Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, October 5th, 2024
the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

2 Corinthians 5:15

For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we'll never have to relocate our "tents" again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what's coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we're tired of it! We've been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less. That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming. But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that's what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what's coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad. That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It's no light thing to know that we'll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That's why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We're not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we're on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Love;   Obligation;   Perseverance;   Selfishness;   Suffering;   Unselfishness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Christ;   Death;   Life;   Life-Death;   Living Unto God;   Meaning of the Risen Life;   Risen Life, Meaning of;   Saviour, Christ Our;   Sin-Saviour;   Sufferings of Christ;   The Topic Concordance - Life;   Sacrifice;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Atonement, the;   Christ Is God;   Conduct, Christian;   Devotedness to God;   Holiness;   Missionaries, All Christians Should Be as;   Selfishness;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ethics;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Church, the;   Death of Christ;   Mediator, Mediation;   Union with Christ;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Obedience;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Atonement;   Flesh;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Cross, Crucifixion;   Life;   Reconcilation;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Atonement;   Corinthians, Second Epistle to;   Love, Lover, Lovely, Beloved;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Brotherly Love;   Example;   Propitiation;   Reconciliation;   Reconciliation ;   Sacrifice (2);   Sanctify, Sanctification;   Trust;   Universalism (2);   Vicarious Sacrifice;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Christianity;   Galatians, Epistle to the;   Love;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for December 15;   Every Day Light - Devotion for November 21;  

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
When anyone believes his death was for their life, they begin to live for something other than themselves. When they start riding for the brand, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised back to life just like we will be.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Legacy Standard Bible
And He died for all, so that they who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Bible in Basic English
And that he underwent death for all, so that the living might no longer be living to themselves, but to him who underwent death for them and came back from the dead.
Darby Translation
and he died for all, that they who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died for them and has been raised.
Christian Standard Bible®
And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.
World English Bible
He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him who died for them, and rose again.
Weymouth's New Testament
and that He died for all in order that the living may no longer live to themselves, but to Him who died for them and rose again.
King James Version (1611)
And that he died for all, that they which liue, should not hencefoorth liue vnto themselues, but vnto him which died for them, and rose againe.
Literal Translation
and He died for all, that the living ones may live no more to themselves, but to the One having died for them and having been raised.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And therfore dyed he for all, that they which lyue, shulde not hence forth lyue vnto them selues, but vnto him, which dyed for them and rose agayne.
Mace New Testament (1729)
that they who are in a state of life should not live at their own discretion, but to the service of him who died for them, and rose again.
Amplified Bible
and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake.
American Standard Version
and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again.
Revised Standard Version
And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and that he dyed for all that they which live shuld not hence forth live vnto them selves but vnto hym whith died for them and rose agayne.
Update Bible Version
and he died for all, that those that live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
Webster's Bible Translation
And [that] he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him who died for them, and rose again.
Young's Literal Translation
and for all he died, that those living, no more to themselves may live, but to him who died for them, and was raised again.
New Century Version
Christ died for all so that those who live would not continue to live for themselves. He died for them and was raised from the dead so that they would live for him.
New English Translation
And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised.
Berean Standard Bible
And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.
Contemporary English Version
And Christ did die for all of us. He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for the one who died and was raised to life for us.
Complete Jewish Bible
and that he died on behalf of all in order that those who live should not live any longer for themselves but for the one who on their behalf died and was raised.
English Standard Version
and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Because we thus iudge, that if one be dead for all, then were all dead, and he died for all, that they which liue, shoulde not henceforth liue vnto themselues, but vnto him which died for them, and rose againe.
George Lamsa Translation
And that he died for all, that those who live may not henceforth live for themselves, but for him who died and rose for them.
Hebrew Names Version
He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
International Standard Version
He died for all people, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for the one who died and rose for them.Romans 6:11-12; 14:7-8; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 2:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:10; 1 Peter 4:2;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And for every man he died, that they who live should not live to themselves, but to him who on their behalf died and arose.
Murdock Translation
And he died for all, that they who live should not live to themselves, but to him who died for them and rose again.
New King James Version
and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
New Living Translation
He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
New Life Bible
Christ died for everyone so that they would live for Him. They should not live to please themselves but for Christ Who died on a cross and was raised from the dead for them.
English Revised Version
and he died for all, that they which live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again.
New Revised Standard
And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Having judged this, - that, one, in behalf of all, died, hence, they all, died; and, in behalf of all, died he, - in order that, they who live, no longer for themselves, should live, but for him who, in their behalf, died and rose again.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Christ died for all: that they also who live may not now live to themselves, but unto him who died for them and rose again.
King James Version
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Lexham English Bible
And he died for all, in order that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he dyed for all, that they which lyue, shoulde not hencefoorth lyue vnto them selues, but vnto hym which dyed for them, and rose agayne.
Easy-to-Read Version
He died for all so that those who live would not continue to live for themselves. He died for them and was raised from death so that they would live for him.
New American Standard Bible
and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf.
Good News Translation
He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but only for him who died and was raised to life for their sake.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Crist diede for alle, that thei that lyuen, lyue not now to hem silf, but to hym that diede for hem, and roos ayen.

