2 Corinthians 4:7

King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν.

Transliteration

Echomen de ton thēsauron touton en ostrakinois skeuesin, that the hyperbolē tēs dynameōs ē tou Theou, and not from us.

Grammar Details

• *Echomen*: present active indicative, 1st person plural - we have
• *de*: postpositive conjunction - but/and/now
• *thēsauron*: accusative masculine singular - treasure
• *touton*: demonstrative pronoun, accusative masculine singular - this
• *en*: preposition + dative - in
• *ostrakinois*: dative neuter plural adjective - earthen/clay
• *skeuesin*: dative neuter plural - vessels/containers
• *hyperbolē*: nominative feminine singular - excellence/surpassing greatness
• *dynameōs*: genitive feminine singular - power/might
• *ē*: present subjunctive, 3rd person singular - may be
• *tou Theou*: genitive masculine singular - of God
• *ex*: preposition + genitive - from/out of
• *hēmōn*: genitive, 1st person plural pronoun - of us

Word Meanings

• *thēsauron*: treasure/wealth/valuable thing
• *ostrakinois*: earthen/made of clay/fragile
• *skeuesin*: vessels/containers/jars
• *hyperbolē*: excellence/surpassing greatness/exceeding
• *dynameōs*: power/might/strength/ability

Referenced Verses

• 2 Cor 5:1 : 1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
• 2 Cor 3:5-6 : 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
• Eph 2:8-9 : 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
• Lam 4:2 : 2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
• 1 Cor 1:28 : 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
• Col 2:3 : 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
• 1 Thess 1:5 : 5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
• Col 1:27 : 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
• Eph 1:19-20 : 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
• Eph 2:5 : 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
• 2 Cor 4:1 : 1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
• 2 Cor 6:10 : 10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
• 2 Cor 10:10 : 10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
• 2 Cor 12:7-9 : 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
• 2 Cor 13:4 : 4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
• Gal 4:13-14 : 13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. 14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
• 1 Cor 2:3-5 : 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
• 1 Cor 4:9-9 : 9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. 11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; 12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
• Matt 13:44 : 44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
• Matt 13:52 : 52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
• Judg 7:2 : 2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
• Judg 7:13-14 : 13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.
• Judg 7:16-20 : 16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
• 2 Tim 2:20 : 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
• Col 2:12 : 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
• Eph 3:8 : 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
• Job 4:19 : 19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?
• Job 10:9 : 9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?