2 Corinthians 4 3

2 Corinthians 4:3 kjv

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2 Corinthians 4:3 nkjv

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,

2 Corinthians 4:3 niv

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

2 Corinthians 4:3 esv

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

2 Corinthians 4:3 nlt

If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing.

2 Corinthians 4 verses

2 Corinthians 4 3 Meaning

If the good news concerning Jesus Christ remains incomprehensible to some, its obscurity does not stem from its inherent lack of clarity or the manner of its proclamation. Instead, this hiddenness is a condition exclusively experienced by those who are in the ongoing state of spiritual destruction and alienation from God. Their inability to grasp the gospel's truth points to their already lost spiritual condition rather than any fault within the message itself.

2 Corinthians 4 3 Context

Chapter 4 opens with Paul emphasizing the integrity and transparency of his ministry, especially in contrast to those who "tampered with God's word" (2 Cor 4:2). He had previously described the unveiled glory of the New Covenant in chapter 3, which is accessible to those whose hearts turn to the Lord. Verse 3 serves as a defensive explanation: if, despite this clear and unveiled gospel, some still do not understand it, the fault is not with Paul's presentation or the gospel's message. Instead, it directly attributes the inability to comprehend to the spiritual state of the hearers. This verse then immediately sets the stage for verse 4, which clarifies why those who are lost cannot see: "the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers." Historically, the Corinthian church dealt with challenges from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds, some of whom found the message of a crucified Christ scandalous or foolish. Paul here defends the universality and clarity of the gospel against any insinuation that it is a hidden truth only for an elite, or that he himself is obscure in his preaching.

2 Corinthians 4 3 Word analysis

• But (ἀλλὰ - alla): This is a strong adversative conjunction, signifying a sharp contrast. Paul is directly countering an unstated but implied accusation or observation: if the gospel isn't clearly understood by everyone, what's wrong with it or Paul's preaching? His "but" pivots to explain the true reason.
• if (εἰ - ei): This introduces a real or hypothetical condition. It implies "if, as some might observe, it is hidden..." It doesn't mean "it might be hidden, it might not be," but rather addresses the existing reality for a particular group.
• our gospel (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἡμῶν - to euangelion hēmōn): "Our" refers to the gospel proclaimed by Paul and his fellow apostles. It is not their personal invention, but the divine truth they preach. The term "gospel" (εὐαγγέλιον) means "good news," intrinsically designed to be understood and proclaimed, not concealed.
• be hid (κεκαλυμμένον - kekalymmenon): This is a perfect passive participle of καλύπτω (kalyptō), meaning "to cover" or "to veil." The perfect tense denotes a state or condition that has been brought about and continues. The passive voice is crucial: the gospel is hidden (by an external agent/cause), it does not hide itself. This directly echoes the veil discussed in 2 Cor 3 regarding Moses and the Old Covenant.
• it is hid (ἐστὶν κεκαλυμμένον - estin kekalymmenon): The repetition here emphasizes the persistent and real nature of this "hiddenness" for a specific group.
• to them that are lost (ἐν τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις - en tois apollymenois): This phrase describes the group for whom the gospel remains veiled.
  • them that are lost (ἀπολλυμένοις - apollymenois): This is a present middle/passive participle of ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi), meaning "to destroy," "to perish," or "to be lost." The present tense signifies an ongoing, active process or current state of destruction, ruin, and spiritual perishing, not merely a future condemnation. These are individuals who are currently separated from God and heading towards eternal destruction, indicating their spiritual deadness. They are not merely those who will be lost, but those who are in the process of being lost.
• "But if our gospel be hid": This opening phrase confronts the potential observation or accusation that Paul's gospel, the very good news meant for all, is not universally understood or accepted. Paul asserts that if there is indeed a perception of the gospel being obscure, the obscurity is not inherent to the gospel's content or his clear preaching.
• "it is hid to them that are lost": This concluding phrase clearly identifies the specific group affected by this hiddenness. The "lost" are those whose spiritual state prevents them from perceiving the truth, not due to a flaw in the gospel, but due to their internal spiritual condition—a condition further elaborated in the subsequent verse (v. 4) by naming "the god of this world" as the agent of blinding. The structure implies causality: their lostness is directly linked to the gospel being hidden from them.

2 Corinthians 4 3 Bonus section

The concept of "veiling" in 2 Cor 4:3 ties directly back to Paul's argument in 2 Corinthians 3, where he discusses the veil over the hearts of those under the old covenant when they read Moses. This continuity highlights that spiritual incomprehension of God's revelation is not a new problem but a persistent issue rooted in a hardened heart and an unredeemed mind. The gospel, unlike the Old Covenant law, is meant to be clear and brings light, yet for those without the Spirit, it remains inaccessible. The present passive participle "kekalymmenon" (be hid) not only describes an existing state but implies that this hiding is happening to the gospel. It is actively obscured from those who are perishing, which paves the way for the revelation in verse 4 that "the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers." Thus, this verse implies both human spiritual blindness and external spiritual forces at play, forming a critical transition in Paul's theological explanation of why some reject the undeniably glorious truth of the gospel.

2 Corinthians 4 3 Commentary

Paul, addressing the efficacy and clarity of his ministry, confronts the perception that the gospel message might be unclear or inaccessible. He asserts that the gospel itself is fundamentally transparent and radiant. Its hiddenness is not a fault of the message or the messenger but a spiritual condition afflicting its hearers. For those who are "perishing" (ἀπολλυμένοις), the gospel remains veiled, not because God keeps it secret, but because their spiritual state makes them incapable of grasping its truth. This spiritual blindness is an active and ongoing process of destruction, rendering them unable to discern the very message designed to bring them salvation. This sets the stage for the next verse, which explains the agency behind this blindness, further absolving the gospel and its ministers from responsibility for unbelief. It underscores that spiritual perception requires more than intellectual comprehension; it demands a heart not obscured by the spiritual consequences of sin and the influence of malevolent forces.