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Purpose To defend Paul’s authority as an apostle
To suppress the influence of false teachers
Author Paul
Date Around AD 56
Setting Written after Paul received a positive report from Titus about the Corinthian church’s repentance, which had followed from a previous letter (now lost) that Paul had sent to them (see 2 Corinthians 7:5–9 )

Overview Article

Second Corinthians shows Paul as a pastor. He passionately desires to win the Christians in Corinth back to himself, convinced that the Good News is above all a message of reconciliation. Paul faced criticism and accusations from fellow Christians who doubted him as a leader. Forced to defend himself, he opens his heart to this congregation to a degree not found in his other letters. Paul faced many dangers, including threats to his life, but being falsely accused by Christians he had won for Christ was one of his worst trials. Paul’s example, demonstrating how Christ loves his church, is a great source of encouragement and hope to Christian leaders and to their congregations.

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Key People, Places, and Terms

People 12

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Places 7

Key Terms 129

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Themes

Christian Giving 15 Generous Christian giving shows true grace. We see this in "our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" ( 2 Corinthians 8:9 ; P... God’s New Covenant 13 A covenant is a promise or agreement between two groups or people that usually includes responsibilities for each side. God made a covenant with the people of Israel through Moses and the giving of the law ( Exodus 19... Paul’s Role as an Apostle 12 To understand Paul's role as an apostle of Jesus Christ, a good place to read is the description in the second letter to the Corinthians. In this letter, Paul shares the core of his ministry. Paul was God's special me... The Resurrection of the Dead 6 Jesus spoke about a future resurrection for everyone. God will raise up all people to eternal life or to judgment ( Mark 12:26–27 ; John 5:28–29 ; 6:39–40 , 44 , 54 ; 11:25–26 ; see also Luke 20:34–36 ). When Jesus re... The Message of Reconciliation 5 Reconciliation is a term found throughout the New Testament. It means making peace and repairing broken relationships. When two people reconcile, they stop being enemies and become friends again. In the same way, thro... The Church as God’s Temple 4 The idea of the church as God's temple comes from the Old Testament. The kings David and Solomon received a promise that the temple in Jerusalem would be where God lived among his people (see 2 Samuel 7:12–16 ; 1 King... The Holy Spirit’s Work 4 Different New Testament writers emphasized various aspects of the Holy Spirit's work. The apostle John, for example, emphasized the Spirit's role as a teacher and revealer of God's thoughts and ways ( John 14:17 , 26... Christian Suffering 3 We should not be surprised when we experience suffering ( 1 Peter 4:12 ). Christians who live differently by obeying God should expect the culture to respond with hostility. We should expect mockery, bad treatment, fa...
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The Grace of God 3 Grace is an important word in the Bible. It shows God's kindness and favor. It is often related to how he saves those who do not deserve it. The New Testament emphasizes that grace came through Jesus Christ ( John 1:1... The Resurrection of Jesus 3 The Bible clearly describes how Jesus physically rose from the dead through God's power. However, many other explanations have been suggested: Jesus did not actually die. He fainted and later woke up in a cold tomb. S... God’s Faithfulness to His People 2 God made a special agreement (called a covenant) with the people of Israel. It included blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (see Deuteronomy 28:1–68 ). Many years later, after King Solomon dedicated th... Biblical Marriage 2 The story of creation portrays God as present with humanity’s first union, set within the sacred space of the garden ( Genesis 2:18–25 ). Biblical marriage is a binding covenant (special agreement) before God. Violati... Jesus and Satan 2 Satan is a personal agent of sin and evil who opposed Jesus ( Matthew 4:1–11 ). The Gospel of Matthew refers to this being as: Job’s Innocence 2 Job’s comforters could not accept the idea that any human could be truly innocent ( Job 4:17–19 ; 15:14–16 ; 25:4–6 ). They believed suffering was a direct result of sin. So, Job must have done something wrong to dese... Misunderstanding in the Gospel of John 2 In John's Gospel, people often misunderstood Jesus (see John 3:4 ; 4:11 , 33 ; 7:35 ; 11:12–13 ). They disagreed about who Jesus was. When they realized what he truly meant, some wanted to arrest him, while others wan... Passing On Authority and Responsibility to a New Leader 2 The role of a Christian leader is to serve and endure difficulties for those they guide ( Mark 10:35–45 ). For the apostle Paul, good leadership meant setting an example like Jesus Christ. Jesus's death on the cross w... The New Order 2 Isaiah describes two different ways the world can be. The first way (the old order ) is how things are now, where people struggle with power and difficulties. The second way (the new order ) is God's new creation that... The Promise of a Second Exodus 2 God brought the people of Israel back to their homeland from Babylon, just as he had brought them out of Egypt many years before ( Isaiah 48:20–21 ). (This first rescue from Egypt is called the exodus.) This time, whe... God or Satan? 2 Who is responsible for trials and difficulties? It might see strange, but Scripture sometimes says God, sometimes Satan, and sometimes both. How is this possible? Understanding this requires looking at these situation... Purity and Identity 2 God is holy, and he made a covenant (special agreement) with Israel to establish a holy nation ( Exodus 19:4–6 ; Leviticus 19:2 ). Being God's people meant Israel needed to be pure in worship and social relationships....

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Outline

Use of the Old Testament in 2 Corinthians

9 quotations from 7 Old Testament books

Total quotations 9
Connected books 7
Most-connected book Psalms 2

All References

2 Corinthians OT Passage Compare
2 Corinthians 4:13 Psalm 116:10
Compare
OT Text
  • I believed, therefore I said, “I am greatly afflicted.”
NT Text
  • in keeping with what is written, “I believed, therefore I have spoken,” we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore
2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8
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OT Text
  • This is what the LORD says: “In the time of favor I will answer You, and in the day of salvation I will help You; I will keep You and appoint You to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to apportion its desolate inheritances,
NT Text
  • In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold
2 Corinthians 6:16 Leviticus 26:11–12
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OT Text
  • And I will make My dwelling place among you, and My soul will not despise you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.
NT Text
  • I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people
2 Corinthians 6:17 Isaiah 52:11
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OT Text
  • Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; come out from it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.
NT Text
  • come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I
2 Corinthians 6:18 2 Samuel 7:14
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OT Text
  • I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.
NT Text
  • I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons
2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18
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OT Text
  • When they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall. Each one gathered as much as he needed to eat.
NT Text
  • He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall
2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9
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OT Text
  • He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.
NT Text
  • He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever
2 Corinthians 10:17 Jeremiah 9:24
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OT Text
  • But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth— for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.
NT Text
  • Let him who boasts boast in the Lord
2 Corinthians 13:1 Deuteronomy 19:15
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OT Text
  • A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
NT Text
  • Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses