2 Corinthians 4 14

2 Corinthians 4:14 kjv

Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

2 Corinthians 4:14 nkjv

knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.

2 Corinthians 4:14 niv

because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.

2 Corinthians 4:14 esv

knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

2 Corinthians 4:14 nlt

We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.

2 Corinthians 4 verses

2 Corinthians 4 14 Meaning

The Apostle Paul and his companions confidently endure present sufferings because they possess a deep, experiential knowledge that God, who supernaturally raised Jesus from the dead, will similarly resurrect them alongside Jesus. This resurrection will culminate in their glorious presentation before God the Father, not just individually, but collectively with the Corinthian believers, into His divine presence. This profound assurance fuels their resilience and sustained hope amidst arduous ministry.

2 Corinthians 4 14 Context

This verse is central to Paul's argument in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, where he defends the integrity and power of his apostolic ministry despite its outwardly humble and suffering appearance. He contrasts the "treasure in clay jars" (v. 7), representing the glorious gospel preached by fragile human vessels, with the "surpassing power" that belongs to God (v. 7). Paul details the relentless afflictions (vv. 8-12) – persecuted, struck down, always carrying around in the body the death of Jesus – yet asserts they are "not abandoned, not destroyed." The hope of resurrection articulated in verse 14 directly underpins their endurance and refusal to lose heart (v. 16).

Historically and culturally, the concept of bodily resurrection was deeply debated. For the Corinthians, influenced by Greek philosophical thought which often denigrated the body, the idea of a future bodily resurrection was problematic (as seen in 1 Corinthians 15). Paul's statement here is a direct theological counter-point, asserting that the same God who vindicated Jesus by raising Him from death will do so for His followers, assuring a future glory that makes their present sufferings worthwhile. This also reinforces the unity of the church, as Paul assures the Corinthians that they, too, will be included in this divine presentation.

