διὰ δόξης καὶ ἀτιμίας, διὰ δυσφημίας καὶ εὐφημίας, ὡς πλάνοι καὶ ἀληθεῖς,
In the heart of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, we encounter a passage that pulses with rhetorical brilliance and spiritual paradox. In 2 Corinthians 6:8, Paul offers a striking sequence of contrasts—pairs of opposing realities joined by the preposition διὰ (“through”) and the conjunction καί (“and”). These triads form a literary chiasm of tension and triumph:
διὰ δόξης καὶ ἀτιμίας, διὰ δυσφημίας καὶ εὐφημίας, ὡς πλάνοι καὶ ἀληθεῖς.
“Through glory and shame, through ill-repute and good repute; as deceivers, yet true.” This verse does not merely describe hardship—it embodies it. Each phrase is a window into the apostolic experience of living under constant contradiction, where honor comes disguised as disgrace and truth is mistaken for falsehood.
Our focus will be on how the grammatical structure of these pairs—specifically the use of the preposition διὰ with contrasting nouns and the adversative construction introduced by ὡς… καί—creates a rhythm of paradox that reflects the very nature of Christian ministry and identity.
The Prepositional Pairs: διὰ + Genitive Contrasts
The repeated use of διὰ followed by two contrasting genitives creates a rhythmic and semantic pattern of tension and endurance. Each pair introduces a duality that marks the apostolic life—not as a series of isolated events, but as a continuum shaped by paradox:
- διὰ δόξης καὶ ἀτιμίας – Through glory and shame
- διὰ δυσφημίας καὶ εὐφημίας – Through ill-repute and good repute
The preposition διὰ here functions not merely as a marker of means (“by”), but as one of circumstantial accompaniment—“through,” “in the midst of,” “amidst.” It suggests that the apostles live constantly within the interplay of these extremes, never fully escaping either pole of human evaluation.
Each pair is carefully constructed:
- δόξα / ἀτιμία: Public honor versus public dishonor
- δυσφημία / εὐφημία: Reputation for evil versus reputation for good
These are not abstract opposites—they are lived realities. To be honored today may mean being shamed tomorrow. To be praised publicly may mask deeper misunderstanding or even hostility behind closed doors.
The Adversative Construction: ὡς… καί
The final line of this triad shifts slightly in structure:
ὡς πλάνοι καὶ ἀληθεῖς
This construction uses ὡς (“as”) followed by a contrastive καί (“yet”). Literally: “As deceivers, yet true.” This is not a mere juxtaposition—it is a paradoxical assertion, where the reality of the speaker contradicts the perception others hold of them.
- ὡς πλάνοι: “As deceivers”—how they are perceived by outsiders.
- καὶ ἀληθεῖς: “Yet true”—what they actually are before God.
The particle καί here functions adversatively, similar to “yet” or “but also.” It is not additive but corrective. Paul is saying, “Though you think us false, we are in fact truthful.” This adversative function is rare but attested in Koine Greek, especially in rhetorical contexts.
Morphological Breakdown of Key Terms
| Word | Root | Form | Literal Translation | Grammatical Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| διὰ | διά | Preposition governing genitive | “Through” | Used repeatedly to introduce contrasting experiences |
| δόξης | δόξα | Noun, feminine singular, genitive | “Glory” | From δοκέω (“to seem”) |
| ἀτιμίας | ἀτιμία | Noun, feminine singular, genitive | “Shame”, “Disgrace” | Negative compound from ἀ- + τιμή |
| δυσφημίας | δυσφημία | Noun, feminine singular, genitive | “Ill-repute”, “Slander” | Compound from δύσ- + φῆμι |
| εὐφημίας | εὐφημία | Noun, feminine singular, genitive | “Good repute”, “Praise” | Compound from εὖ + φῆμι |
| πλάνοι | πλάνος | Noun/adjective, masculine plural, nominative | “Deceivers” | From πλανάω (“to lead astray”) |
| ἀληθεῖς | ἀληθής | Adjective, masculine plural, nominative | “True” | Means “truthful” or “genuine” |
Walking in the Truth of Paradox
Paul’s language in this verse does more than describe hardship—it enacts it. The grammatical structure mirrors the spiritual condition of those who walk faithfully in a world that misunderstands them. We do not live in clean categories of saint or sinner, hero or villain. We live in the messy middle, where truth can be mistaken for error, and faithfulness can be seen as folly.
The use of διὰ reminds us that we pass through both glory and shame, not around them. The adversative ὡς… καί teaches us that our identity is often misunderstood—but that does not negate its reality before God.
In the end, this verse calls us to embrace the paradoxes of discipleship. To live as Christ lived. To speak truth in the face of slander. To endure shame while clinging to unseen glory. And to say, with Paul, “We are deceivers, yet true.”
For in such contradictions, the power of God is made perfect in weakness.
