2 Corinthians 4:4 kjv
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2 Corinthians 4:4 nkjv
whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
2 Corinthians 4:4 niv
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2 Corinthians 4:4 esv
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2 Corinthians 4:4 nlt
Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
2 Corinthians 4 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 12:31 | "Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out." | Satan as world's ruler |
| Eph 2:2 | "...following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work..." | Satan as spiritual ruler |
| 1 Jn 5:19 | "...the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." | World under evil one's sway |
| Jn 8:44 | "...He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth..." | Satan's nature of deception |
| Isa 6:9-10 | "Keep on hearing, but do not understand...lest they see with their eyes..." | Prophecy of spiritual blindness |
| Mt 13:13-15 | "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see... lest they should understand..." | Parable's purpose to reveal/conceal |
| Mk 4:11-12 | "...so that seeing they may perceive but not understand, and hearing they may hear but not comprehend..." | Kingdom mysteries concealed |
| Jn 12:37-40 | "...though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him... 'He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart...'" | Unbelief despite evidence |
| Rom 11:7-10 | "What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking... God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear..." | Partial hardening of Israel |
| Eph 4:18 | "They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them..." | Gentiles' darkened understanding |
| Deut 29:4 | "...But to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear." | God's sovereign hand in perception |
| Jn 1:4-5 | "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." | Christ as the divine Light |
| Jn 1:9 | "The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world." | Universal illumination by Christ |
| Jn 8:12 | "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness...'" | Jesus' self-declaration as light |
| Col 1:15 | "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." | Christ as God's perfect image |
| Heb 1:3 | "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature..." | Christ's divine essence |
| Gen 1:26-27 | "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness'... So God created man in his own image..." | Humanity made in God's image, fallen |
| 2 Cor 3:18 | "...we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image..." | Transformation by beholding Christ |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "...that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." | Called to God's marvelous light |
| 2 Cor 3:7-11 | Comparison of glories: Old vs. New Covenant | The greater glory of the Gospel |
| Jn 14:6 | "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" | Christ as ultimate truth/life |
| 2 Thes 2:9-10 | "The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan... with all wicked deception for those who are perishing..." | Satan's deceptive working |
2 Corinthians 4 verses
2 Corinthians 4 4 Meaning
In this verse, the Apostle Paul reveals the spiritual adversary behind humanity's refusal to embrace the Christian message. The "god of this world," identified as Satan, actively obscures the truth by blinding the spiritual understanding ("minds") of those who do not believe. His purpose is to prevent them from perceiving the radiant, life-giving truth of the Gospel, which profoundly displays the glory of Christ. Christ, being the perfect "image of God," makes the invisible God comprehensible and visible.
2 Corinthians 4 4 Context
Chapter 4 of 2 Corinthians follows Paul's profound discourse on the New Covenant, where the glory of God shines more brilliantly than in the Old (Ch. 3). Paul, despite his own weaknesses and persecutions, ministers with boldness because of God's mercy and the intrinsic clarity of the gospel. He explicitly rejects "disgraceful, underhanded ways" and distortion of God's word (2 Cor 4:2). Therefore, if people do not see or accept the light of this glorious, unblemished gospel, the problem isn't with the message or the messenger, but with a spiritual blockage in the hearer. Verse 4 serves as Paul's explanation for why some remain lost, acting as a crucial bridge between the glory of the gospel and the reality of widespread unbelief, setting the stage for his subsequent contrast of treasure in clay jars (2 Cor 4:7-12).
2 Corinthians 4 4 Word analysis
- In their case: (Greek: en hois) Literally "in whom." Refers to the "perishing" or "lost" mentioned in 2 Cor 4:3. It emphasizes that this spiritual blindness is their specific condition and spiritual fate.
