II Corinthians 1:6 · Bible study
2 Corinthians 1:6 Commentary: Suffering That Serves Others
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul shows that his afflictions and comforts actively work for the Corinthians' salvation and endurance. A study of shared suffering in ministry.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul's afflictions and comforts are not for himself; they actively work for the Corinthians' encouragement, salvation, and endurance in suffering.
- Key words: thlibometha (we are constricted/afflicted); paraklēsis (comfort/encouragement); energoumenēs (is operative, working effectively); hupomonē (patient endurance).
- Main debate: Whether the participle energoumenēs is middle (actively working in the Corinthians) or passive (being wrought in them by God). Most commentators favor the middle.
- Theological theme: The communion of saints, the spiritual benefit that one member's suffering brings to the whole body.
- Best use: A foundational text for pastoral theology, showing that hardship in ministry is a gift to the church, not a sign of failure.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which accomplishes in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we experience.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.
KJV King James Version 1769
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and whether we be in tribulation, it is for your comfort and salvation, that is wrought in the enduring of the same sufferings that we also suffer; whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort and salvation;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But whether we are in tribulation, [it is] for your encouragement and salvation, wrought in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Now whether we be in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation: or whether we be exhorted, it is for your exhortation and salvation, which worketh the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas si somos atribulados, es por vuestra consolación y salud; la cual es obrada en el sufrir las mismas aflicciones que nosotros también padecemos: ó si somos consolados, es por vuestra consolación y salud;
Porém se nós somos afligidos, é para vossa consolação e salvação; se estamos consolados, também é para vossa consolação, que opera enquanto se suporta os mesmos sofrimentos que nós também sofremos.
Si nous sommes affligés, c’ est pour votre consolation et pour votre salut; si nous sommes consolés, c’ est pour votre consolation, qui se réalise par la patience à supporter les mêmes souffrances que nous endurons.
Wir haben aber Trübsal oder Trost, so geschieht es euch zugute. Ist' s Trübsal, so geschieht es euch zu Trost und Heil; welches Heil sich beweist, so ihr leidet mit Geduld, dermaßen, wie wir leiden. Ist' s Trost, so geschieht auch das euch zu Trost und Heil;
Doch hetzij dat wij verdrukt worden, het is tot uw vertroosting en zaligheid, die gewrocht wordt in de lijdzaamheid van hetzelfde lijden, hetwelk wij ook lijden; hetzij dat wij vertroost worden, het is tot uw vertroosting en zaligheid;
Talché se siamo afflitti, è per la vostra consolazione e salvezza; e se siamo consolati, è per la vostra consolazione, la quale opera efficacemente nel farvi capaci di sopportare le stesse sofferenze che anche noi patiamo.
Bo choć bywamy uciśnieni, dla waszej to pociechy i zbawienia, które się sprawuje przez znoszenie tegoż utrapienia, które i my cierpimy; choć też pocieszeni bywamy, i to dla waszej pociechy i zbawienia;
Скорбим ли мы, скорбим для вашего утешения и спасения, которое совершается перенесением тех же страданий, какие и мы терпим.
我們受患難 呢，是為 叫你們 得安慰， 得拯救；我們得安慰 呢，也是為 叫你們 得安慰；這 安慰能叫 你們忍受 我們 所受的 那樣 苦楚。
But if we are troubled, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which takes effect through your quiet undergoing of the same troubles which we undergo:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · II Corinthians 1:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that Paul refuses to treat his own trials as private matters. Barnes states plainly that this verse 'is designed to show one of the reasons of the sufferings which the apostles had endured', namely, the Corinthians' benefit. Gill expands: when believers see ministers preach boldly through persecution, they are 'more established in the faith' and 'confirmed in the truth of the Gospel.' Calvin ties the logic back to verse 4: Paul receives comfort in order to pass it forward. The result is not passive sympathy; the Greek participle energoumenēs (from energeō, 'to be operative') indicates an active force at work. Wesley and the Cambridge Bible read it as a middle voice, 'works actively in you', producing patient endurance of the same kind of suffering. So the consensus is clear: Paul's affliction and comfort are both tools God uses to strengthen others.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Middle voice (active operation): The comfort itself works actively in the Corinthians to produce endurance. Supported by the present middle participle form and most modern translations.
- Passive voice (divine work): The comfort is wrought in the Corinthians by God through their endurance. The margin of the KJV and some church fathers adopt this reading.
