2 Corinthians 6:7 (NKJV)

“by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,”

Immediate context (2 Corinthians 6:3–10)

Paul is defending the integrity of his ministry. In this section, he explains that he and his coworkers:

• give no offense so the ministry won’t be blamed (v.3)
• commend themselves as servants of God through endurance, purity, patience, etc. (vv.4–6)
• minister through truth, God’s power, and spiritual armor (v.7)
• endure contradictory experiences (vv.8–10): honor/dishonor, evil report/good report, “dying, and behold we live,” etc.

Verse 7 is part of Paul’s “ministry credentials”—not self-exaltation, but evidence that the ministry is genuinely from God.

Phrase-by-phrase breakdown

1) “by the word of truth”

Meaning

• The ministry is carried out through truthful proclamation—no manipulation, no hidden agenda, no “another gospel.”
• It also implies faithfulness to what God has said (Scripture as the standard of truth).

Cross-references

• John 17:17 — “Your word is truth.”
• Ephesians 1:13 — “the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation”
• Colossians 1:5 — “the word of the truth of the gospel”