2 Corinthians 4:9

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2 Corinthians 4:9 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

King James Version KJV

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

American Standard Version ASV

pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed;

Bible in Basic English BBE

We are cruelly attacked, but not without hope; we are made low, but we are not without help;

Free Bible Version FBV

We are persecuted, but never abandoned by God. We are knocked down, but not dead yet!

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

We are persecuted, but not forsaken: cast downe, but we perish not.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

World English Bible WEB

pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;

Noah Webster Bible WBS

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

We suffer persecution, but are not forsaken; we are cast down, but we perish not:

Translation for Translators T4T

We are frequently persecuted {People frequently cause us to suffer}, but God never abandons us. Sometimes we are badly wounded {people badly wound us}, but God does not allow us to be killed {them to kill us}.

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Berean Amplified Bible — 2 Corinthians 4:9

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Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

2 Corinthians 4:9 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

GRK διωκομενοι αλλ ουκ εγκαταλειπομενοι καταβαλλομενοι αλλ ουκ απολλυμενοι

διωκομενοι diōkō G1377 to pursue Verb-PPP-NPM

αλλ alla G235 but Conj

ουκ ou G3756 no Particle-N

εγκαταλειπομενοι egkataleipō G1459 to leave behind Verb-PPP-NPM

καταβαλλομενοι kataballō G2598 to lay/throw down Verb-PPP-NPM

αλλ alla G235 but Conj

ουκ ou G3756 no Particle-N

απολλυμενοι apolluō G622 to destroy Verb-PEP-NPM

Greek Word Study

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Greek Word Reference — 2 Corinthians 4:9

διωκομενοι diōkō G1377 "to pursue" Verb-PPP-NPM

To pursue or follow someone, which can be done with or without hostile intent, as seen in Matthew 5:10-12 and Luke 17:23. It can also mean to persecute, as in Acts 26:11 and Revelation 12:13. This word is used to describe chasing after something or someone.

Definition: διώκω [in LXX chiefly for רָדַף ;] __1. to put to flight, drive away: Mat.23:34. __2. to pursue; __(a) of persons; with accusative, without hostility, to follow after: Luk.17:23; with hostile purpose: Act.26:11, Rev.12:13. Hence, to persecute: Mat.5:10-12, 44 10:23, Luk.11:49 21:12, Jhn.5:16 15:20, Act.7:52 9:4-5 22:4, 7-8 26:14-15 Rom.12:14, 1Co.4:12 15:9, 2Co.4:9, Gal.1:13, 23 4:29 5:11 6:12, Php.3:6, 2Ti.3:12; __(b) metaphorically, with accusative of thing(s), of seeking eagerly after: Rom.9:30, 1Ti.6:11, 2Ti.2:22; νόμον δικαιοσύνης, Rom.9:31; τ. φιλοξενίαν, Rom.12:13; εἰρήνην, Heb.12:14, 1Pe.3:11; τὰ τῆς εἰ., Rom.14:19; τ. ἀγάπην, 1Co.14:1; τὸ ἀγαθόν, 1Th.5:15; absol., to follow on, drive, or speed on (Æsch.), Php.3:12, 14.† (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 43 NT verses. KJV: ensue, follow (after), given to, (suffer) persecute(-ion), press forward See also: 1 Corinthians 4:12; Galatians 5:11; 1 Peter 3:11.

αλλ alla G235 "but" Conj

But is a strong opposing word, used in Matthew 5:15 and John 7:16. It shows contrast or surprise, like in the phrase 'but God' in Romans 3:31.

Definition: ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); __1. opposing a previous negation, but: οὐ (μὴ) . . . ἀ., Mat.5:15, 17 Mrk.5:39, Jhn.7:16, al.; rhetorically subordinating but not entirely negativing what precedes, οὐ . . . ἀ., not so much . . . as, Mrk.9:37, Mat.10:20, Jhn.12:44, al.; with ellipse of the negation, Mat.11:7-9, Act.19:2, 1Co.3:6 6:11 7:7, 2Co.7:1, Gal.2:3, al.; in opposition to a foregoing pos. sentence, ἀ. οὐ, Mat.24:6, 1Co.10:23; οὐ μόνον . . . ἀ. καί, Jhn.5:18, Rom.1:32, al.; elliptically, after a negation, ἀ. ἵνα, Mrk.14:49, Jhn.1:8 9:3, al.; = εἰ μή (Bl., §77, 13; M, Pr., 241; but cf. WM, §iii, 10), Mat.20:23, Mrk.4:22. __2. Without previous negation, to express opposition, interruption, transition, etc., but: Jhn.16:20 12:27, Gal.2:14; before commands or requests, Act.10:20 26:16, Mat.9:18, Mrk.9:22, al.; to introduce an accessory idea, 2Co.7:11; in the apodosis after a condition or concession with εἰ, ἐάν, εἴπερ, yet, still, at least, Mrk.14:29, 1Co.9:2, 2Co.4:16, Col.2:5, al.; after μέν, Act.4:17, Rom.14:20, 1Co.14:17; giving emphasis to the following clause, ἀλλ᾽ ἔρχεται ὥρα, yea, etc., Jhn.16:2; so with neg., ἀλλ᾽ οὐδέ, nay, nor yet, Luk.23:15. __3. Joined with other particles (a practice which increases in late writers; Simcox, LNT, 166), ἀ. γε, yet at least, Luk.24:21, 1Co.9:2; ἄ ἤ., save only, except, Luk.12:51, 2Co.1:13; ἀ. μὲν οὖν, Php.3:8 (on this usage, see MM, VGT, see word). (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 603 NT verses. KJV: and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet See also: 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 1 Peter 1:15.

