2 Corinthians 3:5

2 Corinthians 3:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
• New International Version (NIV)Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,

Context of 2 Corinthians 3:5

3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on fleshly tables of the heart. 4And such trust we have through Christ toward God: Not that we are sufficient by ourselves to think any thing as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7But if the ministration of death, written and engraven on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

2 Corinthians 3:5 word by word

οὐχ ὅτι ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν ἱκανοί ἐσμεν λογίσασθαί τι ὡς ἐξ ἑαυτῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ἱκανότης ἡμῶν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ,Read the interlinear

• Notοὐou · noG3756
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• areἐσμένesmen · we areG2070
• sufficientἱκανόςhikanos · sufficientG2425
• byἀπόapo · away fromG575
• ourselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• thinkλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• thingτιςtis · oneG5100
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• ourἡμῶνhēmōn · of usG2257
• sufficiencyἱκανότηςhikanotēs · sufficiencyG2426
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 3:5

• 2 Corinthians 2:16To the one we are the savour of death to death; and to the other the savour of life to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
• 2 Corinthians 4:7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not from us.
• Exodus 4:10And Moses said to the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before, nor since thou hast spoken to thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
• John 15:5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
• 2 Corinthians 12:9And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
• Exodus 4:11And the LORD said to him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
• Jeremiah 1:6Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
• Matthew 10:19But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given to you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
• Luke 21:15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to speak against nor withstand.
• Luke 24:49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye are endued with power from on high.
• 1 Corinthians 3:6I have planted, Apollos watered; but God hath given the increase.
• 1 Corinthians 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
• Philippians 2:13For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
• Philippians 4:13I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.
• James 1:17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 3:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves - We do not arrogate to ourselves any power to enlighten the mind or change the heart, we are only instruments in the hand of God. Nor was it possible for us apostles to think, to invent, such a scheme of salvation as is the Gospel; and if we even had been equal to the invention, how could we have fulfilled such promises as this scheme of salvation abounds with? God alone could fulfill these promises, and he fulfils…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves - This is evidently designed to guard against the appearance of boasting, or of self-confidence. He had spoken of his confidence; of his triumph; of his success; of his undoubted evidence that God had sent him. He here says, that he did not mean to be understood as affirming that any of his success came from himself, or that he was able by his own strength to accomplish the great things which had been effected by…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6The old written covenant refers to the law of Moses as interpreted by Jewish rabbis. It results in death for those who see it as a path to salvation. The law is good (Romans 7:12–14), but those who try to earn merit through it fail. Earning merit through the law leads to either wrongdoing or pride. In both cases, the law brings condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. The Greek is, "Not that we are (even yet after so long experience as ministers) sufficient to think anything OF ourselves as (coming) FROM ourselves; but our sufficiency is (derived) FROM God." "From" more definitely refers to the source out of which a thing comes; "of" is more general. to think--Greek, to "reason out" or "devise"; to attain to sound preaching by our reasonings [Theodoret]. The "we" refers here to ministers (2Pe 1:21). anything--even…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 3:5

• Blessing
• Depravity of Man
• Humility

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Humility
• Plainness
• Sufficiency
• Untaken
• Baptismal Regeneration
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Covenant, the New

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