We toil (κοπιωμεν). Common late verb for weariness in toil (Luke 5:5), working with our own hands (εργαζομενο ταις ιδιαις χερσιν) instrumental case χερσιν and not simply for himself but also for Aquila and Priscilla as he explains in Acts 20:34. This personal touch gives colour to the outline. Paul alludes to this fact often (1. Thessalonians 2:9; 2. Thessalonians 3:8; 1. Corinthians 9:6; 2. Corinthians 11:7). "Greeks despised manual labour; St. Paul glories in it" (Robertson and Plummer). Cf. Deissmann, Light, etc., p. 317.

Being reviled we bless (λοιδορουμενο ευλογουμεν). Almost the language of Peter about Jesus (1. Peter 2:23) in harmony with the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27.

Being persecuted we endure (διωκομενο ανεχομεθα). We hold back and do not retaliate. Turn to Paul's other picture of his experiences in the vivid contrasts in 2. Corinthians 4:7-10; 2. Corinthians 6:3-10 for an interpretation of his language here.