Tag Archives: 2 Corinthians 6:8

Through Glory and Shame: The Rhetoric of Paradox in 2 Corinthians 6:8

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.… Learn Koine Greek

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