New King James Version
2 Corinthians 3:2
2You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;
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 Living Translation (NLT)The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you.
Context of 2 Corinthians 3:2
1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. 4And we have such trust through Christ toward God.
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 3:10According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
- 1 Corinthians 9:1Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
- 2 Corinthians 7:3I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
- 2 Corinthians 11:11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
- 2 Corinthians 12:15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
- Philippians 1:7just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.
- Romans 1:8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
- 1 Corinthians 9:2If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:8For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries