2 Corinthians 5:20

2 Corinthians 5:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
• New International Version (NIV)We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

Context of 2 Corinthians 5:20

18Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Messiah and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 19That is, in Messiah God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them; and He has entrusted the message of reconciliation to us. We are therefore ambassadors for Messiah, as though God were making His appeal through us. We beg you on behalf of Messiah, be reconciled to God. 21He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:20 word by word

Ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ οὖν πρεσβεύομεν, ὡς τοῦ θεοῦ παρακαλοῦντος δι᾽ ἡμῶν· δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ· καταλλάγητε τῷ θεῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• we are ambassadorsπρεσβεύωpresbeuō · be ambassadorG4243
• forὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• as thoughὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• did beseechπαρακαλέωparakaleō · to plead/comfortG3870
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• we prayδέομαιdeomai · to prayG1189
• be ye reconciledκαταλλάσσωkatallassō · to reconcileG2644

Cross-references for 2 Corinthians 5:20

• 2 Corinthians 3:6He also made us competent as servants of a new covenant—not of the letter, but of the Ruach. For the letter kills, but the Ruach gives life.
• Job 33:23“If there is an angel beside him, a messenger, one out of a thousand, to declare to a man his uprightness,
• Proverbs 13:17A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.
• Malachi 2:7For a kohen’s lips should guard knowledge, and instruction must be sought from his mouth. For he is a messenger of Adonai-Tzva’ot.
• John 20:21Yeshua said to them again, “Shalom aleichem! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
• Acts 26:17I will rescue you from your own people, and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you,
• Ephesians 6:20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may speak boldly, the way I should.
• 2 Corinthians 5:11Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we are trying to persuade people, but what we are is known to God—and I hope it is known to your consciences as well.
• 2 Corinthians 6:1Since we are co-laboring, we also urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.
• 2 Kings 17:13Yet Adonai had forewarned Israel and Judah by the hand of every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the Torah which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by the hand of My servants the prophets.”
• 2 Chronicles 36:15Adonai, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through His messengers again and again, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place.
• Nehemiah 9:29“You warned them in order to turn them back to Your Torah, but they became insolent and disobeyed Your mitzvot. They sinned against Your ordinances—those by which if a man does them he will live. They turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen.
• Isaiah 55:6Seek Adonai while He may be found, call on Him while He is near.
• Jeremiah 44:4Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets, sending them early and often, saying: ‘Oh, do not do this loathsome thing that I hate.’
• Ezekiel 18:31Cast off from you all your transgressions that you have committed. Make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, house of Israel?
• Job 33:6Look, I am the same as you before God; I too am formed from clay.

Commentaries on 2 Corinthians 5:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20We are ambassadors for Christ - ̔ - . We execute the function of ambassadors in Christ's stead. He came from the Father to mankind on this important embassy. He has left the world, and appointed us in his place. Ambassador is a person sent from one sovereign power to another; and is supposed to represent the person of the sovereign by whom he is deputed. Christ while on earth represented the person of the Sovereign of the world; his apostles and their…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ - We are the ambassadors whom Christ has sent forth to negotiate with people in regard to their reconciliation to God, Tyndale renders this: “Now then are we messengers in the room of Christ.” The word used here ́ presbeuomenfrom ́ presbusan aged man, an elder, and then an ambassador) means to act as an ambassador, or sometimes merely to deliver a message for another, without being empowered to do any thing more than…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. 20The great privilege of believers is to be Christ’s ambassadors (compare Ephesians 6:20). as though God were making His appeal through us: Paul does not claim to speak for God. Instead, God speaks through us. Christ’s redeeming work for sinners allows them to "Be reconciled to God" (see Romans 5:1–11; Ephesians 2:11–22; Colossians 1:15–23). Christian witness centers on this appeal. Paul also urged the rebellious Corinthians to join his side (see 2…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. for Christ ... in Christ's stead--The Greek of both is the same: translate in both cases "on Christ's behalf." beseech ... pray--rather, "entreat [plead with you] ... beseech." Such "beseeching" is uncommon in the case of "ambassadors," who generally stand on their dignity (compare 2Co 10:2; 1Th 2:6, 7). be ye reconciled to God--English Version here inserts "ye," which is not in the original, and which gives the wrong impression, as if it were…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Corinthians 5:20

• Ambassadors
• God Continued...
• Minister, Christian
• Reconciliation
• Salvation
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Christ, Messiah
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Ambassador
• Apostle
• Appear
• Constrain
• Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
• Earthly

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