2 Corinthians 5:21

2 Corinthians 5:21 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
• English Standard Version (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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Context of 2 Corinthians 5:21

19namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21 word by word

τὸν μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν, ἵνα ἡμεῖς γενώμεθα δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ.¶Read the interlinear

• He madeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• knewγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• noμήmē · notG3361
• sinἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
• on our behalfὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• soἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• that we might becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 5:21

• Isaiah 53:4Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
• Daniel 9:26Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
• Zechariah 13:7“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, And against the man, My Associate,” Declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered; And I will turn My hand against the little ones.
• Romans 8:3For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
• Galatians 3:13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”--
• Ephesians 5:2and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
• 1 Peter 3:18For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
• 1 John 2:1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
• Isaiah 53:9His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
• Luke 1:35The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.
• Hebrews 7:26For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;
• 1 Peter 2:22who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;
• 1 John 3:5You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
• Isaiah 45:24They will say of Me, ‘Only in the Lord are righteousness and strength.’ Men will come to Him, And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.
• Isaiah 53:11As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 5:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21For he hath made him to be sin for us - ̔, ̔ ̔ ̔ · He made him who knew no sin, (who was innocent), a sin-offering for us. The word ̔ occurs here twice: in the first place it means sin, i.e. transgression and guilt; and of Christ it is said, He knew no sin, i.e. was innocent; for not to know sin is the same as to be conscious of innocence; so, nil conscire sibi, to be conscious of nothing against one's self, is the same as nulla pallescere culpa, to be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21For he hath made him to be sin for us - The Greek here is, for him who knew no sin, he hath made sin, or a sin-offering for us.‘ The design of this very important verse is, to urge the strongest possible reason for being reconciled to God. This is implied in the word ( ̀ gar) “for.” Paul might have urged other arguments, and presented other strong considerations. But he chooses to present this fact, that Christ has been made sin for us, as embodying and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-21Verses 16-21 The renewed man acts upon new principles, by new rules, with new ends, and in new company. The believer is created anew; his heart is not merely set right, but a new heart is given him. He is the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Though the same as a man, he is changed in his character and conduct. These words must and do mean more than an outward reformation. The man who formerly saw no beauty in the Saviour that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Christ became the offering for our sin on the cross by taking the penalty of sin upon himself and dying a criminal's death. He did this even though he never sinned (John 8:46; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5), so we might be made right with God. That is, we are set in a right relationship with God and accepted by him (see Galatians 3:13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. For--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. The grand reason why they should be reconciled to God, namely, the great atonement in Christ provided by God, is stated without the "for" as being part of the message of reconciliation (2Co 5:19). he--God. sin--not a sin offering, which would destroy the antithesis to "righteousness," and would make "sin" be used in different senses in the same sentence: not a sinful person, which would be untrue, and would…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 5:21

• God Continued...
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Justification
• Offerings
• Reconciliation
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Appear
• Constrain
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Covenant
• Death
• Earthly
• Faith
• Groan

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 5

• 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