2 Corinthians 4 14 Word analysis

• knowing (εἰδότες - eidotes): A present active participle from the verb eido, meaning "to know," but carrying a sense of immediate, intuitive, or experiential knowledge rather than acquired information. It signifies a profound, settled conviction or certainty. This knowledge isn't speculative; it's a foundational truth by which Paul and his colleagues live, grounding their hope and perseverance. It underpins their bold declaration of faith in the previous verse (v. 13).
• that he who raised (ὅτι ὁ ἐγείρας - hoti ho egeiras):
  • that (ὅτι - hoti): Connects the "knowing" with the content of that knowledge.
  • he who (ὁ - ho): The definite article, pointing to a specific agent. This refers implicitly but clearly to God the Father, the consistent agent of resurrection in the New Testament.
  • raised (ἐγείρας - egeiras): An aorist active participle from egeiro, meaning "to raise up," "to awaken," or "to stir." The aorist tense indicates a completed action in the past—God definitively raised Jesus. The divine act of resurrection highlights God's power over death and His vindication of Jesus.
• the Lord Jesus (τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν - ton Kyrion Iēsoun):
  • the Lord (κύριον - Kyrion): Signifies Jesus' divine authority, sovereignty, and supreme status, especially as exalted through His resurrection. It is an acknowledgement of His ultimate rule.
  • Jesus (Ἰησοῦν - Iēsoun): Identifies the specific person who underwent this historical, redemptive event.
  This phrase affirms Christ's identity and power, making His resurrection the irrefutable historical and theological foundation for future resurrections.
• will raise us also (καὶ ἡμᾶς ... ἐγερεῖ - kai hēmas ... egerei):
  • will raise (ἐγερεῖ - egerei): Future active indicative from egeiro. This ensures the absolute certainty of the future event. The same divine power that worked in Jesus' resurrection will effect the resurrection of believers.
  • us (ἡμᾶς - hēmas): Refers primarily to Paul and his fellow ministers. However, in the broader theological context of Paul's letters, and especially given the following "with you," it extends to all believers. It underscores the personal nature of this hope for every follower of Christ.
  • also (καὶ - kai): Signifies that what happened to Jesus will also happen to them. It draws a direct parallel between Christ's resurrection and the future resurrection of believers, demonstrating union and shared destiny.
• with Jesus (σὺν Ἰησοῦ - syn Iēsoun): Syn ("with") emphasizes a close association, participation, and identification. Believers are not simply resurrected, but resurrected in union with Jesus, sharing in the character and outcome of His resurrection. This speaks to the depth of their spiritual bond with Him, a theme vital in Paul's theology (e.g., dying with Christ, living with Christ).
• and bring us (καὶ παραστήσει - kai parastēsei):
  • and (καὶ - kai): Connects the two aspects of the future glorification: resurrection and presentation.
  • bring / present (παραστήσει - parastēsei): Future active indicative from paristēmi, meaning "to present," "to cause to stand before," or "to introduce." This verb is often used for presenting someone in court, bringing a sacrifice, or introducing a person to a dignitary. Here, it implies a solemn, formal presentation of believers as vindicated, holy, and perfected, before the ultimate authority of God. It signifies access to His glorious presence.
• with you (σὺν ὑμῖν - syn hymin): Syn ("with") again emphasizes collective identity. Paul explicitly includes the Corinthian believers in this future hope and presentation. This highlights the corporate nature of the church and shared destiny of all saints, serving to encourage the Corinthians and cement their unity in the gospel hope. It implies that Paul's future glory is inseparable from the glory of the church he serves.
• into his presence (implied from παραστήσει - parastēsei): While not explicitly stated with a noun, the act of "presenting" implies a destination: before God, in His glorious presence. This is the ultimate goal of salvation—intimate fellowship and glorification with God, the consummation of hope for all believers.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus": This phrase establishes the historical, verifiable, and powerful action of God as the unshakable foundation of the believers' hope. God's act in the past serves as the guarantee for His future actions.
• "will raise us also with Jesus": This affirms the believers' certain future resurrection, directly linking their destiny to the victorious resurrection of Christ. It implies not just an awakening but a resurrection into a new, glorified existence that shares in Christ's triumphant life.
• "and bring us with you into his presence": This final clause describes the ultimate glorious outcome—the collective presentation of all believers before God, implying their full acceptance, vindication, and eternal fellowship in divine glory. The inclusion of "with you" fosters unity and corporate identity within the body of Christ.

2 Corinthians 4 14 Bonus section

• The pairing of "raise us" and "bring us with you" highlights a dual aspect of future hope: resurrection (physical renewal/vindication) and presentation (relational glorification and access to God's presence).
• Paul's steadfastness and suffering in ministry (vv. 7-12) are directly intelligible only in light of this resurrection hope. Without it, his self-sacrifice would be nonsensical; with it, his weakness becomes a vessel for divine power anticipating ultimate glory.
• This verse subtly addresses a tension Paul faced in Corinth. His detractors might have pointed to his suffering as a sign of God's disfavor. Paul reframes it: present suffering for Christ aligns them with His pattern of death and resurrection, assuring future glorification, thereby validating his apostleship and ministry.
• The concept of "presentation" (paristēmi) carries strong connotations from the Old Testament cultic practices (presenting sacrifices) and legal contexts (presenting a person). It underscores the idea of believers being declared faultless and accepted by God due to Christ's work, ultimately standing clean and pure before the Creator.

2 Corinthians 4 14 Commentary

This verse encapsulates the triumphant eschatological hope that empowered Paul to persevere through unimaginable hardship. It shifts the focus from the fragile "outer man" (v. 16) and temporal sufferings to the sovereign power of God. The historical fact of Jesus' resurrection by God's power is not merely a past event but the foundational promise and guarantee for the future resurrection of all believers. This resurrection ensures that they, in union with Christ, will be formally presented before God the Father, in glory, acceptance, and righteousness. The deliberate inclusion of "with you" addresses the Corinthian community, emphasizing the collective nature of this ultimate glorification, uniting all saints in Christ's victory. It is this certain hope of future glory that transforms the "light momentary affliction" (v. 17) into a purposeful suffering, producing an "eternal weight of glory."