God’s Word Translation
2 Corinthians 3:2
2You’re our letter of recommendation written in our hearts that everyone knows and reads.
2 Corinthians 3:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
- New International Version (NIV)You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.
- English Standard Version (ESV)You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.
- New King James Version (NKJV)You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;
Context of 2 Corinthians 3:2
1Do we have to show you our qualifications again? Do we, like some people, need letters that recommend us to you or letters from you that recommend us to others? You’re our letter of recommendation written in our hearts that everyone knows and reads. 3It’s clear that you are Christ’s letter, written as a result of our ministry. You are a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, a letter written not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4Christ gives us confidence about you in God’s presence.
Read all of 2 Corinthians 32 Corinthians 3:2 word by word
ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἡμῶν ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐγγεγραμμένη ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν, γινωσκομένη καὶ ἀναγινωσκομένη ὑπὸ πάντων ἀνθρώπων,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Yeσύsu · youG4771
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- epistleὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- epistleἐπιστολήepistolē · epistleG1992
- writtenἐγγράφωeggraphō · to write inG1449
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
- knownγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- readἀναγινώσκωanaginōskō · to readG314
- ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 3:2
- 1 Corinthians 3:10As a skilled and experienced builder, I used the gift that God gave me to lay the foundation ⌞for that building⌟. However, someone else is building on it. Each person must be careful how he builds on it.
- 1 Corinthians 9:1Don’t you agree that I’m a free man? Don’t you agree that I’m an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren’t you the result of my work for the Lord?
- 2 Corinthians 7:3I’m not saying this to condemn you. I’ve already told you that you are in our hearts so that we will live and die together.
- 2 Corinthians 11:11Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows that I do love you.
- 2 Corinthians 12:15I will be very glad to spend whatever I have. I’ll even give myself for you. Do you love me less because I love you so much?
- Philippians 1:7You have a special place in my heart. So it’s right for me to think this way about all of you. All of you are my partners. Together we share God’s favor, whether I’m in prison or defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.
- Romans 1:8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for every one of you because the news of your faith is spreading throughout the whole world.
- 1 Corinthians 9:2If I’m not an apostle to other people, at least I’m an apostle to you. You are the seal which proves that I am the Lord’s apostle.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:8From you the Lord’s word has spread out not only through the province of Macedonia and Greece but also to people everywhere who have heard about your faith in God. We don’t need to say a thing about it.
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 3:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Ye are our epistle - I bear the most ardent love to you. I have no need to be put in remembrance of you by any epistles or other means; ye are written in my heart - I have the most affectionate remembrance of you. Known and read of all men - For wherever I go I mention you; speak of your various gifts and graces; and praise your knowledge in the Gospel.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Ye are our epistle - compare 1 Corinthians 9:2. This is a most beautiful and happy turn given to the whole subject. The sense is plain. It is, that the conversion of the Corinthians, under the faithful labors of the apostle, was a better testimonial of his character and fidelity than any letters could be. To see the force of this, it must be remembered: (1)That Corinth was an exceedingly dissolute and abandoned place (see the introduction to the First…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3Paul’s ministry was proven by the lives changed by the good news about Jesus, not by a letter of recommendation (compare Acts 18:27). Christ, who caused this change, used Paul to guide believers to him. The true signs are not in letters written with pen and ink on parchment, but in the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) in human lives and engraved on human hearts.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. our epistle--of recommendation. in our hearts--not letters borne merely in the hands. Your conversion through my instrumentality, and your faith which is "known of all men" by widespread report (1Co 1:4-7), and which is written by memory and affection on my inmost heart and is borne about wherever I go, is my letter of recommendation (1Co 9:2). known and read--words akin in root, sound, and sense (so 2Co 1:13). "Ye are known to be my converts by…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Corinthians 3:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 3
- 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
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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