2 Corinthians 3 2

2 Corinthians 3:2 kjv

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

2 Corinthians 3:2 nkjv

You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;

2 Corinthians 3:2 niv

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.

2 Corinthians 3:2 esv

You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.

2 Corinthians 3:2 nlt

The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you.

2 Corinthians 3 2 Cross References

VerseTextReference
2 Cor 3:3...you yourselves are an epistle of Christ, managed by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tables but on tables of fleshly hearts.Clarifies the nature of the epistle
Phil 4:1Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.Encouragement to stand firm
Gal 6:15For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.Emphasizes new creation
John 1:16And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.Fullness and grace received
Rom 8:29For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.Conformed to Christ's image
Acts 1:8But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.Power and witness
Eph 2:10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.God's workmanship for good works
Col 3:12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;Attributes of the new life
1 Pet 2:9But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you might proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;Identity and purpose
Rom 2:14-15For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, who do not have the law, are a law to themselves, and show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing themInner testimony of God's law
John 14:26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.Role of the Holy Spirit
Jer 31:33But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.Old Testament promise of new covenant
2 Cor 5:18-19Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.Ministry of reconciliation
2 Cor 6:11-13Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians, our heart is enlarged. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. Now in return for the same treatment—as though I were your father—I make myself as a son.Paul's affection for the Corinthians
1 Cor 9:2If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.The Corinthians as Paul's seal
Heb 1:1-2God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;God's speaking through His Son
2 Cor 4:6For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.Light of God's glory in hearts
Phil 2:15...that you may be blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,Shining as lights
Gal 2:7-8But on the contrary, seeing that I was entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, as Peter to the circumcised (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),Paul's apostleship
Eph 3:5which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:Revelation of mystery
1 Thess 2:13For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is indeed, the word of God, which effectively, works in you who believe.Word of God working effectively

2 Corinthians 3 verses

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2 Corinthians 3 2 Meaning

Paul is stating that the Corinthian believers are a living epistle, a letter of recommendation, recognized and read by all. Their lives and transformation through Christ serve as evidence of Paul's apostleship and the power of the Gospel.

2 Corinthians 3 2 Context

In 2 Corinthians chapter 3, Paul is addressing criticisms and challenges to his apostolic authority from some within the Corinthian church. He contrasts the glorious, though temporary, ministry of the Old Covenant with the even greater glory of the New Covenant established through Christ. He previously spoke of Moses’ radiant face, which signified the glory of the Law, but now he turns to the living evidence of his ministry in the Corinthians themselves. They are the product of his apostolic work, transformed by the Spirit of God, demonstrating the power and efficacy of the Gospel he preaches. This verse serves as a powerful affirmation of his apostleship, rooted not in letters of recommendation from men, but in the transformed lives of the people he has led to Christ.

2 Corinthians 3 2 Word Analysis

  • Are (Greek: este)

    • Second person plural, present indicative of eimi (to be).
    • Indicates a current state of being or identity.

  • you (Greek: hymeis)

    • Second person plural pronoun.
    • Refers specifically to the Corinthian believers as a collective group.

  • yourselves (Greek: autoi)

    • Intensive pronoun.
    • Emphasizes that the evidence is inherent within them, not externally provided. It highlights their self-evident nature as God's handiwork.

  • an (Greek: epistolē)

    • Noun, feminine, singular, nominative.
    • Meaning "letter" or "epistle."
    • Refers to a written document or message.

  • epistle

    • Greek: epistolē (ἐπιστολὴν).
    • Letter or written communication.
    • Paul is employing a metaphor, describing the Corinthians not as the recipients of a letter, but as the letter itself.

  • of (Greek: Christou)

    • Genitive case of Christos (Christ).
    • Indicates possession or authorship. The epistle belongs to Christ, authored by Him through His work in them.

  • Christ

    • Greek: Christou (Χριστοῦ).
    • Messiah, Anointed One.
    • Connects their transformed lives directly to the person and work of Jesus Christ.

  • of (Greek: hēmeis)

    • Genitive case of hēmeis (we).
    • Indicates who the administrators or carriers of this epistle are.

  • us

    • Greek: hēmeis (ἡμεῖς).
    • First person plural pronoun, referring to Paul and his co-workers.
    • They are the instruments through which Christ wrote this epistle.

  • minstred (Greek: enhyperammenēn)

    • Perfect passive participle of diakonéō (to serve, minister).
    • Means "having been ministered," indicating a completed action that has ongoing results.
    • Paul and his team served as ministers of Christ, facilitating His work in the Corinthians.

  • written (Greek: graphisen)

    • Aorist passive participle of graphō (to write).
    • The action of writing has been done.
    • Connects to the previous word, "minstred," emphasizing the active role of Paul and others.

  • not (Greek: ouch)

    • Greek negative particle.
    • Introduces a contrast to what follows.

  • with (Greek: en)

    • Preposition. Can mean "in," "by," "with."
    • Here it signifies the instrument or means.

