The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 6:5 Explained

2 Corinthians 6:5

KJV: In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

YLT: in stripes, in imprisonments, in insurrections, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,

Darby: in stripes, in prisons, in riots, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,

ASV: in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In  stripes,  in  imprisonments,  in  tumults,  in  labours,  in  watchings,  in  fastings; 

What does 2 Corinthians 6:5 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Corinthians 6:1-10 - Ambassadors For Christ
On God's side the work of reconciliation is complete. Everything has been done and is in readiness to make forgiveness and justifying righteousness possible as soon as a penitent soul asks for them. He only waits for us to make application for our share in the atonement of Calvary. Many as our trespasses have been, they are not reckoned to us, because they were reckoned to Christ. God wants this known, and so from age to age sends out ambassadors to announce these terms and urge men to accept them.
God sends none forth to entreat men without cooperating with them. When rain falls on a slab of rock, it falls in vain. Be not rock, but loam to the gentle fall of God's grace. Let none of us be stumbling-blocks by the inconsistencies of our character, but all of us stepping-stones and ascending stairways for other souls.
The three marvelous series of paradoxes in 2 Corinthians 6:4-10 deserve careful pondering. The first series enumerates Paul's sufferings on behalf of the Gospel; the second, his behavior under them; the third, the contrast between appearance and reality, as judged respectively by time and eternity. The stoic bears life's sorrows with compressed lips; the Christian, with a smile. Let us be always rejoicing, many enriching, and all things possessing. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 6

1  That he has approved himself a faithful minister of Christ by his exhortations,
3  and by integrity of life,
4  and by patiently enduring all kinds of affliction and disgrace for the gospel
10  Of which he speaks the more boldly amongst them because his heart is open to them,
13  and he expects the like affection from them again;
14  exhorting them to flee the society and pollutions of idolaters,
17  as being themselves temples of the living God

Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 6:5

In stripes [εν πληγαις]
In blows, wounds (Luke 10:30; Luke 12:48; Acts 16:23, Acts 16:33). Our plague. [source]
In tumults [εν ακαταστασιαις]
See 1 Corinthians 14:33). Instabilities, often from politics. In watchings (εν αγρυπνιαις — en agrupniais). In sleeplessnesses, instances of insomnia. Old word, in N.T. only here and 2 Corinthians 11:27. Paul knew all about this. [source]
In watchings [εν αγρυπνιαις]
In sleeplessnesses, instances of insomnia. Old word, in N.T. only here and 2 Corinthians 11:27. Paul knew all about this. [source]
Imprisonments [φυλακαῖς]
See on Acts 5:21. [source]
Tumults [ἀκαταστασίαις]
See on Luke 21:9, and compare ἀκατάστατος unstable James 1:8. This is one of the words which show the influence of political changes. From the original meaning of unsettledness, it developed, through the complications in Greece and in the East after the death of Alexander, into the sense which it has in Luke - political instability. One of the Greek translators of the Old Testament uses it in the sense of dread or anxious care. [source]
Watchings [ἀγρυπνίαις]
Only here and 2 Corinthians 11:27. See on the kindred verb, Mark 13:33. For the historical facts, see Acts 16:25; Acts 20:7-11, Acts 20:31; 2 Thessalonians 3:8. [source]
Fastings [νηστείαις]
Mostly of voluntary fasting, as Matthew 17:21; Acts 14:23; but voluntary fasting would be out of place in an enumeration of hardships. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 6:5