- the god of this world: (Greek: ho theos tou aiōnos toutou) This identifies Satan. While not possessing ultimate sovereignty, he exerts immense influence and authority over the present corrupted age (the aiōn), its systems, and its spiritual darkness, appearing as a 'god' to those who are captive to sin and blinded. This is not acknowledging his divine nature but his temporary, powerful sway.
- has blinded: (Greek: etyphlōsen) A vivid, active verb in the perfect tense. It denotes a decisive and completed action by Satan, leading to a state of spiritual incapacitation. It implies a deliberate, active obscuring, not mere ignorance.
- the minds: (Greek: noēmata) This refers to the intellect, understanding, powers of thought, and spiritual perception. It's not a physical affliction of the eyes but a deeper impairment of the inner being's ability to grasp spiritual truth.
- of the unbelievers: (Greek: tōn apistōn) Those characterized by a lack of faith, distrust, or refusal to believe. This isn't just someone who hasn't heard, but those who are unwilling or spiritually incapable of responding positively to divine truth due to the blinding influence.
- to keep them from seeing: (Greek: eis to mē augasai) Literally, "unto the non-shining forth." This clarifies the malicious purpose behind Satan's action: to prevent the light from fully radiating into their spiritual understanding.
- the light of the gospel: (Greek: ton phōtismon tou euangelīou) Phōtismon denotes illumination, radiance, or spiritual enlightenment. The Gospel itself (the good news) possesses an inherent radiant power and truth, capable of piercing spiritual darkness, making the truth clear.
- of the glory of Christ: (Greek: tēs doxēs tou Christou) This identifies the content of the light. It's not just a message, but one that unveils the inherent splendor, majesty, and inherent worth of Jesus Christ as fully God and fully Man.
- who is the image of God: (Greek: hos estin eikōn tou theou) Eikōn means image, likeness, perfect representation. Christ is the exact and perfect embodiment of the invisible God (Col 1:15, Heb 1:3), through whom God's character and being are fully revealed. Satan's goal is to prevent the unbeliever from perceiving this ultimate revelation.
Word-Group Analysis:
- "the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers": This phrase reveals the spiritual battle for the human intellect. Satan, as the 'god' of this current age, actively prevents lost humanity from comprehending spiritual truth, leveraging their pre-existing unbelief as a foothold.
- "to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ": This describes the specific target of Satan's blinding: the transformative light emanating from the gospel. It emphasizes that the gospel isn't just information, but a radiant revelation of Christ's inherent glory.
- "Christ, who is the image of God": This foundational truth grounds the gospel's power. By hindering belief in Christ, Satan prevents individuals from apprehending the very nature and character of God, which is perfectly mirrored in Christ.
2 Corinthians 4 4 Bonus section
The Greek word for "world" here (aiōnos) refers to a "duration," an "age," or the present temporal system, not the entire cosmos. This distinguishes Satan's dominion as limited to a spiritual-moral sphere over fallen humanity in this present age, rather than an ultimate, sovereign control over creation. He is "god" of this corrupt world system, not the God of creation. This distinction highlights that Satan's power is temporary and restricted, ultimately subordinate to the one true God who will one day cast him out entirely.
2 Corinthians 4 4 Commentary
2 Corinthians 4:4 unmasks the spiritual adversary's strategy to maintain unbelief. It clarifies that spiritual darkness is not merely an absence of light or knowledge, but often a result of active, malicious opposition from the "god of this world," Satan. His aim is to keep people trapped in darkness, preventing them from experiencing the liberating power of the Gospel. The "light of the gospel" refers to its intrinsic power to reveal truth and expose sin, while the "glory of Christ" underscores the majesty and divine nature of the one revealed. Crucially, Christ being the "image of God" means that to grasp Christ is to grasp God Himself, rendering Satan's efforts directly aimed at obscuring God's ultimate self-revelation. The spiritual battle, therefore, is for the mind and for the perception of Christ's unparalleled glory. Practically, it highlights the need for prayer and spiritual warfare in evangelism, recognizing that human resistance often has a demonic component, though individual will and responsibility remain.