BIBLE BOOK GUIDE
2 Corinthians
13 chapters
God's power shines through weakness; the gospel shapes a life of grace, holy service, and reconciliation in suffering.
2 Corinthians
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Why this book was written
Written to a largely repentant Corinthian church after Paul's painful letter, 2 Corinthians defends his apostleship, explains his changed travel plans, calls for restoration of the repentant sinner, and mobilises the collection for Jerusalem—all while urging the church to pursue holiness, reconciliation, and generosity in the face of opponents and suffering.
Structure
- 1–2Comfort in affliction and reconciliation
- 3–4The new covenant ministry and the gospel's glory
- 5–6Walking by faith and the ministry of reconciliation
- 7Joy over repentance and restored relationships
- 8–9Generosity in grace and God's provision
- 10–13Apostolic authority and spiritual warfare
Major themes
Comfort in Suffering
Paul shares his manifold afflictions, explaining that suffering produces comfort and salvation for the believers (1:3-11). Believers share in Christ's sufferings (1:5), revealing God as the God of all comfort.
The New Covenant Ministry
Paul contrasts his ministry with that of Moses under the old covenant, declaring believers are ministers of the new covenant, serving in the Spirit with ever-increasing glory (3:1-18), a ministry of the Spirit that brings freedom (3:6,17).
Strength in Weakness
Paul bears the dying of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may be displayed (4:7-12); treasure in jars of clay. God's grace is sufficient, for power is made perfect in weakness (12:9-10).
The Ministry of Reconciliation
God reconciles us to Himself through Christ and gives us the ministry of reconciliation, entreating others to be reconciled to God (5:11-21), forming the heart of Paul's mission.
Generosity and Giving
The Macedonian churches gave joyfully despite extreme poverty (8:1-5). Paul urges the Corinthians to excel in this grace, giving themselves first to the Lord (chapters 8-9).
Spiritual Warfare
Our warfare is not of the flesh but has divine power to destroy strongholds and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (10:3-5).
How it points to Christ
2 Corinthians exalts Christ as the Lord of suffering (1:5), the Lord who gives life (4:11), the Lord who was made sin so we become righteous (5:21), and the Lord who became poor so we become rich (8:9). Paul shows that Christ's death and resurrection are the heart of the gospel (5:14-21); Christ's love compels us to live for Him who died and rose again. The new covenant glory and the ministry of reconciliation flow from Christ, in whom God reconciles the world to Himself.
Key verses
- 1:3–4God of all comfort establishes the book's theme: suffering shared becomes comfort passed on.
- 4:16–17Inner renewal amid outer decay reframes present trials as eternal glory in the making.
- 5:17The capstone new-creation statement that launches the ministry of reconciliation.
- 5:21The great exchange: Christ made sin so we might become God's righteousness.
- 8:9Christ's poverty-for-our-richness grounds the call to generous giving.
- 12:9–10My power is perfected in weakness—the climactic paradox of strength-in-weakness.
- 12:12Patience, signs, wonders and miracles as the marks validating his apostolic identity.
- 13:14The Trinitarian benediction sealing the letter with grace, love and fellowship.
People in this book
Questions for reflection
- ·When I face affliction, how can I experience God as 'the God of all comfort' (1:3-11)?
- ·Am I living with an unveiled face, being transformed into the same image from glory to glory (3:16-18)?
- ·Am I willing, like Paul, to boast in my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest upon me (12:9-10)?
- ·God has committed to me the ministry of reconciliation—how can I be an ambassador for Christ in my daily relationships (5:20)?
- ·Is my giving cheerful and willing, or reluctant and under compulsion (9:7)?
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Chapter 10
1Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you:
2yea, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence wherewith I count to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh
4(for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds),
5casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;
6and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full.
7Ye look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ's, so also are we.
8For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame:
9that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
10For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.
11Let such a one reckon this, that, what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.
12For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.
13But we will not glory beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the province which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even unto you.
14For we stretch not ourselves overmuch, as though we reached not unto you: for we came even as far as unto you in the gospel of Christ:
15not glorying beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labors; but having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our province unto further abundance,
16so as to preach the gospel even unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another's province in regard of things ready to our hand.
17But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
18For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.