1 Corinthians 14:33 Confusion [ἀκαταστασίας]
See on commotions, Luke 21:9; and see on unruly, James 3:8. Compare 2 Corinthians 6:5. [source]
2 Corinthians 12:20 Tumults [ἀκαταστασίαι]
See on 2 Corinthians 6:5. [source]
2 Corinthians 11:27 Watchings []
See on 2 Corinthians 6:5. [source]
2 Corinthians 11:23 I more [υπερ]
This adverbial use of εγω — huper appears in ancient Greek (Euripides). It has no effect on περισσοτερως — egō not “more than I,” but “I more than they.” He claims superiority now to these “superextra apostles.” More abundant (εν πυλακαις — perissoterōs). See 2 Corinthians 7:15. No verbs with these clauses, but they are clear. In prisons Plural also in 2 Corinthians 6:5. Clement of Rome (Cor. V.) says that Paul was imprisoned seven times. We know of only five (Philippi, Jerusalem, Caesarea, twice in Rome), and only one before II Corinthians (Philippi). But Luke does not tell them all nor does Paul. Had he been in prison in Ephesus? So many think and it is possible as we have seen. Above measure (υπερβαλλοντων — huperballontōs). Old adverb from the participle υπερβαλλω — huperballontōn (εν τανατοις πολλακις — huperballō to hurl beyond). Here only in N.T. In deaths oft He had nearly lost his life, as we know, many times (2 Corinthians 1:9.; 2 Corinthians 4:11). [source]
2 Corinthians 11:23 In prisons [υπερβαλλοντως]
Plural also in 2 Corinthians 6:5. Clement of Rome (Cor. V.) says that Paul was imprisoned seven times. We know of only five (Philippi, Jerusalem, Caesarea, twice in Rome), and only one before II Corinthians (Philippi). But Luke does not tell them all nor does Paul. Had he been in prison in Ephesus? So many think and it is possible as we have seen. Above measure (υπερβαλλοντων — huperballontōs). Old adverb from the participle υπερβαλλω — huperballontōn (εν τανατοις πολλακις — huperballō to hurl beyond). Here only in N.T. In deaths oft He had nearly lost his life, as we know, many times (2 Corinthians 1:9.; 2 Corinthians 4:11). [source]
2 Corinthians 12:20 And I be found [καγω ευρετω]
Same construction with first aorist passive subjunctive. Such as ye would not (οιον ου τελετε — hoion ou thelete). Neat change in voice just before and position of the negative here. Lest by any means Still further negative purpose by repeating the conjunction. With graphic pen pictures Paul describes what had been going on against him during his long absence. Backbitings (καταλαλιαι — katalaliai). Late and rare word. In N.T. only here and 1 Peter 2:1. If it only existed nowhere else! Whisperings Late word from πσιτυριζω — psithurizō to whisper into one‘s ear. An onomatopoetic word for the sibilant murmur of a snake charmer (Ecclesiastes 10:11). Only here in N.T. Swellings (πυσιωσεις — phusiōseis). From πυσιοω — phusioō to swell up, late word only here and in ecclesiastical writers. Did Paul make up the word for the occasion? See note on 1 Corinthians 4:6 for verb. Tumults See note on 2 Corinthians 6:5. [source]
2 Corinthians 12:20 Lest by any means [μη πως]
Still further negative purpose by repeating the conjunction. With graphic pen pictures Paul describes what had been going on against him during his long absence. Backbitings (καταλαλιαι — katalaliai). Late and rare word. In N.T. only here and 1 Peter 2:1. If it only existed nowhere else! Whisperings Late word from πσιτυριζω — psithurizō to whisper into one‘s ear. An onomatopoetic word for the sibilant murmur of a snake charmer (Ecclesiastes 10:11). Only here in N.T. Swellings (πυσιωσεις — phusiōseis). From πυσιοω — phusioō to swell up, late word only here and in ecclesiastical writers. Did Paul make up the word for the occasion? See note on 1 Corinthians 4:6 for verb. Tumults See note on 2 Corinthians 6:5. [source]
2 Corinthians 12:20 Whisperings [πσιτυρισμοι]
Late word from πσιτυριζω — psithurizō to whisper into one‘s ear. An onomatopoetic word for the sibilant murmur of a snake charmer (Ecclesiastes 10:11). Only here in N.T. Swellings (πυσιωσεις — phusiōseis). From πυσιοω — phusioō to swell up, late word only here and in ecclesiastical writers. Did Paul make up the word for the occasion? See note on 1 Corinthians 4:6 for verb. Tumults See note on 2 Corinthians 6:5. [source]
2 Corinthians 12:20 Tumults [akatastasiai)]
See note on 2 Corinthians 6:5. [source]
Colossians 4:13 Zeal [ζῆλον]
Read πόνον laborwhich occurs elsewhere only in Revelation 16:10, Revelation 16:11; Revelation 21:4, in the sense of pain. Πονος laboris from the root of πένομαι towork for one's daily bread, and thence to be poor. Πόνος toil πένης onewho works for his daily bread, and πονηρός wickedhave a common root. See on wickedness, Mark 7:22. In their original conceptions, κόπος labor(1 Corinthians 15:58; 2 Corinthians 6:5) emphasizes the fatigue of labor: μόχθος hardlabor (2 Corinthians 11:27; 1 Thessalonians 2:9), the hardship: πόνος theeffort, but πόνος has passed, in the New Testament, in every instance but this, into the meaning of pain. [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 6:5 mean?

in beatings imprisonments riots labors watchings fastings
ἐν πληγαῖς φυλακαῖς ἀκαταστασίαις κόποις ἀγρυπνίαις νηστείαις

πληγαῖς  beatings 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Plural
Root: πληγή  
Sense: a blow, stripe, a wound.
φυλακαῖς  imprisonments 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Plural
Root: φυλακή  
Sense: guard, watch.
ἀκαταστασίαις  riots 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Plural
Root: ἀκαταστασία  
Sense: instability, a state of disorder, disturbance, confusion.
κόποις  labors 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: κόπος  
Sense: a beating.
ἀγρυπνίαις  watchings 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Plural
Root: ἀγρυπνία  
Sense: sleeplessness, watching.
νηστείαις  fastings 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Plural
Root: νηστεία  
Sense: a fasting, fast.