2 Corinthians 5:21 kjv
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:21 nkjv
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21 niv
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 esv
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 nlt
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
2 Corinthians 5 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 5:19 | ...God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself... | Theme: Reconciliation |
| Rom 3:23-25 | ...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. | Theme: Sin and Justification |
| Gal 3:13 | Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us... | Theme: Curse of the Law |
| 1 Pet 2:22 | He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth. | Theme: Christ's Sinlessness |
| Isa 53:6 | We all like sheep have gone astray...the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. | Theme: Vicarious Atonement |
| Heb 4:15 | ...yet he was without sin. | Theme: Christ's Perfection |
| 1 John 3:5 | You know that he appeared so that he might take away sins. But the sinless one was manifested... | Theme: Purpose of Incarnation |
| Rom 8:3 | For what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do in that it was sinful: God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh,... | Theme: Condemning Sin in Flesh |
| Phil 3:9 | ...and be found in him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God by faith. | Theme: Righteousness in Christ |
| Eph 2:8-9 | For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. | Theme: Salvation by Grace |
| Heb 9:22 | And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. | Theme: Blood and Remission |
| Lev 16:19 | You shall sprinkle blood on it seven times for your cleansing from your sins. | Theme: Cleansing from Sin |
| 1 Cor 15:3 | ...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, | Theme: Christ's Death for Sins |
| 2 Cor 5:18 | ...all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ... | Theme: God as Reconciler |
| 1 Pet 3:18 | For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God... | Theme: Just for the Unjust |
| Col 1:21-22 | And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled | Theme: Reconciliation through Death |
| Rom 4:25 | who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification. | Theme: Death and Resurrection |
| Gal 2:20 | I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me... | Theme: Union with Christ |
| 1 Cor 1:30 | But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— | Theme: Christ as All Things |
| 2 Cor 10:5 | ...casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. | Theme: Obedience of Faith |
| Eph 2:5 | ...even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), | Theme: Made Alive in Christ |
| John 1:29 | Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! | Theme: Christ as Lamb of God |
2 Corinthians 5 verses
2 Corinthians 5 21 Meaning
God made Christ, who knew no sin, to become sin for us. This means Christ was treated by God as if He had committed all the sins of humanity. In turn, God makes believers righteous in Him, meaning we are counted as righteous, not because of our own deeds, but because of Christ's atoning sacrifice. This exchange is the core of the gospel.
2 Corinthians 5 21 Context
Second Corinthians chapter 5 continues Paul's defense of his apostleship and the validity of his ministry. He emphasizes the transformative power of the new creation in Christ. In the preceding verses (5:14-20), Paul discusses how Christ's death was for all, implying that believers have died with Christ and are therefore united with Him in His new life. This profound concept of spiritual death and resurrection with Christ sets the stage for understanding the immense theological exchange described in verse 21. The Corinthian church had been troubled by false teachers who challenged Paul's authority, and he is reassuring them of the divine origin and power of the gospel message he proclaimed. This verse, therefore, serves as a cornerstone of the gospel, explaining the means by which reconciliation with God is achieved.
2 Corinthians 5 21 Word Analysis
And: Conjunction linking the first part of the verse (Christ's substitution) to the consequence (our righteousness).
He: Refers to God the Father.
Who knew: This emphasizes the absolute sinlessness of Jesus Christ. He was morally perfect and untouched by sin.
No sin: Highlights Christ's complete absence of sin in His character, actions, and thoughts throughout His earthly life.
Him: Refers to Jesus Christ.
Made: Indicates God's active, deliberate action in bringing about this profound spiritual transaction.
Sin: In this context, it refers not to Christ committing sin, but to Him being treated as sin on behalf of humanity. It implies a imputation or accounting of our sin to Him, making Him the substitute sacrifice. This is often understood in theological terms as the "penal substitutionary atonement."
For us: Crucially signifies that Christ's becoming sin was not for His own benefit, but a substitutionary act for the benefit of believers.
That: Introduces the purpose or result of Christ becoming sin.
We: Represents all believers for whom Christ died and became sin.
Might be: Indicates the purpose and outcome of God's action.
Made: Again, God's active role in imputing righteousness.
The righteousness: Refers to the state of being declared righteous in the eyes of God. This is a imputed righteousness, not an inherent one produced by our own efforts.
Of God: Signifies that this righteousness originates from God Himself; it is God's standard of righteousness credited to us.
2 Corinthians 5 21 Bonus Section
The concept of "made sin" is a profound mystery and a central doctrine of Christianity. It's important to understand this is not a statement that Christ personally sinned or that His divine nature was corrupted. Rather, it is a judicial and substitutionary imputation. Imagine a perfect person taking on the legal responsibility for crimes they did not commit. This is akin to what happened at the cross. This concept is essential for grasping how God can be both just (punishing sin) and the justifier (making sinners righteous) simultaneously. This "great exchange" is a foundational truth that transforms one's understanding of salvation and relationship with God.
2 Corinthians 5 21 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the divine solution to humanity's sin problem. God, in His infinite love and justice, took the initiative. He presented His sinless Son, Jesus Christ, to bear the full weight of our sin. Christ was not made a sinner in nature, but He was legally and vicariously identified with all our sins, facing God's judgment upon them. As a result of this sacrifice, God can now offer us His own righteousness. This imputed righteousness, received by faith in Christ, is the basis for our acceptance by God and our reconciliation with Him. It means that when God looks at a believer, He sees the perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice of Christ covering them.