“But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God — Paul renounces the dark practices (ta krypta tēs aischynēs) of his opponents. Deception and distortion are antithetical to apostolic integrity. Plain statement (phanērōsis) appeals to conscience (syneidesis) as the locus where truth encounters the human person.
Church Fathers on 2 Corinthians 4:2
Seeing he had uttered great things and had set himself and all the faithful before Moses, aware of the height and greatness of what he had said, observe how he moderates his tone again. For it was necessary on account of the false Apostles to exalt his hearers also, and again to calm down that swelling; yet not to do it away, since this would be a trifler's part. Wherefore he manages this in another manner, by showing that not of their own merits was it, but all of the…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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