2 Corinthians 2:17

2 Corinthians 2:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
• New International Version (NIV)Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

Context of 2 Corinthians 2:17

15For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing – 16to the latter an odor from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, but we are speaking in Christ before God as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God.

2 Corinthians 2:17 word by word

οὐ γάρ ἐσμεν ὡς οἱ πολλοὶ καπηλεύοντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐξ εἰλικρινείας, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐκ θεοῦ, κατέναντι θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλοῦμεν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• we areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• which corruptκαπηλεύωkapēleuō · to peddleG2585
• the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• sincerityεἰλικρίνειαeilikrineia · sincerityG1505
• in the sightκατενώπιονkatenōpion · beforeG2714
• speak weλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 2:17

• 2 Corinthians 4:2But we have rejected shameful hidden deeds, not behaving with deceptiveness or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God.
• 2 Corinthians 11:13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy lies. The priests exercise power by their own authority. And my people love to have it this way. But they will not be able to help you when the time of judgment comes!
• Jeremiah 23:27How long will they go on plotting to make my people forget who I am through the dreams they tell one another? That is just as bad as what their ancestors did when they forgot who I am by worshiping the god Baal.
• Matthew 24:24For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
• 1 Timothy 1:19To do this you must hold firmly to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck in regard to the faith.
• 1 Timothy 4:1Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings,
• 2 Timothy 2:6The farmer who works hard ought to have the first share of the crops.
• 2 Timothy 4:3For there will be a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things.
• 2 Peter 2:1But false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. These false teachers will infiltrate your midst with destructive heresies, even to the point of denying the Master who bought them. As a result, they will bring swift destruction on themselves.
• 1 John 4:1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
• 2 John 1:7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist!
• Jude 1:4For certain men have secretly slipped in among you – men who long ago were marked out for the condemnation I am about to describe – ungodly men who have turned the grace of our God into a license for evil and who deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
• Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.
• Revelation 12:9So that huge dragon – the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.
• Revelation 19:20Now the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf – signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 2:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God - God has made Us sufficient for these things by giving us his own pure doctrine, the ministry of reconciliation, which we conscientiously preserve and preach; and we act, not like many among you, who, having received that doctrine, corrupt it; mingling with it their own inventions, and explaining away its force and influence, so as to accommodate it to men of carnal minds. The word , from , a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17For we are not as many - This refers doubtless to the false teachers at Corinth; and to all who mingled human philosophy or tradition with the pure word of truth. Paul‘s design in the statement in this verse seems to be to affirm that he had such a deep sense of the responsibility of the ministerial office, and of its necessary influence on the eternal destiny of man, that it led him to preach the simple gospel, the pure word of God. He did not dare to…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. 17Paul compares his service to that of his opponents. They preach for personal gain and distort the truth, like merchants in Paul's time who sold poor-quality goods or innkeepers who diluted wine. In contrast, Paul preached sincerely and with Christ's authority (compare 1:12; 4:2). Paul denies having selfish motives again in 11:1–12:21.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. not as many--(2Co 11:18; Php 2:21). Rather, "the many," namely, the false teachers of whom he treats (tenth through twelfth chapters, especially 2Co 11:13; 1Th 2:3). which corrupt--Greek, "adulterating, as hucksters do wine for gain" (2Co 4:2; Is 1:22; 2Pe 2:3, "Make merchandise of you"). as of sincerity ... as of God--as one speaking from (out of) sincerity, as from (that is, by the command of, and so in dependence on) God. in Christ's--as united to…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 2:17

• Character
• Doctrines
• Love
• Minister, Christian
• Righteousness
• Sincerity
• Word of God
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Christ, Messiah
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Word of God
• Advantage
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Determine
• Sufficient
• Church Government

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