ουκ ou G3756 "no" Particle-N

This is a strong 'no', used to deny something completely. It appears in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 13:29 and John 1:21. It is a negative answer to a question.

Definition: οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); __1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. __2. Most frequently negativing a verb or other word, Mat.1:25 10:26, 38, Mrk.3:25 9:37, Jhn.8:29, Act.7:5, Rom.1:16, Php.3:3, al.; in litotes, οὐκ ὀλίγοι (i.e. very many), Act.17:4, al.; οὐκ ἄσημος, Act.21:39; πᾶς . . . οὐ, with verb, (like Heb. כֹּל . . . לֹא), no, none, Mat.24:22, Mrk.13:20, Luk.1:37, Eph.5:5, al.; in disjunctive statements, οὐκ . . . ἀλλά, Luk.8:52 Jhn.1:33 Rom.8:2o, al.; with 2 of person(s) fut. (like Heb. לֹא, with impf.), as emphatic prohibition, Mat.4:7, Luk.4:12, Rom.7:7, al. __3. With another negative, __(a) strengthening the negation: Mrk.5:37, Jhn.8:15 12:19, Act.8:39, al.; __(b) making an affirmative: Act.4:20, 1Co.12:15. __4. With other particles: οὐ μή (see: μή); οὐ μηκέτι, Mat.21:19; with μή interrog., Rom.10:18, 1Co.9:4, 5 11:22. __5. Interrogative, expecting an affirmative answer (Lat. nonne): Mat.6:26, Mrk.4:21, Luk.11:40, Jhn.4:35, Rom.9:21, al. (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 1410 NT verses. KJV: + long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but See also: 1 Corinthians 1:16; 1 Corinthians 15:32; 1 Peter 1:8.

εγκαταλειπομενοι egkataleipō G1459 "to leave behind" Verb-PPP-NPM

To leave behind means to abandon or desert someone, like in Matthew 27:46 where Jesus feels abandoned by God. This word can also mean to leave something or someone in a place. It is used to describe forsaking or leaving something behind.

Definition: ἐγκαταλείπω, [in LXX chiefly for עזב ;] __1. to leave behind: ἡμῖν σπέρμα, Rom.9:29 (LXX). __2. to abandon, desert, forsake: with accusative of person(s), Mat.27:46 (LXX), Mrk.15:34 (ib.), Act.2:27 (LXX) (WH, ἐνκ-), 2Ti.4:10, 16 Heb.13:5" (LXX) ; τ. ἐπισυναγωγήν (cf. MM, Exp., xi), Heb.10:25. Pass., Act.2:31 (WH, ἐνκ-), 2Co.4:9.† (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 9 NT verses. KJV: forsake, leave See also: 2 Corinthians 4:9; Hebrews 10:25; Hebrews 13:5.

καταβαλλομενοι kataballō G2598 "to lay/throw down" Verb-PPP-NPM

To throw or lay something down, like casting down idols or laying down a foundation in Hebrews 6:1. It can be physical or metaphorical.

Definition: κατα-βάλλω [in LXX chiefly for נָפַל hi. ;] __1. to cast down, prostrate: metaphorically, pass., 2Co.4:9. __2. to put down, lay down: metaphorically, mid., with accusative, θεμέλιον, Heb.6:1.† (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 2 NT verses. KJV: cast down, lay See also: 2 Corinthians 4:9; Hebrews 6:1.

αλλ alla G235 "but" Conj

But is a strong opposing word, used in Matthew 5:15 and John 7:16. It shows contrast or surprise, like in the phrase 'but God' in Romans 3:31.

ουκ ou G3756 "no" Particle-N

This is a strong 'no', used to deny something completely. It appears in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 13:29 and John 1:21. It is a negative answer to a question.

