2 Corinthians 4:9 (WEB)

Passage

pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;

Nearby Context

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

2 Corinthians 4:8 We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;

2 Corinthians 4:9 pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;

2 Corinthians 4:10 always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "pursued", "forsaken", "struck", "down", and "destroyed". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "pursued" and "forsaken", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "We are pressed on every side yet..." into verse 10's "always carrying in the body the putting...", so "pursued" and "forsaken" belong inside that flow. In 2 Corinthians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "pursued" and "forsaken" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.