EasyEnglish Bible 2018
2 Corinthians 2:16
16For the people who are dying, we are like a bad smell that brings a message of death. But for the people that God is saving, we are like a lovely smell that brings a message of new life. Nobody is really good enough to tell such an important message!
2 Corinthians 2:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
- New International Version (NIV)To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?
- English Standard Version (ESV)to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
- New King James Version (NKJV)To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
Context of 2 Corinthians 2:16
14But I thank God! He has won against sin, because of what Christ has done. Christ is our leader and we show that he is the winner. We also help people to know about Christ. That knowledge is like a lovely smell that comes to people everywhere. 15When we tell people about Christ, we are like a lovely smell that rises up to God. We are like that among the people that God is saving. We are also like that among the people who are dying because they are far from God. For the people who are dying, we are like a bad smell that brings a message of death. But for the people that God is saving, we are like a lovely smell that brings a message of new life. Nobody is really good enough to tell such an important message! 17Some people even tell God's message because they want to get a lot of money for themselves. But we are not like them. No, God himself has sent us to do this work. And he sees what we are doing. So we are honest and we speak God's message clearly, as Christ's servants should do.
Read all of 2 Corinthians 22 Corinthians 2:16 word by word
οἷς μὲν ὀσμὴ ἐκ θανάτου εἰς θάνατον, οἷς δὲ ὀσμὴ ἐκ ζωῆς εἰς ζωήν. καὶ πρὸς ταῦτα τίς ἱκανός;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- To the oneὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
- the savourὀσμήosmē · aromaG3744
- of deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
- untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- andδέde · thenG1161
- of lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- whoτίςtis · which?G5101
- sufficientἱκανόςhikanos · sufficientG2425
- forπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 2:16
- Luke 2:34Then Simeon asked God to be good and kind to Mary and to Joseph. After that, he spoke to Mary, the mother of Jesus. He said to her, ‘God has chosen this baby. Many people in Israel will become worse because of him. And many of them will become better again because of him. He will be like a sign that points to God. But many people will speak against him.
- John 9:39Then Jesus said, ‘I came into this world to judge people. Then people who know that they are blind will be able to see. And people who think they can see will become blind.’
- Acts 13:45But when some Jews saw the crowds of people, they became angry. They were very jealous because the people listened to Paul and Barnabas. They said that Paul was teaching wrong things. They also said bad things against him.
- Acts 20:26So I want to say this clearly to you today. If any of you have not believed in Jesus, it is not because of me.
- 1 Peter 2:7This stone is very valuable to you who believe in Jesus. But the Bible says this about people who do not believe in him: ‘The builders refused to use a certain stone. They thought that it had no value. But now that stone has become the most important stone at the corner of the building.’
- 2 Corinthians 3:5We know that we cannot do this work by ourselves. We never think that. But God makes us able to do it.
- 2 Corinthians 12:11I am speaking like a proud fool, but you have made me do it. You yourselves should be saying good things about me. I may not be important. But I am as good as those very special apostles.
- 1 Corinthians 15:10But God was very kind to me. He helped me to become a different person. And because God has been so kind to me, the result has been great. I have worked more than all the other apostles. But it was not really I myself who could do that work. No, I could do it because God was so kind to me.
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 2:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16To the one we are the savour of death unto death - There are several sayings among the ancient Jewish writers similar to this. In Debarim Rabba, sec. i. fol. 248, it is said: "As the bee brings home honey to its owner, but stings others; so it is with the words of the law;" לישראל חיים סם sam chaiyim leyisrael, "They are a savour of lives to the Israelites:" העולם לאומות המות וסם vesam hammaveth leomoth haolam, "And a savour of death to the people of this…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16To the one - To those who perish. We are the savour of death unto death - We are the occasion of deepening their condemnation, and of sinking them lower into ruin. The expression used here means literally, “to the one class we bear a death-conveying odor leading to their death” - a savor, a smell which, under the circumstances, is destructive to life, and which leads to death. Mr. Locke renders this: “To the one my preaching is of ill savor, unacceptable…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 A believer's triumphs are all in Christ. To him be the praise and glory of all, while the success of the gospel is a good reason for a Christian's joy and rejoicing. In ancient triumphs, abundance of perfumes and sweet odours were used; so the name and salvation of Jesus, as ointment poured out, was a sweet savour diffused in every place. Unto some, the gospel is a savour of death unto death. They reject it to their ruin. Unto others, the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16Incense was scattered along the parade route of a victorious Roman general, and people received it in two ways. For the captives heading to the arena and death, it smelled like death and doom. For the victors, it was a life-giving perfume. This is similar to those who share the good news about Jesus. It either leads to eternal life or seals the fate of those who reject it (compare 1 Corinthians 1:18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. savour of death unto death ... of life unto life--an odor arising out of death (a mere announcement of a dead Christ, and a virtually lifeless Gospel, in which light unbelievers regard the Gospel message), ending (as the just and natural consequence) in death (to the unbeliever); (but to the believer) an odor arising out of life (that is, the announcement of a risen and living Saviour), ending in life (to the believer) (Mt 21:44; Lu 2:34; Joh 9:39)…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Corinthians 2:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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