  • ink (Greek: melani)

    • Dative case of melanēs (ink, pigment).
    • Refers to the literal ink used for writing on parchment or papyrus.
    • Highlights the contrast between external, material writing and spiritual transformation.

  • but (Greek: alla)

    • Conjunction indicating contrast.
    • Introduces the superior means by which the epistle was written.

  • with (Greek: en)

    • Preposition.
    • Again signifying the instrument.

  • the (Greek: pneumati)

    • Dative case of pneuma (spirit).
    • Refers to the Holy Spirit.

  • Spirit

    • Greek: pneumati (πνεύματι).
    • The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity.
    • Indicates the divine agent responsible for the transformation.

  • of (Greek: theon zōntos)

    • Genitive case of theos (God) and zōntos (living).
    • Attributes life and active power to God.

  • the

    • Greek: pneuma (πνεύματος) - Genitive singular of pneuma, meaning "Spirit."

  • living

    • Greek: zōntos (ζῶντος).
    • Present participle of zaō (to live).
    • Living, alive, active.
    • Emphasizes that the Spirit is not an inert force but a dynamic, active power of God.

  • God

    • Greek: theon (Θεοῦ).
    • The supreme being, Creator.
    • Clarifies that the Spirit is the Spirit of the true and living God.

  • not (Greek: ouch)

    • Another Greek negative particle.
    • Continues the contrast.

  • on (Greek: epi)

    • Preposition.
    • Signifies location upon.

  • tables (Greek: plaxin)

    • Dative plural of plax (tablet, flat surface).
    • Refers to flat surfaces, like stone or wood.

  • of (Greek: petras)

    • Genitive plural of petra (stone, rock).
    • Specifies the material of the tablets.

  • stone

    • Greek: petras (πέτρας).
    • Refers to the stone tablets of the Mosaic Law (e.g., the Ten Commandments).

  • but (Greek: alla)

    • Conjunction indicating contrast.

  • on (Greek: epi)

    • Preposition.
    • Signifies location upon.

  • tables (Greek: plaxin)

    • Dative plural of plax.
    • Refers to the new tablets.

  • of (Greek: kardias)

    • Genitive singular of kardia (heart).
    • Indicates the material or location.

  • fleshly (Greek: sarkinasy)

    • Adjective from sarx (flesh).
    • Meaning "fleshy" or "of flesh."
    • Contrasts with stone, implying a more sensitive, responsive, and living medium.

  • hearts

    • Greek: kardias (καρδίας).
    • The seat of emotions, will, and understanding; the inner person.
    • This signifies the new covenant where God's law is written internally.

  • Words-group by words-group analysis:

    • "epistle of Christ": This phrase is crucial. It means the Corinthians themselves are the message that Christ conveys. Their transformation is the living testimony to His power and His redemptive work. It's not just about what Paul taught them, but about what Christ has done in them.
    • "minstred by us": Paul sees himself and his fellow ministers not as the authors of this spiritual epistle, but as conduits or facilitators through whom Christ works. The "ministering" is the process of introducing and nurturing faith in Christ, which then leads to transformation.
    • "written not with ink but with the Spirit": This is a direct contrast between the old covenant, symbolized by the Law written on stone tablets with ink, and the new covenant, written by the Spirit on the heart. The former was external and permanent in a physical sense but difficult to keep. The latter is internal, living, and dynamic, signifying a profound, personal relationship with God.
    • "not on stone tables but on tables of fleshly hearts": This alludes to Jeremiah 31:33 ("But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel... I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts"). It signifies that God's presence and His law are now internalized by the Holy Spirit, leading to willing obedience and a transformed nature, not merely external adherence to rules.

2 Corinthians 3 2 Bonus Section

The imagery of a letter written by Christ through the Spirit on human hearts evokes the concept of the New Covenant as described in Jeremiah 31:33 and Ezekiel 36:26. In these Old Testament prophecies, God promised to internalize His law, to give a new spirit and a new heart. Paul is declaring that this prophecy is being fulfilled in the lives of the Corinthians, validating his ministry as an agent of this New Covenant. The Greek word diakonéō (minstred) carries the sense of serving or administering, highlighting that Paul and his team are servants in God's administration of the New Covenant, not the originators of its power. Their authority stems directly from Christ's work, as evidenced by the transformed lives they helped foster.

2 Corinthians 3 2 Commentary

Paul presents the Corinthian believers as irrefutable evidence of his apostolic authority. They are not merely recipients of his letters but living embodiments of Christ's transforming power, a "letter of recommendation" so profound that it needs no endorsement from others. This spiritual epistle, written by the Holy Spirit on their hearts, stands in stark contrast to the Old Covenant's laws written on stone. It signifies a new, internal work of God, made possible by Christ. Their changed lives, a testament to the Gospel's effectiveness, publicly demonstrate Paul's legitimate ministry.

  • Practical application: When we see genuine transformation in a person's life through faith in Christ—changes in character, conduct, and spiritual outlook—we are witnessing this "epistle of Christ." The evidence of the Gospel is not just in spoken words, but in transformed lives that become a testament to God's power and goodness.