2 Corinthians 1:2 kjv

Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:2 nkjv

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:2 niv

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:2 esv

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:2 nlt

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

2 Corinthians 1 verses

2 Corinthians 1 2 Meaning

This verse conveys a foundational blessing from Paul to the Corinthian believers, wishing them divine grace and profound peace. These blessings are specifically attributed to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as their unified and ultimate source. It establishes the spiritual and theological basis for the relationship between God and His people, as well as the reconciliation brought about by Christ.

2 Corinthians 1 2 Context

This verse functions as a standard, yet profoundly theological, opening salutation in Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth. It immediately follows the identification of the sender (Paul and Timothy) and the recipients (the church of God in Corinth and all saints in Achaia). In the broader context of 2 Corinthians, this greeting sets a divine foundation for the themes Paul addresses: comfort in affliction, the integrity of his ministry, reconciliation with God, and generous giving. The Corinthians faced various challenges, including internal strife, external opposition, and questioning of Paul's apostolic authority and character. By beginning with a divine blessing of grace and peace, Paul frames all subsequent discussion within God's loving provision and His overarching plan for wholeness, preparing them to understand divine comfort (vv. 3-11) and the integrity of his actions (vv. 12ff.). Historically and culturally, Paul transforms typical Greek greetings (a secular wish for "joy," chairein, similar to charis) and Jewish greetings ("shalom," peace) into a distinct Christian blessing, grounding both in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This simultaneously affirms his apostolic authority and the divine source of all true spiritual blessing, distinguishing the Christian message from mere worldly pleasantries.

2 Corinthians 1 2 Word analysis

• Grace (Greek: charis, χάρις): This is not merely unmerited favor or a kindly disposition from God. It encompasses the divine power, active favor, and enabling presence of God bestowed upon humanity, entirely apart from human merit. In the New Testament, charis is central to salvation, justification, and the Christian life, empowering believers to live righteously. It is God's initiative, making a relationship with Him possible.

• to you: Directly addressing the believers in Corinth and all Christians within the Roman province of Achaia, highlighting a personal and communal reception of this blessing.

• and peace (Greek: eirēnē, εἰρήνη): This term, heavily influenced by the Hebrew concept of shalom, means much more than the absence of conflict. It signifies holistic well-being, wholeness, prosperity, tranquility, security, and especially reconciliation and harmony with God (Rom 5:1). It is an internal spiritual calm and external state of favor derived from a right relationship with God, secured by Christ.

• from: Identifies the source or origin of these divine blessings.

• God our Father: This phrase attributes ultimate causality and benevolent origin to God the Father. "Father" highlights His relational aspect as the benevolent Provider and Sustainer of His children. "Our Father" emphasizes a shared, intimate family relationship believers have through Christ. He is the ultimate, originating source of all spiritual good.

• and the Lord Jesus Christ: This unequivocally states that Jesus Christ is equally a co-source of grace and peace with God the Father. "Lord" (Kyrios) is a title of ultimate authority, divinity, and sovereignty, frequently used in the Septuagint for Yahweh, directly affirming Jesus's divine status. "Jesus" denotes His human identity and salvific work, while "Christ" (Messiah) refers to His anointed office as Savior and King. Their combined mention points to their unity and shared divine nature in providing these blessings.

• "Grace to you and peace": The order "grace" then "peace" is significant. It implies a logical progression in the spiritual experience: true, lasting peace with God and within oneself flows from God's prior, unmerited grace. Reconciliation with God through grace must precede the full experience of spiritual peace. Grace removes the enmity, enabling peace.

• "from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ": This joint attribution is a strong Christological statement. It underlines the Trinitarian nature of Christian blessings, where the Father and the Son operate in complete unity to bestow spiritual favor and wholeness. It means that grace and peace are not mere human attainments or good wishes, but divine gifts, actively extended by the sovereign Godhead, signifying Jesus' co-equality with the Father as a divine Giver of spiritual blessings.

2 Corinthians 1 2 Bonus section

The consistent use of "Grace to you and peace" in almost all of Paul's epistles indicates it was an integral part of his apostolic greeting and a theological signature. It represents a divine benediction, a pronouncement of God's active favor and blessing upon the recipients, rather than just a polite human wish. This spiritual greeting differentiates itself from secular Roman or Greek salutations by infusing profound theological meaning rooted in the New Covenant and the person of Jesus Christ. It is a concise theological prayer for the spiritual welfare and growth of the believers.

2 Corinthians 1 2 Commentary

2 Corinthians 1:2 is more than a polite formality; it's a condensed theological statement that sets the tone for Paul's entire letter. The double blessing of "grace and peace" encapsulates the essence of the Christian Gospel. "Grace" (χάρις) points to God's free, unmerited favor, the ultimate source of our salvation and ongoing spiritual enablement. It's His kindness bestowed upon the undeserving, and it is the foundation for all Christian life. Flowing directly from this grace is "peace" (εἰρήνη), not merely the absence of conflict but a profound spiritual wholeness and reconciliation with God and with oneself. This peace surpasses human understanding, settling the heart and mind in Christ.

The dual attribution, "from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ," is critical. It underscores the unity within the Godhead in extending these blessings. God the Father is the ultimate Giver, the benevolent source of all good, and the Son, Jesus Christ, is the active dispenser and embodiment of these gifts. By associating Jesus as an equal source with the Father in the bestowal of grace and peace, Paul subtly but powerfully affirms Christ's divine nature and co-equality with God. This introduction reassures the struggling Corinthians that their comfort in suffering, the authenticity of Paul's ministry, and their very existence as the church, are firmly rooted in the sovereign and loving will of the Triune God, operating through the unmerited favor of grace, which brings about a deep, abiding peace.