2 Corinthians 6:4

“But in all things approving ourselves, etc..] It is not sufficient for a minister of the Gospel to avoid everything that might bring any blot or scandal on his ministry; but he should in all things, and by all ways and means, proper, lawful, and laudable, approve, prove, and show himself to be a true and faithful dispenser of the word. All in such an office ought to make it appear, that they are such by behaving and conducting as the ministers of God; as becomes such, whom he has chosen, called, and fitted for that service; and particularly in, or by much patience; by a large, constant, and continued exercise of that grace; and by bearing patiently many things for the sake of Christ, and his…”

“Translate, to mark the true order of the Greek words, "in everything, as God's ministers recommending ourselves," that is, that our hearers may give our message a favorable hearing, through our consistency in every respect, not that they may glorify us. Alluding to Co2 3:1, he implies, We commend ourselves, not like them by word, but by deed. patience-- (Co2 12:12). Put first. "Pure-minded" follows (Co2 6:6). Three triplets of trials exercising the "patience" (patient endurance) follow: Afflictions (or "tribulations"), necessities, distresses (or "straits"); stripes, imprisonments, tumults; labors, watchings, fastings. The first triplet expresses afflictions generally; the second, those in…”

“But in all things - In every respect. In all that we do. In every way, both by words and deeds. How this was done, Paul proceeds to state in the following verses. Approving ourselves as the ministers of God - Margin, “Commending.” Tyndale renders it, “In all things let us behave ourselves as the ministers of God.” The idea is, that Paul and his fellowlaborers endeavored to live as became the ministers of God, and so as to commend the ministry to the confidence and affection of people. They endeavored to live as was appropriate to those who were the ministers of God, and so that the world would be disposed to do honor to the ministry. In much patience - In the patient endurance of afflictions…”

“But approving ourselves as the ministers of God - Such as his ministers ought to be. In much patience - Shown, In afflictions, necessities, distresses - All which are general terms. In stripes, imprisonments, tumults - Which are particular sorts of affliction, necessity, distress In labours, watchings, fastings - Voluntarily endured. All these are expressed in the plural number, to denote a variety of them. In afflictions, several ways to escape may appear, though none without difficulty in necessities, one only, and that a difficult one; in distresses, none at all appears. 2 Corinthians 6:5”

“in all: Co2 2:17, Co2 7:11; Act 2:22; Rom 14:18, Rom 16:10; Co1 9:11; Th1 2:3-11; Ti1 2:15 approving: Gr. commending, Co2 4:2; Rom 5:8 as: Co2 3:6, Co2 11:23; Isa 61:6; Joe 1:9, Joe 2:17; Co1 3:5, Co1 4:1; Th1 3:2; Ti1 4:6 in much: Co2 12:12; Luk 21:19; Rom 5:3, Rom 5:4; Col 1:11; Th1 5:14; Ti1 6:11; Ti2 3:10; Heb 12:1; Jam 5:7-10; Rev 1:9, Rev 3:10 afflictions: Co2 4:17; Act 20:23, Act 20:24; Col 1:24; Th1 3:3; Ti2 1:8, Ti2 3:11, Ti2 3:12, Ti2 4:5 necessities: Co2 11:9, Co2 11:27, Co2 12:10; Act 20:34; Co1 4:11, Co1 4:12; Phi 4:11, Phi 4:12 distresses: Co2 4:8; Rom 8:35, Rom 8:36; Th1 3:7 2 Corinthians 6:5”