2 Corinthians 4:2

2 Corinthians 4:2

But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

a. NLT: We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.

b. NIV: Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

c. YLT: But did renounce for ourselves the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully using the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth recommending ourselves unto every conscience of men, before God;

d. Amplified Bible Classic: We have renounced disgraceful ways (secret thoughts, feelings, desires and underhandedness, the methods and arts that men hide through shame); we refuse to deal craftily (to practice trickery and cunning) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God, but we state the truth openly (clearly and candidly). And so we commend ourselves in the sight and presence of God to every man’s conscience.

e. Worrell Translation: But we renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, not handling the word of God deceitfully; but, by the manifestation of truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

f. Wuest Translaton: But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not ordering the manner of our lives in the sphere of craftiness, nor even adulterating the word of God [by an admixture of error], but by means of an open declaration of the truth commending ourselves to every variety of the conscience of men in the sight of God.

1. “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty…”

a. But [Strong: 235. alla al-lah' neuter plural of 243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):--and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]

b. have renounced [Strong: 550. apeipomen ap-i-pom'-ane reflexive past of a compound of 575 and 2036; to say off for oneself, i.e. disown:--renounce.] [Thayer: to speak out, set forth, declare, to forbid, to give up, renounce.]

c. the [Strong: 3588. ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

d. hidden things [Strong: 2927. kruptos kroop-tos' from 2928; concealed, i.e. private:--hid(-den), inward(-ly), secret.] [Thayer: hidden, concealed, secret.]

e. of dishonesty [Strong:  152. aischune ahee-skhoo'-nay from 153; shame or disgrace (abstractly or concretely):--dishonesty, shame.] [Zodhiates: disgrace, shame.]

2.  “…not walking in craftiness…”

a. not [Strong: 3361. me may a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

b. walking [Strong: 4043. peripateo per-ee-pat-eh'-o from 4012 and 3961; to tread all around, i.e. walk at large (especially as proof of ability); figuratively, to live, deport oneself, follow (as a companion or votary):--go, be occupied with, walk (about).]

c. in [Strong: 1722. en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

d. craftiness [Strong: 3834. panourgia pan-oorg-ee'-ah from 3835; adroitness, i.e. (in a bad sense) trickery or sophistry:--(cunning) craftiness, subtilty.] [Thayer: craftiness, cunning, a specious or false wisdom.]

1). This is the same Greek word used to describe the devil’s deceitfulness on Eve to cause the fall of mankind in the garden.

a). 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

2). At the same time Jesus exhorts us to be wise a serpents but harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16).

3. “…nor handling the word of God deceitfully…”

a. nor [Strong: 3366. mede may-deh' from 3361 and 1161; but not, not even; in a continued negation, nor:--neither, nor (yet), (no) not (once, so much as).]

b. handling…deceitfully  [Strong: 1389. doloo dol-o'-o from 1388; to ensnare, i.e. (figuratively) adulterate:--handle deceitfully.]  [Thayer: to ensnare, to corrupt.]

c. word [Strong: 3056. logos log'-os from 3004; something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):--account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.] [Thayer: of speech, a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea, what someone has said, a word, the sayings of God, decree, mandate or order, of the moral precepts given by God.]

d. God [Strong: 2316. theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).] [Thayer: God.]

1). Paul wrote of those who corrupt the word of God. It could refer to counterfeit epistles of Paul which he mentioned in his second letter to the Thessalonians.

a). 2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

b). 2 Thessalonians 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

4. “…but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.”

a. but [Strong: 235. alla al-lah' neuter plural of 243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):--and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]

b. by manifestation [Strong: 5321. phanerosis fan-er'-o-sis from 5319; exhibition, i.e. (figuratively) expression, (by extension) a bestowment:--manifestation.]

1). Although the word “manifestation” means a making known, and the Amplified renders it from the standpoint of word of mouth, the context leans toward a making known by actions or a manner of life, as the truth is manifested through our lives. The whole of 2 Corinthians 3 is a foundation for what is being said in 2 Corinthians 4.

c. of the [Strong: 3588. ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

d. truth [Strong: 225. aletheia al-ay'-thi-a from 227; truth:--true, X truly, truth, verity.]

e. commending [Strong: 4921. sunistao soon-is-tah'-o, or (strengthened) sunistano soon-is-tan'-o, or sunistemi soon-is'-tay-mee from 4862 and 2476 (including its collateral forms); to set together, i.e. (by implication) to introduce (favorably), or (figuratively) to exhibit; intransitively, to stand near, or (figuratively) to constitute:--approve, commend, consist, make, stand (with).]

f. ourselves [Strong: 1438. heautou heh-ow-too' from a reflexive pronoun otherwise obsolete and the genitive case (dative case or accusative case) of 846; him- (her-, it-, them-, also (in conjunction with the personal pronoun of the other persons) my-, thy-, our-, your-) self (selves), etc.:--alone, her (own, -self), (he) himself, his (own), itself, one (to) another, our (thine) own(-selves), + that she had, their (own, own selves), (of) them(-selves), they, thyself, you, your (own, own conceits, own selves, -selves).]

g. to [Strong: 4314. pros pros a strengthened form of 4253; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated):--about, according to , against, among, at, because of, before, between, (where-)by, for, X at thy house, in, for intent, nigh unto, of, which pertain to, that, to (the end that), X together, to (you) -ward, unto, with(-in). In the comparative case, it denotes essentially the same applications, namely, motion towards, accession to, or nearness at.]

h. every [Strong: 3956. pas pas including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:--all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

i. man’s [Strong: 444. anthropos anth'-ro-pos from 435 and ops (the countenance; from 3700); man-faced, i.e. a human being:--certain, man.]

j. conscience [Strong: 4893. suneidesis soon-i'-day-sis from a prolonged form of 4894; co-perception, i.e. moral consciousness:--conscience.] [sun-with; eido-to know]

1). The result of “commending ourselves to every mans conscience” in light of 2 Corinthians 3 the above is as follows. Mankind will witness the glory of God in our lives and as they do, their consciences and the conviction of the Holy Ghost will approve them or condemn them.

a). Romans 2:15 [Amplified Bible Classic] They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts and are operating there, with which their consciences (sense of right and wrong) also bear witness; and their [moral] decisions (their arguments of reason, their condemning or approving thoughts) will accuse or perhaps defend and excuse [them].

k. in the sight [Strong: 1799. enopion en-o'-pee-on neuter of a compound of 1722 and a derivative of 3700; in the face of (literally or figuratively):--before, in the presence (sight) of, to.]

l. of God [Strong: 2316. theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).] [Thayer: God.]

1). The phrase, “in the sight of God” seems to be a phrase invoking God to be my witness.

a). Acts 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

b). 1 Timothy 6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

c). 2 Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;