2 Corinthians 4:8
New International Version
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

New Living Translation
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.

English Standard Version
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

Berean Standard Bible
We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

Berean Literal Bible
being hard pressed in every way but not being crushed, being perplexed but not despairing,

King James Bible
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

New King James Version
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

New American Standard Bible
we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

NASB 1995
we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

NASB 1977
we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

Legacy Standard Bible
in every way afflicted, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

Amplified Bible
We are pressured in every way [hedged in], but not crushed; perplexed [unsure of finding a way out], but not driven to despair;

Christian Standard Bible
We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair;

American Standard Version
we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For we are squeezed in all things, but we are not strangled; we are harassed, but we are not condemned.

Contemporary English Version
We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up.

Douay-Rheims Bible
In all things we suffer tribulation, but are not distressed; we are straitened, but are not destitute;

English Revised Version
we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In every way we're troubled, but we aren't crushed by our troubles. We're frustrated, but we don't give up.

Good News Translation
We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair;

International Standard Version
In every way we're troubled but not crushed, frustrated but not in despair,

Literal Standard Version
being in tribulation in every [way], but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

Majority Standard Bible
We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

New American Bible
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

NET Bible
We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair;

New Revised Standard Version
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

New Heart English Bible
We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;

Webster's Bible Translation
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

Weymouth New Testament
We are hard pressed, yet never in absolute distress; perplexed, yet never utterly baffled;

World English Bible
We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;

Young's Literal Translation
on every side being in tribulation, but not straitened; perplexed, but not in despair;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Treasures 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.…

Cross References
Psalm 129:2
many a time they have persecuted me from my youth, but they have not prevailed against me.

Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

Habakkuk 3:17
Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold and no cattle are in the stalls,

Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

2 Corinthians 1:8
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

2 Corinthians 6:4
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities;

2 Corinthians 6:12
It is not our affection, but yours, that is restrained.


Treasury of Scripture

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

troubled.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10
For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: …

2 Corinthians 6:4
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

2 Corinthians 7:5
For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

yet.

2 Corinthians 4:16,17
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day…

2 Corinthians 12:10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

1 Samuel 28:15
And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

not in despair.

1 Samuel 31:4
Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

Job 2:9,10
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die…

Psalm 37:33
The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

Jump to Previous
Absolute Afflicted Apparent Baffled Crushed Despair Despairing Distress Distressed Driven Entirely Hard Issue Perplexed Pressed Round Shut Side Straitened Troubled Troubles Utterly Way
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Absolute Afflicted Apparent Baffled Crushed Despair Despairing Distress Distressed Driven Entirely Hard Issue Perplexed Pressed Round Shut Side Straitened Troubled Troubles Utterly Way
2 Corinthians 4
1. Paul declares how he has used all sincerity and diligence in preaching the gospel,
7. and how his troubles and persecutions did redound to the praise of God's power,
12. to the benefit of the church,
16. and to the apostle's own eternal glory.














(8) We are troubled on every side.--The Greek presents all the clauses in a participial form, in apposition with the "we" with which 2Corinthians 4:7 opens. The careful antithesis in each case requires some modification of the English version in order to be at all adequately expressed. Hemmed-in in everything, yet not straitened for room perplexed, yet not baffled; or, as it has been rendered, less literally, but with great vividness, bewildered, but not benighted. The imagery in both clauses belongs to the life of the soldier on active service.

Verse 8. - Troubled; afflicted, as in 2 Corinthians 1:4. On every side; in everything. Distressed; rather, driven to straits. Perplexed, but not in despair. In the original is a beautiful paronomasia, which might, perhaps, be represented in English by "pressed, but not oppressed." Literally the words mean, being at a loss, but not utterly at a loss. In the special anguish of trial of which he spoke in 2 Corinthians 1:8 (comp. 2 Corinthians 7:5), he was indeed for a time "utterly at a loss," reduced to utter despair; but in the normal conditions which he here describes he always, as it were, saw some outlet out of his worst perplexities.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
We are pressed
θλιβόμενοι (thlibomenoi)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2346: (a) I make narrow (strictly: by pressure); I press upon, (b) I persecute, press hard. Akin to the base of tribos; to crowd.

on
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

all [sides],
παντὶ (panti)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

but
ἀλλ’ (all’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

not
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

crushed;
στενοχωρούμενοι (stenochōroumenoi)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4729: From the same as stenochoria; to hem in closely, i.e. cramp.

perplexed,
ἀπορούμενοι (aporoumenoi)
Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 639: From a compound of a and the base of poreuomai; to have no way out, i.e. Be at a loss.

but
ἀλλ’ (all’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

not
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

in despair;
ἐξαπορούμενοι (exaporoumenoi)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1820: To be utterly without resource, be in despair. Middle voice from ek and aporeo; to be utterly at a loss, i.e. Despond.


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NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 4:8 We are pressed on every side yet (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)
2 Corinthians 4:7
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