2 Corinthians 3:4 kjv
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
2 Corinthians 3:4 nkjv
And we have such trust through Christ toward God.
2 Corinthians 3:4 niv
Such confidence we have through Christ before God.
2 Corinthians 3:4 esv
Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.
2 Corinthians 3:4 nlt
We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ.
2 Corinthians 3 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 3:3 | ...but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets, but on tablets of human hearts. | Ministry by Spirit |
| 2 Cor 3:5 | Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. | Our sufficiency from God |
| John 15:5 | I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. | Dependence on Christ |
| Phil 4:13 | I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. | Strength through Christ |
| Eph 2:10 | For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. | God's workmanship |
| Col 1:27 | ...to them God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. | Christ in believers |
| Acts 1:8 | But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me... | Power of the Holy Spirit |
| Rom 15:18 | For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed... | Accomplishments through Christ |
| 1 Cor 1:27 | But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. | God uses the weak |
| 1 Cor 1:28 | And the humble things of the world, and the things which are despised, God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are. | God chooses the despised |
| 1 Cor 2:13 | These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches... | Words taught by the Spirit |
| Heb 8:10 | For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their minds, And write them on their hearts; And I will be their God, And they shall be My people. | New Covenant Promises |
| Jer 31:33 | But 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. | New Covenant Promise Echoed |
| Matt 16:19 | And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. | Authority given by Christ |
| Mark 10:27 | But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men this is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." | God's Possibilities |
| John 1:16 | And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. | Fullness in Christ |
| Gal 2:20 | I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. | Christ living in believers |
| 1 Thess 1:5 | For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance... | Power in the Gospel |
| Titus 3:5 | not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. | Renewing of the Spirit |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. | Boldness through Grace |
2 Corinthians 3 verses
2 Corinthians 3 4 Meaning
This verse highlights the source of Paul's confidence in his ministry, which stems not from his own abilities, but from God's sufficiency made available through Christ. It establishes a crucial distinction between the old covenant ministry and the new covenant ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3 4 Context
Second Corinthians chapter 3 contrasts the glorious ministry of the New Covenant with the ministry of the Old Covenant, which was associated with the Law given on stone tablets and could lead to death. Paul is defending his apostleship against detractors who were questioning his authority and sincerity, particularly by contrasting his ministry with that of the Judaizers. He emphasizes that his authority and effectiveness do not originate from his own capabilities but from God who qualified him for this new ministry of the Spirit. The preceding verse (3:3) talks about believers being a letter from Christ, written by the Spirit, while this verse underscores the sufficiency of the apostles in carrying out this ministry.
2 Corinthians 3 4 Word Analysis
- δὲ (de): "But" - A particle that introduces a contrast or transition. Here, it contrasts the ministry's source of confidence with human effort or credentialism.
- ἐστὶν (estin): "is" - Third person singular present indicative of εἰμί (eimi), "to be."
- ἡ (hē): "the" - The definite article.
- ἡμῶν (hēmōn): "our" - First person plural possessive pronoun, referring to Paul and his co-workers.
- αὐτάρκεια (autarkeia): "sufficiency" - Derived from αὐτός (autos), "self," and ἀρκέω (arkeō), "to be strong, to be enough." It signifies being self-sufficient, but in this Pauline context, it points to a sufficiency that is divinely supplied, not inherent.
- ἐξ (ex): "from" - A preposition indicating origin or source.
- εἰς (eis): "in" or "to" - Can denote a direction or state. Here, it is part of the idiomatic phrase "to think of something."
- τὸ (to): "the" - The definite article.
- λογίσασθαι (logisasthai): "to think" or "to reckon" - First person singular present passive infinitive of λογίζομαι (logizomai), "to count, to reason, to reckon." It means to consider, evaluate, or arrive at a conclusion through reasoning.
- λογισμὸν (logismon): "a thought" or "reasoning" - Accusative singular of λογισμός (logismos), which refers to a calculation, a thought process, or an idea.
- αὐτοὶ (autoi): "ourselves" - First person plural intensive pronoun, emphasizing "from ourselves."
- ἀλλ’ (all): "but" - A stronger adversative particle than "de," indicating a direct contrast.
- ἡ (hē): "the" - The definite article.
- δὲ (de): "but" - Used here for emphasis, leading into the positive declaration.
- αὐτάρκεια (autarkeia): "sufficiency" - Repeats the crucial word from the first part of the verse, reinforcing the source of their confidence.
- ἀπὸ (apo): "from" - A preposition indicating source or origin, further clarifying where their sufficiency comes from.
- τοῦ (tou): "the" - The definite article.
- θεοῦ (theou): "God" - Genitive singular of θεός (theos), "God."
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves": This clause directly negates any claim of self-derived capability. It preempts any accusation that the apostles were boasting in their own wisdom, intellect, or inherent strength. This stands in stark contrast to philosophical ideals of self-sufficiency.
- "to think of anything as of ourselves": This phrase clarifies that their mental processes and cognitive abilities were not their own source. It refers to the source of their thoughts, plans, and evaluations. They do not originate from their own human reasoning or internal resources.
- "but our sufficiency is from God": This is the pivotal affirmation. The "but" introduces the true source. "Our sufficiency" (hemōn autarkeia) points to the empowerment, the qualification, and the divine enablement for ministry. "From God" (apo tou theou) specifies this source. This means all competence for ministry, understanding the Gospel, and effectively communicating it comes directly from God.
2 Corinthians 3 4 Bonus Section
The concept of "sufficiency" (autarkeia) in Paul's writings, particularly in 2 Corinthians, is nuanced. While on the surface it might suggest self-sufficiency, in the context of his letters, it always refers to a self-sufficiency that is divinely derived and operates within God's economy. It’s a dependency that yields divine capability. This understanding counters Stoic self-sufficiency and highlights the Pauline emphasis on grace and the work of the Spirit. The contrast between the old covenant's stone tablets (representing external law, limited in its capacity for internal transformation) and the new covenant's "tablets of human hearts" (as mentioned in 3:3) underscores this point; the enablement of the new covenant comes from an indwelling Spirit, making believers sufficient, but only because God is sufficient in them.
2 Corinthians 3 4 Commentary
Paul’s confidence is grounded in God’s empowerment, not self-reliance. The apostles’ ability to minister the new covenant effectively is not a result of their own natural talents or inherent spiritual capacity. Instead, their sufficiency originates directly from God Himself. This emphasizes the absolute necessity of divine enablement for any genuine gospel ministry. They were conduits, not originators. Their strength and wisdom were God’s, infused into them for the task. This truth sets the New Covenant ministry apart as Spirit-dependent, leading to genuine spiritual transformation, unlike the old covenant which, while holy, could not in itself impart life.
Practical Usage: Believers today should understand that their ability to serve, teach, evangelize, and live a godly life is not dependent on their own strength but on the continuous, sufficient supply of grace and power from God through the Holy Spirit. When facing ministry challenges or personal spiritual battles, the focus should shift from personal effort to seeking God's enabling power.