Summary of the Book of 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians NIV

Summary of the Book of 2 Corinthians

This summary of the book of 2 Corinthians provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of 2 Corinthians.

Author

Paul is the author of this letter (see 1:1; 10:1). It is stamped with his style and contains more autobiographical material than any of his other writings.

Date

The available evidence indicates that the year a.d. 55 is a reasonable estimate for the writing of this letter. From 1Co 16:5-8 it may be concluded that 1 Corinthians was written from Ephesus before Pentecost (in the late spring) and that 2 Corinthians may have been written later that same year before the onset of winter. 2Co 2:13; 7:5 indicate that it was probably written from Macedonia.

Recipients

The opening greeting of the letter states that it was addressed to the church in Corinth and to Christians throughout Achaia (the Roman province comprising all of Greece south of Macedonia; see map, 2288).

Occasion

It seems that Paul wrote as many as four letters to the church at Corinth: (1) the letter referred to in 1Co 5:9 (see note there); (2) 1 Corinthians; (3) the "severe" letter (see 2Co 2:3-4; see also below); (4) 2 Corinthians. After writing 1 Corinthians Paul continued his ministry at Ephesus until he heard that his letter had not completely accomplished its purpose. A group of men had come to Corinth who presented themselves as apostles. They were false teachers who were challenging, among other things, Paul's personal integrity and his authority as an apostle (see 11:4; 12:11).

In the face of this serious situation, Paul decided to make a quick trip to Corinth (12:4; 13:1-2) to see whether he could remedy the situation. The visit turned out to be painful and did not accomplish its purpose. So when Paul returned to Ephesus, he wrote the Corinthians a severe letter "out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears" (2:4), probably sending it by Titus (12:8). Some identify this letter with 2Co 10-13. Others think it has been lost.

After writing the severe letter, Paul had second thoughts. He was deeply concerned about how the Corinthians might react to it. So after the riot caused by Demetrius and his fellow silversmiths (see Ac 19:23-41), he left Ephesus and set out for Macedonia by way of Troas. He expected to meet Titus in Troas to get news of the effect of his severe letter on the Corinthian church, but Titus was not there (see 2Co 2:12-13). Still deeply concerned and despite the fact that the Lord had opened up an opportunity to preach the gospel at Troas, Paul said good-by to the believers there and moved on to Macedonia, where he met Titus. To his relief, the news from the Corinthian church was basically good. The severe letter had brought its intended results (7:5-16). The encouraging report of Titus of the improved situation at Corinth is the immediate occasion of the writing of 2 Corinthians.

How, then, does one explain the harsh tone of chs. 10 - 13, which is so different from the rest of the letter? Some think that when Paul had just completed writing the first nine chapters, a report came to him that a strong and vocal minority was still causing trouble at Corinth. So before sending off the letter he added the last four chapters to address this troublemaking group. Others hold that chs. 10 - 13 were written some time after Paul had sent the first nine chapters and that they constitute a separate letter. There is, however, no manuscript evidence that warrants splitting 2 Corinthians into two parts.

Purposes

Because of the occasion that prompted this letter, Paul had a number of purposes in mind:

1. To express the comfort and joy Paul felt because the Corinthians had responded favorably to his painful letter (1:3-4; 7:8-9,12-13).
2. To let them know about the trouble he went through in the province of Asia (1:8-11).
3. To explain why he had changed his travel plans (1:12 -- 2:4).
4. To ask them to forgive the offending party (2:5-11).
5. To warn them not to be "yoked together with unbelievers" (6:14 -- 7:1).
6. To explain to them the true nature (its joys, sufferings and rewards) and high calling of Christian ministry. This is the so-called great digression, but it turns out to be in some ways the most important section of the letter (2:14 -- 7:4; see note on 2:14).
7. To teach the Corinthians about the grace of giving and to make sure that they complete the collection for the poor Christians at Jerusalem (chs. 8 - 9).
8. To deal with the minority opposition in the church (chs. 10 - 13).
9. To prepare the Corinthians for his upcoming visit (12:14; 13:1-3,10).

Structure

The structure of the letter relates primarily to Paul's impending third visit to Corinth. The letter falls naturally into three sections:

1. Paul explains the reason for the changes in his itinerary (chs. 1 - 7).
2. Paul encourages the Corinthians to complete their collection in preparation for his arrival (chs.8 - 9).
3. Paul stresses the certainty of his coming, his authenticity as an apostle and his readiness to exercise discipline if necessary (chs. 10 - 13).

Unity

Some have questioned the unity of this letter (see above), but it forms a coherent whole, as the structure above shows. Tradition has been unanimous in affirming its unity (the early church fathers, e.g., knew the letter only in its present form). Furthermore, none of the early Greek manuscripts breaks up the book.