- Clause order variant: The placement of 'our hope for you is steadfast' changes the rhetorical structure but not the core meaning. Calvin and Lange discuss this textual issue.
What is clear: Paul's personal afflictions and comforts are purposively directed toward the Corinthians' benefit — their comfort, salvation, and patient endurance — and this benefits occurs through their shared experience of suffering.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of Paul's affliction | Paul's suffering is not for his own benefit but for the Corinthians' comfort and salvation. | Some emphasize this as a general principle of apostolic ministry (Barnes), while others see it as a specific defense against accusations that his suffering proved divine disfavor (Lange). |
| Meaning of 'which is effectual' (energoumenēs) | The comfort Paul receives becomes an active force that produces endurance in the Corinthians. | The Cambridge Bible notes the debate: passive ('is wrought in you' by God) or middle voice ('works actively in you' as the comfort itself operates). Most modern translations adopt the middle sense. |
| Textual arrangement of the verse | The core meaning remains: Paul's experiences serve the Corinthians' good. | Some early manuscripts place 'and our hope for you is steadfast' (v.7) after the first clause of v.6, altering the flow. Calvin and Lange discuss this variant; the common reading in English versions follows the majority text. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul writes 2 Corinthians in the wake of a severe crisis in his relationship with this church. A painful visit (referred to in 2 Corinthians 2:1) and a tearful letter (2:4) had strained trust. Some in Corinth questioned Paul's apostolic credentials, pointing perhaps to his constant hardships as evidence of divine disfavor. This verse is part of Paul's counter-argument, he reinterprets his sufferings as gifts to the church.
The immediate context is a thanksgiving (2 Corinthians 1:3, 7) where Paul blesses the 'God of all comfort.' In verses 4, 5 he establishes a pattern: God comforts him so he can comfort others; the sufferings of Christ overflow onto him, and Christ's comfort overflows as well. Verse 6 then makes the specific application to the Corinthians. Paul's affliction and comfort both serve their paraklēsis (comfort/encouragement) and sōtēria (salvation). The word paraklēsis carries the nuance of both consolation and exhortation, it is not merely a soothing word but a strengthening one. In Greco-Roman culture, a teacher's personal endurance under trial was often cited as a credential of moral authority; Paul elevates this further by claiming that his trials have spiritual efficacy for others.
The affliction he has in mind may be the crisis in Asia (described in verses 8, 10) where he despaired even of life. By linking that near-death experience to the Corinthians' salvation, Paul shows that his ministry is not self-serving. His whole existence, whether pressed down or lifted up, is 'for your sakes', a theme he will repeat in 2 Corinthians 4:15.
Textual Notes
The manuscript tradition shows some variation in the arrangement of this verse. Calvin notes that several ancient Greek manuscripts introduce the statement 'and our hope for you is steadfast' immediately after the first clause, a reading that Bloomfield preferred as the evidence is 'exceedingly strong.' The English versions (WEB, KJV, ASV, BSB) place that clause at the start of verse 7. The variant does not alter the essential meaning: Paul's afflictions and comforts are for the Corinthians' benefit, and his hope for them is grounded in their shared experience of suffering and comfort.
Reception History
This verse has been treasured in Christian tradition as a touchstone for the communion of saints. Early church writers such as Chrysostom highlighted the phrase 'which is effectual' as evidence that comfort from God is never inert but always produces endurance in others. During the Reformation, this passage comforted believers facing persecution, they saw Paul's pattern as proof that their own trials could strengthen the wider church. In modern pastoral theology, 2 Corinthians 1:6 is often paired with Romans 8:28 to teach that all things, even affliction, work together for good through the network of shared life in Christ. Hymns about the 'fellowship of his sufferings' (Philippians 3:10) echo this same logic.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The minister's suffering is the congregation's gain. Paul's affliction is not wasted; it produces comfort and salvation for others (2 Corinthians 1:6a).
- The minister's comfort is shared strength. When Paul is comforted, that comfort flows to the Corinthians (v.6b). God's comfort is never hoarded.
- Shared suffering produces shared endurance. The comfort that works in the Corinthians enables them to endure the same trials Paul faces (v.6c). The church is bound together in patience.
Five-point outline
- Affliction with a purpose. Paul sees his trials not as random but as service to others' salvation.
- Comfort passed forward. Every encouragement he receives is meant for distribution.
- An active force. The comfort 'works effectively' (Greek energoumenēs), it is not a feeling but a power producing endurance.
- The same sufferings. Paul's path and the Corinthians' path converge. They share the same cup.
