Bible Strands
2 Corinthians 1:22
placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul is defending his apostolic authority to the Corinthians, inserting this statement between his claim that God anointed them (v. 21) and his appeal to God as witness for his travel decisions (v. 23).
The words — σφραγισμένος (sphragismenos), "having sealed," is a commercial and legal term for marking a document or object as authentic and owned; Paul applies it to persons, not things.
The thread — The same seal-and-pledge language recurs in Ephesians 1:13 (sealed with the promised Holy Spirit), Ephesians 4:30 (sealed for the day of redemption), and 2 Corinthians 5:5 (the Spirit given as arrabōn, a pledge of what is to come).
Why it lands — The seal and the pledge are both God's acts directed at "us," which means the reader's standing rests on what God has done, not on their own performance or the Corinthians' treatment of Paul.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Cross-references
- Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
- 2 Corinthians 5:5 And it is God who has prepared us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what is to come.
- Ephesians 1:13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
- John 6:27 Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
- Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
- Romans 8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
- Romans 8:23 Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
- Revelation 9:4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
- 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”
- Revelation 7:3 “Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have placed a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”