2 Corinthians 4:9
in 2 Corinthians 4persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed;
KJV
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 4
Commentary
13 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Persecuted - Often persecuted, persecuted in all places. The Book of Acts shows how true this was. But not forsaken - Not deserted; nor left by God Though persecuted by people, yet they experi enced the fulfillment of the divine promise that he would never leave nor forsake them. God always interposed to aid them; always saved them from the power of their enemies; always sustained them in the time of persecution. It is still true. His people have been often persecuted.
This site's exposition
hard pressed on all sides
on 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
The jar of clay of verse 7 now stands under real pressure, set out in four pairs. Each pair sets a real pressure beside a limit it cannot cross, from hard pressed on all sides to struck down.
This site's exposition
struck down, but not destroyed
Each pair sets a limit on the pressure. Matthew Henry notes that the children of God always have a but not to comfort them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"We are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair; pursued, yet not forsaken." He still dwells upon proving that the whole work is to be ascribed to the power of God, repressing the highmindedness of those that glory in themselves. 'For not this only,' saith he, 'is marvelous, that we keep this treasure in earthen vessels, but that even when enduring ten thousand hardships, and battered on every side, we [still] preserve and lose it not. Yet though there were a vessel of adamant, it would neither have been strong enough to carry so vast a treasure, nor have sufficed against so many machinations; yet, as it is, it both bears it and suffers no harm, through God's grace.' For, "we are pressed on every side," saith he, "but not straitened." What is, "on every side?" 'In respect of our foes, in respect of our friends, in respect of necessaries, in respect of other needs, by them which be hostile, by them of our own household.' "Yet not straitened." And see how he speaks contrarieties, that thence also he may show the strength of God. For, "we are pressed on every side, yet not straitened," saith he; "perplexed, yet not unto despair;" that is, 'we do not quite fall off. For we are often, indeed, wrong in our calculations, and miss our aim, yet not so as to fall away from what is set before us: for these things are permitted by God for our discipline, not for our defeat.' "Pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed." For these trials do indeed befal, but not the consequences of the trials. And this indeed through the power and Grace of God. […]
God was with them, like a shepherd, when they were in need. He looked after their interests, so that their enemies would not get the better of them.
The Medieval Church2 voices
But this is not all, for along with this we are disquieted: persecuted, namely, from place to place: "When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next" (Matt. 10:23), but not forsaken by God, because he offers help: "I will never fail you …
People persecute us, but God does not abandon us. For this is permitted so that we may be exercised in struggle, not so that we may fall. The adversaries, he says, strike us down in body and in outward things, but we do not perish; …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Good men may be sometimes forsaken of their friends, as well as persecuted by their enemies; but God will never leave them nor forsake them. Again, "We are sometimes dejected, or cast down; the enemy may in a great measure prevail, and our spirits begin to fail us; there may be fears within, as well as fightings without; yet we are not destroyed, "
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The apostles were great sufferers; therein they followed their Master: Christ had told them that in the world they should have tribulation, and so they had; yet they met with wonderful support, great relief, and many allays of their sorrows. " We are, " says the apostle, " troubled on every side, afflicted many ways, and we meet with almost all sorts of troubles; yet not distressed,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Persecuted, but not forsaken,....
Still they were preserved, and kept their heads above water. Note, Whatever condition the children of God may be in, in this world, they have a " but not " to comfort themselves with; their case sometimes is bad, yea very bad, but not so bad as it might be. The apostle speaks of their sufferings as constant, and as a counterpart of the sufferings of Christ,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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."
Persecuted, but not forsaken - Διωκομενοι, αλλ’ ουκ εγκαταλειπομενοι. The διωκομενοι, pursued, is peculiar to the δρομος, or race, when one being foremost others pursue, and get up close after him, endeavoring to outstrip him, but cannot succeed: this is the meaning of ουκ εγκαταλειπομενοι, not outstripped, or outgone, as the word implies. So in Plutarch: τους απολειφθεντας ου στεφανουσι, they do not crown them that are distanced or left behind. So says the apostle, 1Co 9:24: All run, but only One receiveth the Prize. Cast down, but not destroyed - Καταβαλλομενοι αλλ’ ουκ απολλυμενοι. 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.
The words behind it
8 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| διωκόμενοι | diokomenoi | being persecuted | G1377 → | |
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι, | egkataleipomenoi | being forsaken, | G1459 → | |
| καταβαλλόμενοι | kataballomenoi | being struck down | G2598 → | |
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἀπολλύμενοι· | apollumenoi | being destroyed; | G622 → | 90 times |
διωκόμενοιbeing persecuted
diokomenoiG1377 →
ἀλλ᾽but
all᾽G235 →635 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι,being forsaken,
egkataleipomenoiG1459 →
καταβαλλόμενοιbeing struck down
kataballomenoiG2598 →
ἀλλ᾽but
all᾽G235 →635 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἀπολλύμενοι·being destroyed;
apollumenoiG622 →90 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 43:2When 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;…
it leads to
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Psalms 66:12
You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us into abundance.
- Psalms 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
- Daniel 3:25–27
“Look!” he exclaimed. “I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire—and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!”
- Isaiah 41:10
Through
Proverbs 24:16For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
it leads to
- Psalms 37:24
Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand.
- Psalms 34:19
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
- Micah 7:8–10
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.
- Psalms 37:24
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Corinthians
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homilies on Second Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily 9 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.