- Patient endurance as the result. The goal is not escape from suffering but steadfastness within it.
Illustration hooks
- A pastor undergoing cancer treatment finds that his vulnerability in the pulpit opens others to share their own struggles, his affliction becomes their comfort.
- A parent who has lost a child starts a support group. The comfort they received from God becomes the comfort they offer, and other grieving parents find strength to endure.
- A teacher who struggled with a learning disability uses that experience to design lessons that help struggling students persevere.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God let his servants suffer so much? Does it mean he is displeased with them?
- How can my personal trials possibly help anyone else? I feel like I'm barely surviving.
- What does it mean for suffering to 'work' salvation? Isn't that only Jesus' work?
Leading a Discussion
Paul's opening in 2 Corinthians is remarkable: he connects his own pain directly to his readers' spiritual health. This verse challenges the idea that suffering is purely private. Use these questions to explore how God might be using your group's collective trials for each other's good.
Discussion questions
- Read 2 Corinthians 1:3, 6 as a group. What pattern do you see in how comfort moves from God to Paul to the Corinthians?
- Paul says his affliction is 'for your comfort and salvation.' In what concrete ways can someone else's hardship build up your faith?
- The Greek word for 'comfort' (paraklēsis) can also mean 'encouragement' or 'exhortation.' How does that broader meaning change how you read this verse?
- Verse 6 says the comfort 'produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings.' How does knowing that others share your specific trials help you endure?
- Paul ties his own comfort to the Corinthians' salvation. How does a minister's or friend's faithful suffering contribute to your own sense of hope and security in Christ?
- This verse implies that God intends our trials to have a community benefit. How does that challenge the way you normally think about your own hardships?
- Think of someone whose suffering has indirectly strengthened you. What would it look like to thank them, or to pass that comfort on to someone else?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Acts 21:5 | When those days were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed. |
| Romans 5:3 | Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; |
| Romans 5:5 | and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. |
| Romans 8:28 | We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. |
| I Corinthians 3:21 | Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, |
| I Corinthians 3:23 | and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. |
| II Corinthians 1:4 | who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. |
| II Corinthians 4:15 | For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke rearranges a disputed clause in the Greek text to sharpen his point: affliction and comfort alike serve the believer's salvation, not as random events but as purposeful means. He insists that no suffering can harm those who stay faithful, because God uses every circumstance to advance their eternal good.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that Paul's sufferings were not for himself but for the benefit of those he served. His afflictions equipped him to offer genuine comfort to others in their trials. Similarly, when believers patiently endure their own sufferings, that endurance actively works toward their salvation.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that Paul is making a twofold point: his own affliction and comfort directly serve the Corinthians, but he also has a settled hope that they will share in that same comfort. The connecting word carries both ideas simultaneously rather than requiring different clauses.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator stresses that suffering endured for God's cause benefits others, not just the sufferer. The phrase "is effectual" can mean either that consolation is passively wrought in you through endurance, or that encouragement actively works itself out in you, with the latter being more natural to New Testament Greek.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes emphasize that the apostle's afflictions and comforts alike are directed toward the Corinthians' consolation and salvation. His suffering is not wasted; it works in them endurance that leads to salvation. His comfort also serves their
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that both the afflictions and the comforts of Christ's ministers serve one purpose: the good of the saints. The apostle's patient endurance under persecution confirms believers in the truth, while the comfort he receives is immediately shared with them for their own consolation and assurance of salvation.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the communion of saints as a mutual reflection: the apostle's afflictions and consolations work actively in the Corinthians, enabling them to endure the same sufferings. The Greek word should be translated "tribulation" rather than "afflicted," underscoring that Paul's trials directly serve their strengthening.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Paul's greeting to "all the saints in all Achaia" does not make this an encyclical letter. The epistle's contents focus entirely on the Corinthian church's specific issues, and extending those censures to all believers in the province would be unwarranted.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that God is not only the source of all mercy but also the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This title shows God's covenant relationship with Christ the Mediator and, through him, with all believers as his spiritual seed.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that manuscript differences in how this verse is arranged do not change its meaning. His focus is on the Greek word translated as “effectual,” which he highlights carries the sense of active power, as seen elsewhere in the New Testament.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the reciprocal purpose of suffering and comfort among believers. Paul’s affliction works for the Corinthians’ comfort and salvation, while his own comfort equips him to comfort them. That comfort is made effective as they patiently endure the same kind of sufferings Paul also experiences.