Outline

I.                  Apologetic: Paul's Explanation of His Conduct and Apostolic Ministry (chs. 1-7)

A.    Greetings (1:1-2)

• Thanksgiving for Divine Comfort in Affliction (1:3-11)
• The Integrity of Paul's Motives and Conduct (1:12;2:4)
• Forgiving the Offending Party at Corinth (2:5-11)
• God's Direction in Ministry (2:12-17)
• The Corinthian Believers -- a Letter from Christ (3:1-11)
• Seeing the Glory of God with Unveiled Faces (3:12;4:6)
• Treasure in Clay Jars (4:7-16a)
• The Prospect of Death and What It Means for the Christian (4:16b;5:10)
• The Ministry of Reconciliation (5:11;6:10)
• A Spiritual Father's Appeal to His Children (6:11;7:4)
• The Meeting with Titus (7:5-16)

                       II.         Hortatory: The Collection for the Christians at Jerusalem (chs. 8-9)

• Generosity Encouraged (8:1-15)
• Titus and His Companions Sent to Corinth (8:16;9:5)
• Results of Generous Giving (9:6-15)

III.         Polemical: Paul's Vindication of His Apostolic Authority (chs. 10-13)

• Paul's Defense of His Apostolic Authority and the Area of His Mission (ch. 10)
• Paul Forced into Foolish Boasting (chs. 11-12)
• Final Warnings (13:1-10)
• Conclusion, Final Greetings and Benediction (13:11-14)

---

From the NIV Study Bible, Introductions to the Books of the Bible, 2 Corinthians
Copyright 2002 © Zondervan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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1 Corinthians 16 NLT

VIII.

• Conclusion: Practical and Personal Matters (ch. 16)

1 Corinthians 16 NLT

1 Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. 

2 On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. 

3 When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem. 

4 And if it seems appropriate for me to go along, they can travel with me. 

5 I am coming to visit you after I have been to Macedonia, for I am planning to travel through Macedonia. 

6 Perhaps I will stay awhile with you, possibly all winter, and then you can send me on my way to my next destination. 

7 This time I don’t want to make just a short visit and then go right on. I want to come and stay awhile, if the Lord will let me. 

8 In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost. 

9There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.

10 When Timothy comes, don’t intimidate him. He is doing the Lord’s work, just as I am. 

11 Don’t let anyone treat him with contempt. Send him on his way with your blessing when he returns to me. I expect him to come with the other believers. 

12 Now about our brother Apollos—I urged him to visit you with the other believers, but he was not willing to go right now. He will see you later when he has the opportunity. 

13 Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 

14 And do everything with love. 

15 You know that Stephanas and his household were the first of the harvest of believers in Greece, and they are spending their lives in service to God’s people. I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, 

16 to submit to them and others like them who serve with such devotion. 

17 I am very glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come here. They have been providing the help you weren’t here to give me. 

18 They have been a wonderful encouragement to me, as they have been to you. You must show your appreciation to all who serve so well. 

19 The churches here in the province of Asia send greetings in the Lord, as do Aquila and Priscilla and all the others who gather in their home for church meetings. 

20 All the brothers and sisters here send greetings to you. Greet each other with a sacred kiss. 

21 HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL . 

22 If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed. Our Lord, come! 

23 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 

24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus.

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1 Corinthians 15 NLT

VII. Instruction on the Resurrection (ch. 15)

• The Certainty of the Resurrection (15:1-34)
• The Consideration of Certain Objections (15:35-57)
• The Concluding Appeal (15:58)

1 Corinthians 15 NLT

1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 

2It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 

4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 

5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 

6After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 

7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 

8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 

9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. 

10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. 

11 So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed. 

12But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? 

13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 

14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 

15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 

16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 

17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 

18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 

19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. 

20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. 

21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 

22Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 

23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. 

24 After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. 

25 For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. 

26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.

27 For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.) 

28 Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere. 

29 If the dead will not be raised, what point is there in people being baptized for those who are dead? Why do it unless the dead will someday rise again? 

30 And why should we ourselves risk our lives hour by hour? 

31 For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you. 

32And what value was there in fighting wild beasts—those people of Ephesus —if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 

33 Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” 

34 Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all. 

35 But someone may ask, “How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?” 

36 What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. 

37 And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. 

38 Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed. 

39 Similarly there are different kinds of flesh—one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 

40There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies. 

41 The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory. 

42 It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. 

43 Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 

44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies. 

45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. 

46 What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 

47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 

48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 

49Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man. 

50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. 

51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 

52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 

53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 

54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 

55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? ” 

56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 

57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

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1 Corinthians 14 NLT

VI. Instruction on Public Worship (11:2;14:40)

• Propriety in Worship (11:2-16)
• The Lord's Supper (11:17-34)
• Spiritual Gifts (chs. 12-14)
1. The test of the gifts (12:1-3)
2. The unity of the gifts (12:4-11)
3. The diversity of the gifts (12:12-31a)
4. The necessity of exercising the gifts in love (12:31b;13:13)
5. The superiority of prophecy over tongues (14:1-25)
6. Rules governing public worship (14:26-40)

1 Corinthians 14 NLT

1 Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. 

2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 

3 But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 

4 A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. 

5 I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened. 

6 Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language, how would that help you? But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful. 

7 Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody. 

8 And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle? 

9 It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space. 

10 There are many different languages in the world, and every language has meaning. 

11 But if I don’t understand a language, I will be a foreigner to someone who speaks it, and the one who speaks it will be a foreigner to me. 

12 And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church. 

13 So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said. 

14 For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying. 

15Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand.

16 For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying? 

17 You will be giving thanks very well, but it won’t strengthen the people who hear you. 

18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you. 

19 But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language. 

20 Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind. 

21It is written in the Scriptures : “I will speak to my own people through strange languages and through the lips of foreigners. But even then, they will not listen to me,” says the LORD . 

22 So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers. 

23 Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy. 

24But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say. 

25 As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.” 

26 Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. 

27 No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. 

28 But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately. 

29 Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. 

30 But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. 

31 In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 

32Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. 

33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people. 

34 Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. 

35 If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.

36 Or do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only ones to whom it was given? 

37 If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. 

38 But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized. 

39 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 

40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.