2 Corinthians 4 4

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 verses

2 Corinthians 4 4 Meaning

The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, preventing them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. This spiritual blindness is a key obstacle to their reception of the transformative message of Christianity.

2 Corinthians 4 4 Context

This verse appears in the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians, written around 55-57 AD. Paul is defending his apostolic ministry and the authenticity of the Gospel against detractors within the Corinthian church. In the preceding verses (2 Corinthians 4:1-3), Paul explains that he and his fellow ministers do not lose heart because of their suffering. They preach the glorious gospel with sincerity, not with cunning or deceit. This current verse then explains why some people do not believe; their spiritual sight is hindered by an external spiritual force. The broader context is the ongoing struggle between the spiritual realities of the Gospel and the earthly, darkened mindset of those who have not yet embraced Christ.

2 Corinthians 4 4 Word Analysis

• Ἐν (en): "in" or "among." Refers to the sphere or realm of influence.
• ᾧ (hō): "whom" or "which." Refers back to "god of this age."
• τοῦ (tou): "the" (genitive masculine singular article).
• αἰῶνος (aiōnos): "age," "world," "eon." Refers to the present time period or era, distinct from God's eternal age. This signifies the dominion of Satan and earthly systems.
• τούτου (toutou): "this" (genitive masculine singular demonstrative pronoun). Further specifies the present, godless age.
• ἔτυφλωσεν (etyphlōsen): "has blinded" (aorist indicative active, 3rd person singular of τυφλόω typhlóō). The verb implies obscuring vision, making unable to see. The aorist tense points to a completed action in the past, a definitive blinding that has occurred.
• τὰ (ta): "the" (neuter plural accusative article).
• νοήματα (noēmata): "minds," "thoughts," "understandings" (accusative plural of νόημα noēma). Refers to the faculty of comprehension and intellect. It is the mind’s ability to process and understand.
• τῶν (tōn): "the" (genitive plural neuter article).
• ἀπίστων (apistōn): "unbelieving," "faithless," "disobedient" (genitive plural masculine of ἄπιστος apistos). Refers to those who reject the Gospel.
• εἰς (eis): "into," "to," "for." Preposition indicating direction or purpose.
• τὸ (to): "the" (neuter singular accusative article).
• φῶς (phōs): "light." Refers to divine illumination, understanding, and truth, particularly the truth of the Gospel.
• τοῦ (tou): "the" (genitive masculine singular article).
• εὐαγγελίου (euangeliou): "gospel" (genitive singular of εὐαγγέλιον euangelion). The good news of salvation through Christ.
• τῆς (tēs): "the" (genitive feminine singular article).
• δόξης (doxēs): "glory" (genitive singular of δόξα doxa). The manifest splendor and worth of God.
• τοῦ (tou): "the" (genitive masculine singular article).
• Χριστοῦ (Christou): "Christ" (genitive singular of Χριστός Christos). The Messiah, the Anointed One.
• εἰκόνος (eikonos): "image" (genitive singular of εἰκών eikōn). Represents likeness, representation.
• τοῦ (tou): "the" (genitive masculine singular article).
• Θεοῦ (Theou): "God" (genitive singular of Θεός Theos).

Words-Group Analysis:

• "The god of this age" (ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου): This phrase refers to Satan. He is described as the ruler or active force behind the present ungodly world system. His domain is characterized by opposition to God and His truth. This reflects the biblical understanding of Satan as the "prince of this world" (John 12:31).
• "has blinded the minds" (ἐτύφλωσεν τὰ νοήματα): This signifies an active, supernatural spiritual impairment. It's not a natural ignorance, but a deliberate hindrance to understanding spiritual truth. The blindness is directed at the very capacity for comprehension, the intellect.
• "of the unbelieving" (τῶν ἀπίστων): This is crucial – the blinding is a consequence or a state accompanying unbelief. It highlights that spiritual blindness and rejection of God are intertwined. Those who choose not to believe are the ones whose minds are kept from perceiving divine light.
• "so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ" (εἰς τὸ φῶς τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ): This entire phrase describes what is obscured. The "light" is the saving truth found in the gospel. The "glory of Christ" points to the resplendent, magnificent revelation of God's nature and salvific work made visible in Jesus.
• "who is the image of God" (εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ): This clause identifies Christ as the ultimate manifestation and representation of God’s essence and character. He is the perfect, visible picture of the invisible God. Understanding Christ as God's image is foundational to understanding the Gospel’s light.

2 Corinthians 4 4 Bonus Section

This verse emphasizes a spiritual warfare element in evangelism. The antagonist is clearly identified as the "god of this age," a title unequivocally associated with Satan in biblical theology. His objective is to keep people trapped in spiritual darkness by hindering their ability to grasp the truth of the Gospel. This highlights the supernatural dimension of salvation; it requires God's intervention to break this blinding influence. The emphasis on Christ being the "image of God" means that the Gospel’s glory is fundamentally tied to the person of Jesus Christ, and understanding His divine identity is key to receiving the light. This principle is powerfully demonstrated in narratives like the conversion of Paul himself (Acts 9), where Christ’s glory appeared, and eyes were opened.

2 Corinthians 4 4 Commentary

Paul asserts that spiritual understanding is hindered by Satan, the ruler of this present, fallen world system. Satan actively works to prevent people from comprehending the glorious message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This spiritual blindness affects the minds (νοήματα) of those who refuse to believe (ἀπίστων). The very revelation of God’s splendor, perfectly displayed in Christ, who is the very image (εἰκών) of God, is rendered incomprehensible to them. This blinding is not due to the lack of clarity in the Gospel itself, but because of an active spiritual opposition that clouds their intellect and obscures the truth of God's saving power manifested in Christ. It underscores that faith is a work of God, enabling understanding and illuminating minds that are otherwise darkened.