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 6
1And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain
2(for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, And in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation):
3giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed;
4but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;
6in pureness, in knowledge, in long suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,
7in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
11Our mouth is open unto you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged.
12Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections.
13Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged.
14Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?
15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?
16And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you,
18And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.