2 Corinthians 4:9

9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

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2 Corinthians 4:9 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
English Standard Version (ESV)
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
New Living Translation (NLT)
9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
The Message Bible (MSG)
9 but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken.
American Standard Version (ASV)
9 pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed;
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
9 We're persecuted, but we're not abandoned. We're captured, but we're not killed.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
9 Others make us suffer. But God does not desert us. We are knocked down. But we are not knocked out.

2 Corinthians 4:9 Meaning and Commentary

2 Corinthians 4:9

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.

2 Corinthians 4:9 In-Context

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.

Cross References 3

  • 1. John 15:20; Romans 8:35
  • 2. Hebrews 13:5
  • 3. Psalms 37:24; Proverbs 24:16
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