απολλυμενοι apolluō G622 "to destroy" Verb-PEP-NPM

This Greek word means to destroy or lose something completely, and is used in the Bible to describe physical or spiritual destruction, such as in Matthew 10:28 and John 6:39. It can also mean to perish or die. Jesus uses it to warn against causing others to stumble.

Definition: ἀπ-όλλυμι and ἀπολλύω [in LXX for אָבַד, etc. (38 words in all)]. __1. Act., __1 to destroy utterly, destroy, kill: Mk 124, 922, al.; τ. ψνχήν, Mat.10:28, al.; __2 to lose utterly: Mat.10:42, al.; metaphorically, of failing to save, Jhn.6:39 18:9. __2. Mid., __1 to perish; __(a) of things: Mat.5:29, Jhn.6:12, Heb.1:11 (LXX, al.; __(b) of persons: Mat.8:26, al. Metaphorical, of loss of eternal life, Jhn.3:15-16 10:28 17:12, Rom.2:12, 1Co.8:11 15:18, 2Pe.3:9. In οἱ ἀπολλὺμενοι, the perishing, contrasted in 1Co.1:18, al., with οἱ σωζόμενοι, the "perfective" force of the verb, WH. " implies the completion of the process of destruction," is illustrated (see M, Pr., 114 f.; M, Th., ii, 2:10); __2 to be lost: Luk.15:4 21:18. Metaphorical, on the basis of the relation between shepherd and flock, of spiritual destitution and alienation from God: Mat.10:6 15:24, Luk.19:10 (MM, see word; DCG, i, 191 f., ii, 76, 554; Cremer, 451) (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 85 NT verses. KJV: destroy, die, lose, mar, perish See also: 1 Corinthians 1:18; Luke 15:4; 1 Peter 1:7.

Study Notes — 2 Corinthians 4:9

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
2 Corinthians 4:9 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on 2 Corinthians 4:9
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 4:9
Matthew Poole's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:9
Trapp's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:9
Ellicott's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:9
Adam Clarke's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:9
Cambridge Bible on 2 Corinthians 4:9
Barnes' Notes on 2 Corinthians 4:9
Whedon's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:9
Sermons on 2 Corinthians 4:9

Context — Treasure in Jars of Clay

7Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

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

10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body.

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Isaiah 43:2	When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.
2	Micah 7:8	Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
3	Psalms 37:24–25	Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand. I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread.
4	Proverbs 24:16	For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
5	Psalms 42:11	Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
6	2 Corinthians 7:6	But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,
7	Isaiah 62:4	No longer will you be called Forsaken, nor your land named Desolate; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be His bride.
8	Hebrews 13:5	Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
9	Psalms 9:10	Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
10	Job 5:17–19	Blessed indeed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For He wounds, but He also binds; He strikes, but His hands also heal. He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven.

2 Corinthians 4:9 Summary

[This verse means that even when bad things happen to us because of our faith, God is still with us and hasn't left us. It's like what Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, 'I am with you always, to the very end of the age.' When we're feeling beaten down or defeated, we can remember that God is our strength and our hope, and He won't let us be completely destroyed, as promised in Psalm 34:19 and Romans 8:28. This verse is a reminder that as followers of Jesus, we can expect to face challenges, but we're not alone and we're not ultimately defeated, because God is with us and gives us the strength to persevere, as seen in Philippians 4:13 and 2 Timothy 1:7.]

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to be 'persecuted, but not forsaken'?

This phrase means that even when we face difficult circumstances and are persecuted for our faith, God is still with us and has not abandoned us, as He promises in Deuteronomy 31:6 and Hebrews 13:5.

How can we be 'struck down, but not destroyed'?

This phrase suggests that although we may face challenges and setbacks, we are not ultimately defeated because of our faith in God, who gives us the strength to persevere, as seen in Romans 8:37 and 2 Corinthians 12:10.

What is the significance of this verse in the context of the surrounding passage?

This verse is part of a larger passage where the Apostle Paul is describing the challenges and pressures of ministry, but also the hope and comfort that comes from knowing God is with us, as expressed in 2 Corinthians 4:7-8 and 2 Corinthians 4:10-11.

How can this verse apply to my life today?

This verse reminds us that as followers of Christ, we can expect to face difficulties and challenges, but we are not alone and are not ultimately defeated, as promised in Jeremiah 29:11 and Philippians 4:13.

Reflection Questions

What are some ways that I have felt persecuted or struck down in my own life, and how can I trust that God is still with me?
How can I distinguish between being 'forsaken' and feeling forsaken, and what biblical truths can I hold onto in those moments?
In what ways can I be a source of hope and comfort to others who are facing persecution or difficult circumstances, as Paul was to the Corinthian church?
What are some practical ways that I can 'carry around in my body the death of Jesus' and reveal the life of Jesus in my own life, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 4:10?

