For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
2 CORINTHIANS 13:4KJVWhat does 2 Corinthians 13:4 mean?
2 Corinthians 13:4 says that although Jesus was crucified in weakness, he now lives by God's power, and in a similar way, Paul and his companions may seem weak but will live with Christ by God's power for the benefit of the Corinthians. The verse draws a parallel between Jesus' apparent weakness in death and the real strength shown in his resurrection, applying that same pattern to the lives of believers.
Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, defending his ministry and addressing doubts about his authority. He reminds them that just as Jesus' suffering and death looked like weakness but led to resurrection power, so Paul’s own hardships are not signs of failure but of sharing in Christ’s pattern. The verse reassures the Corinthians that God’s power is at work, even when things seem weak or unimpressive.
The Greek behind 2 Corinthians 13:4
- The word for "weakness" (ἀσθένεια, astheneia) means frailty or lack of strength. Paul uses it to highlight how both Jesus and his followers may appear powerless, but this is not the whole story.
- The word for "power" (δύναμις, dynamis) refers to strength or ability, especially God's active, life-giving power. The contrast between "weakness" and "power" is central to Paul’s point.
- The phrase "with him" (σὺν αὐτῷ, syn autō) shows that believers share in both Christ’s suffering and his new life, not just observing but participating in what happened to Jesus.
Why 2 Corinthians 13:4 matters
- This verse corrects the idea that outward weakness or suffering means God is absent or powerless; instead, it shows that God’s power often works through what looks weak.
- It connects the experience of Jesus directly to the lives of believers, showing that their struggles are not failures but part of following Christ.
- In the context of the letter, it reassures the Corinthians that Paul’s authority and ministry are genuine, even if they seem unimpressive by worldly standards, because they follow the pattern of Jesus himself.