
  • 17 Therefore, “come out from their midst and be separated“fnquotation/allusion to Isaiah 52:11 says the Lord.  “And don’t touch an impure thing“fncontinued quotation/allusion to Isaiah 52:11 and I will welcome you.
  • 18 And “I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.“fnquotation/allusion to 2 Samuel 7:14.  In that chapter, King David wants to build a temple for God, but God says “no”.  Instead, God says that He will raise up one of David’s sons to build the temple, and then says: “I will be his Father, and he will be My son”.  Paul appears to modify this quote to make it about “you” (believers), and adds “and daughters”.  The context of both passages includes temples, that is, where God lives.  Thus, the addition of “and daughters” seems to be an affirmation that both men and women are temples of God via the Holy Spirit’s indwelling.  However, some believe that Paul is instead combining 2 Samuel 7:14 with Isaiah 43:6-7, since daughters are explicitly mentioned in that Isaiah passage.

 

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