Bible Strands
2 Corinthians 3:4
Such confidence before God is ours through Christ.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Corinthian church while contrasting the old covenant ministry with the new covenant ministry of the Spirit. He grounds his apostolic authority in divine provision rather than human capability at this moment of defense.
The words — The Greek πεποιθήσιν (pepoithēsin) carries the literal sense of settled confidence or bold assurance. It is coupled with ἔχομεν (echomen), meaning "we have," to mark this assurance as a present possession granted through Christ.
The thread — This Christ-centered assurance appears in Ephesians 3:12, where believers approach God through faith, and in Philippians 1:6, which ties confidence to God’s ongoing work. Exodus 18:19 similarly frames Moses’ representative role as dependent on divine direction rather than personal merit.
Why it lands — The text states that competence and boldness before God originate from Christ, not human ability, and requires readers to reject self-sufficiency. It demands that believers ground their service and assurance exclusively in divine provision.
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
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
Cross-references
- Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
- Ephesians 3:12 In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.
- Exodus 18:19 Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him.
- 2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:8 For not only did the message of the Lord ring out from you to Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out to every place, so that we have no need to say anything more.