2 Corinthians 5:3 kjv
If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
2 Corinthians 5:3 nkjv
if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.
2 Corinthians 5:3 niv
because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.
2 Corinthians 5:3 esv
if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.
2 Corinthians 5:3 nlt
For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.
2 Corinthians 5 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Cor 5:3 | if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. | Contrast to nakedness, Rom 8:1 (no condemnation) |
| 2 Cor 5:4 | For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. | Desire for resurrection body, 1 Cor 15:53-54 (immortality swallowed by life) |
| Phil 3:20 | For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: | Heavenly citizenship, Heb 11:13-16 (souls of the faithful in heaven) |
| 1 Thess 4:17 | Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. | Future bodily transformation, 1 Cor 15:42-44 (resurrection body) |
| John 14:2-3 | In my father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. | Christ preparing a place for believers |
| 2 Cor 5:8 | We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. | State of being with the Lord after death |
| Rev 7:9 | After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; | Heavenly assembly, representing victory |
| Gal 3:27 | For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. | Identification with Christ |
| Eph 4:24 | And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. | New spiritual identity in Christ |
| Col 3:10 | And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: | Renewed nature in Christ |
| Heb 12:23 | To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect; | Spirits of the just made perfect |
| Rom 8:18 | For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. | Present sufferings vs future glory |
| 1 Cor 6:13 | Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and for the body is the Lord; | The body as a temple for the Lord |
| 1 Cor 15:49 | And as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. | Bearing the image of Christ |
| 2 Peter 1:13-14 | Yea, doubtless, I count it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. | Earthly tabernacle to be put off |
| Rev 1:5-6 | And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. | Cleansed and made royalty |
| Phil 1:21 | For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. | Paul's perspective on death and life |
| 1 Cor 13:12 | For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. | Partial vs. complete knowledge |
| John 11:26 | And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? | Life and belief in Christ |
| Rom 6:4 | Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. | Identification with Christ's death and resurrection |
2 Corinthians 5 verses
2 Corinthians 5 3 Meaning
The verse describes a state of being "clothed" and "unclothed," referencing the physical body as a temporary dwelling and the spirit as an eternal one. It speaks to the intermediate state between death and resurrection, where believers are not yet in their resurrected, glorified bodies but are away from their earthly bodies and present with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5 3 Context
This chapter in 2 Corinthians addresses the nature of the Christian ministry and the transformation that occurs in believers. Paul is reassuring the Corinthians about the authenticity of his ministry, contrasting it with false apostles. He speaks about the temporary nature of the present life and the eternal reality of life in Christ. This particular verse, 2 Corinthians 5:3, fits within this broader discussion by delving into the implications of mortality and the assurance believers have regarding their future with God after death. The "tabernacle" or "tent" imagery contrasts the frail, earthly body with a more permanent dwelling, possibly referring to the resurrection body or their immediate presence with Christ in heaven. The Corinthian church, influenced by various philosophical ideas, including Gnosticism's dualism and Greek thought concerning the immortality of the soul separate from the body, needed clarification on the resurrection and the believer's ultimate hope.
2 Corinthians 5 3 Word analysis
εἰ (ei): "if". This is a conditional particle introducing a possibility or a supposition.
ἄρα (ara): "therefore" or "then". Connects this thought with the previous statements about desiring to be unclothed from the body. It suggests a consequence or a logical progression.
γε (ge): An enclitic particle, often translated as "at least" or "indeed". It adds emphasis or a slight concession.
ἐνδυσάμενοι (endusamenoi): "being clothed." From the verb enduo (to put on, to clothe). It implies an active process of being enveloped or covered. In the spiritual sense, it refers to receiving a heavenly or resurrection body.
εὑρεθῶμεν (heurēthōmen): "we shall be found." From the verb heuriskō (to find). In this context, it refers to what state believers will be in at a future point of evaluation, particularly at Christ's coming or the final judgment.
γυμνοί (gumnos): "naked." In the immediate sense, it can refer to being without the physical body. However, in biblical contexts, "nakedness" can also symbolize exposure, shame, or spiritual unpreparedness. The fear is not simply to be without a body, but to be found spiritually wanting or unprepared when standing before God.
being clothed we shall not be found naked: This phrase presents a conditional hope. The "clothed" state likely refers to being in the resurrection body or in the immediate presence of Christ in glory. The fear of being "naked" is the concern of being found without this essential covering – perhaps meaning to be without the glorified body at the resurrection, or spiritually unprepared and exposed at the final judgment.
2 Corinthians 5 3 Bonus section
The concept of being "clothed" and "unclothed" is rich in biblical imagery. "Clothing" often signifies righteousness, dignity, and honor (e.g., the robe of righteousness in Isaiah 61:10, the wedding garment in Matthew 22:11-12). "Nakedness" can represent sinfulness, shame, and vulnerability (e.g., Adam and Eve after the fall in Genesis 3:7-11). Paul's concern here is not a fear of ceasing to exist, but rather a desire to be found in the proper, divinely provided state at Christ's return or when facing Him immediately after death. The desire is not for an immaterial existence detached from form, but for a continuation of existence in a renewed, spiritual, incorruptible body. This understanding aligns with the Christian doctrine of bodily resurrection, which promises a transformation, not annihilation.
2 Corinthians 5 3 Commentary
Paul expresses a deep confidence and desire concerning believers' future. The verse acknowledges the interim state between departing the earthly body and receiving the resurrected body. The hope is that when they transition, they will be found "clothed," implying that their spiritual state will be one of readiness and completeness. The potential for being found "naked" is the antithesis of this, suggesting a lack of spiritual preparedness or the absence of the eternal covering that comes from Christ. It underscores the importance of being "in Christ," a state that provides this covering and secures believers' eternal destiny, not in a state of vulnerability but in assured presence with God.