Gill's Exposition on 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

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 4:9

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Not forsaken - by God and man. Jesus was forsaken by both: so much do His sufferings exceed those of His people (Matthew 27:46).

Matthew Poole's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:9

Persecuted; violently pursued and prosecuted by such as are the adversaries of the gospel, and enemies to our Lord Jesus, because of our profession of him, and preaching his gospel; but yet not forsaken of God, nor wholly of men; God, by the inward influences of his Holy Spirit, supporting, upholding, and comforting us; and also, by his providence, raising us up some friends that stick by us. Cast down, either in our own thoughts, (as it is the nature of worldly troubles and afflictions to sink men’ s thoughts), or cast down by the violence of men, thrown to the earth; but not destroyed; but yet we live, and are by the mighty power of God preserved, that we are not utterly destroyed.

Trapp's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:9

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Ver. 9. Persecuted, but not forsaken] The Church may be shaken, not shivered; persecuted, not conquered. ( Concuti, non excuti.) Roma cladibus animosior, said one; it is more true of the Church. She gets by her losses, and, as the oak, she taketh heart to grace from the maims and wounds given her. Duris ut ilex tonsa bipennibus. " Niteris incassum Christi submergere navem: Fluctuat, at nunquam mergitur illa ratis:" as the pope wrote once to the Great Turk. Cast down, but not destroyed] Impellere possunt, said Luther of his enemies, sed totum prosternere non possunt: crudeliter me tractare possunt, sed non extirpare: dentes nudare, sed non devorare: occidere me possunt, sed in totum me perdere non possunt. They may thrust me, but not throw me; show their teeth, but not devour me; kill me, but not hurt me.

Ellicott's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:9

(9) Persecuted, but not forsaken.—Better, perhaps, as expressing in both terms of the clause the condition of a soldier on the field of battle, pursued, yet not abandoned. The next clause is again distinctly military, or, perhaps, agonistic: stricken down (as the soldier by some dart or javelin), yet not perishing. In the “faint, yet pursuing,” of Judges 8:4, we have an antithesis of the same kind in a narrative of actual warfare.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:9

Verse 9. Persecuted, but not forsaken] Διωκομενοι, αλλ' ουκεγκαταλειπομενοι. 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 ουκεγκαταλειπομενοι, not outstripped, or outgone, as the word implies. So in PLUTARCH: τουςαπολειφθενταςουστεφανουσι, 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.] Καταβαλλομενοιαλλ' ουκαπολλυμενοι. 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.

Cambridge Bible on 2 Corinthians 4:9

9. cast down, but not destroyed] i.e. struck or thrown down, as in warfare or wrestling, but not yet deprived of life, and therefore not unable to renew the conflict.

Barnes' Notes on 2 Corinthians 4:9

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

Whedon's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:9

8, 9. We are troubled—Tightly pressed. Yet not distressed—Not crushed together. Perplexed—Dubious, but not desperate. Persecuted— Pursued, (as by a huntsman,) but not by God abandoned to his power.

Sermons on 2 Corinthians 4:9

	Sermon	Description
	The Cross and the Flesh, 3 of 3 by Stephen Kaung	In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of Jesus as the grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies in order to bear much fruit. He emphasizes that Jesus came into
	6 Blessings + 6 Barriers by George Verwer	In this sermon, the speaker discusses six blessings and six barriers in the work of OM (Operation Mobilization). The first blessing is the power of the Holy Spirit, which enables b
	Remembering and Forgetting (Deuteronomy 8) by T. Austin-Sparks	The preacher delves into the deep meaning of 'deserted' in the Bible, emphasizing the act of forsaking, abandoning, and leaving someone in a state of helplessness or defeat. Throug
	2 Corinthians 4:8-9 by St. John Chrysostom	John Chrysostom preaches on the endurance of hardships and trials faced by believers, emphasizing that despite being pressed on every side, perplexed, pursued, and smitten down, th
	(Hebrews) 1-Overview-2 by Leonard Ravenhill	In this sermon, the preacher addresses the feeling of God's hiddenness and the darkness that comes when God withdraws his favor. He emphasizes the need for God's truth to set us fr
	Suffering and Glory by David Jeremiah	In this sermon, the speaker recounts the story of a man named Joseph who faced severe persecution for sharing his faith in Jesus. Despite being beaten and left to die multiple time
	Four Wonderful Discoveries by Warren Wiersbe	In this sermon, the speaker discusses the providence of God and how He prepares and guides His people. He emphasizes that if God has led someone to a particular church or ministry,