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

People's New Testament

4:8,9 In these two verses are four pairs of contrasts which should the frailty of the instruments and the greatness of the power:

(1) Troubled on every side, yet not distressed. pressed on every side (Revised Version), but not hemmed in by the pressure.

(2) Perplexed, but not in despair. In apparently overwhelming difficulties, but never reduced to despair.

(3) Persecuted, but not forsaken. Persecuted by their enemies, but not forsaken and delivered over to them.

(4) Cast down, but not destroyed. Overthrown and cast to the earth, but even then rescued from the enemy, standing over them prostrate, so that they are not destroyed.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9. not forsaken-by God and man. Jesus was forsaken by both; so much do His sufferings exceed those of His people (Mt 27:46).

cast down-or "struck down"; not only "persecuted," that is, chased as a deer or bird (1Sa 26:20), but actually struck down as with a dart in the chase (Heb 11:35-38). The Greek "always" in this verse means, "throughout the whole time"; in 2Co 4:11 the Greek is different, and means, "at every time," "in every case when the occasion occurs."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

4:8-12 The apostles were great sufferers, yet they met with wonderful support. Believers may be forsaken of their friends, as well as persecuted by enemies; but their God will never leave them nor forsake them. There may be fears within, as well as fightings without; yet we are not destroyed. The apostle speaks of their sufferings as a counterpart of the sufferings of Christ, that people might see the power of Christ's resurrection, and of grace in and from the living Jesus. In comparison with them, other Christians were, even at that time, in prosperous circumstances.