Contextual Overview

15 For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we'll never have to relocate our "tents" again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what's coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we're tired of it! We've been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less. That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming. But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that's what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what's coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad. That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It's no light thing to know that we'll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That's why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We're not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we're on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that they: 2 Corinthians 3:6, Ezekiel 16:6, Ezekiel 37:9, Ezekiel 37:14, Habakkuk 2:4, Zechariah 10:9, John 3:15, John 3:16, John 5:24, John 6:57, Romans 6:2, Romans 6:11, Romans 6:12, Romans 8:2, Romans 8:6, Romans 8:10, Romans 14:7, Romans 14:8, 1 Corinthians 6:19, 1 Corinthians 6:20, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 5:14, Colossians 2:12, Colossians 3:1, 1 Peter 4:6, 1 John 4:9

henceforth: 2 Corinthians 5:16, 2 Kings 5:17, Romans 6:6, Ephesians 4:17, 1 Peter 1:14, 1 Peter 1:15, 1 Peter 4:2-4

live unto: Luke 1:74, Romans 6:13, Romans 12:1, Romans 14:7-9, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 1 Corinthians 10:33, Galatians 2:19, Philippians 1:20, Philippians 1:21, Colossians 3:17, Colossians 3:23, 1 Thessalonians 5:10, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 13:20, Hebrews 13:21, Revelation 1:18

Reciprocal: Exodus 21:5 - And if Deuteronomy 6:5 - God with all Deuteronomy 32:6 - requite Judges 16:15 - when thine 1 Samuel 12:10 - deliver 1 Chronicles 11:18 - brake Psalms 26:3 - For Psalms 116:12 - General Proverbs 23:26 - give Song of Solomon 5:2 - my head Song of Solomon 7:12 - there will I give thee Song of Solomon 8:6 - love Song of Solomon 8:12 - thou Zechariah 7:5 - did Matthew 10:37 - that loveth father Matthew 25:40 - Inasmuch Mark 12:17 - and to Luke 4:39 - and ministered Luke 7:43 - I Luke 15:24 - this John 13:17 - happy John 14:15 - General John 14:21 - that hath John 21:15 - lovest Romans 6:10 - he liveth unto 1 Corinthians 1:13 - Paul 1 Corinthians 6:13 - but for 1 Corinthians 13:13 - charity 1 Corinthians 16:22 - love 2 Corinthians 4:5 - and 2 Corinthians 8:5 - first Ephesians 3:17 - being Ephesians 4:20 - General Ephesians 5:2 - as Philippians 2:21 - the Colossians 2:13 - dead 1 Thessalonians 1:3 - and labour 1 Timothy 2:6 - gave 1 Timothy 5:6 - dead 2 Timothy 3:2 - lovers Hebrews 2:9 - for every 1 Peter 1:8 - ye love 1 John 4:19 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And that he died for all, that they which live,.... The end of Christ's dying for men was that they might live; live, in a legal sense, live a life of justification; and that they which live in such a sense,

should not henceforth live unto themselves: to their own lusts, and after their own wills, to either sinful self, or righteous self:

but unto him which died for them, and rose again; that is, for them, for their justification; for all those for whom Christ died, for them he rose again; and who were justified, acquitted, and discharged when he was; which cannot be said of all mankind; and which is an obligation on such persons to live to Christ, to ascribe the whole of their salvation to him, and to make his glory the end of all their actions. Some copies read, "which died for them all".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And that he died for all ... - This verse is designed still further to explain the reasons of the conduct of the apostle. He had not lived for himself. He had not lived to amass wealth, or to enjoy pleasure, or to obtain a reputation. He had lived a life of self-denial, and of toil; and he here states the reason why he had done it. It was because he felt that the great purpose of the death of the Redeemer was to secure this result. To that Saviour, therefore, who died for all, he consecrated his talents and his time, and sought in every way possible to promote his glory.

That they which live - They who are true Christians, who are made alive unto God as the result of the dying love of the Redeemer. Sinners are dead in sins. Christians are alive to the worth of the soul, the presence of God, the importance of religion, the solemnities of eternity; that is, they act and feel as if these things had a real existence and as if they should exert a constant influence upon the heart and life.

(“They which live.” This spiritual life, doubtless, implies that a man is alive to the worth of the soul, the presence of God, etc.; but it intimates something deeper too, which is the foundation of those things, and without which they could not exist. Scott paraphrases thus, “were quickened and pardoned, and so passed from death to life;” and Guyse still more explicitly, “were made supernaturally alive by his quickening spirit and by faith in him.” This is the root; the things mentioned in the comment, the fruit; this the cause, these only the effects.)

It is observable that Paul makes a distinction here between those for whom Christ died and those who actually “live,” thus demonstrating that there may be many for whom he died who do not live to God, or who are not savingly benefitted by his death. The atonement was for all, but only a part are actually made alive to God. Multitudes reject it; but the fact that he died for all; that he tasted death for every man, that he not only died for the elect but for all others, that his benevolence was so great as to embrace the whole human family in the design of his death, is a reason why they who are actually made alive to God should consecrate themselves entirely to his service. The fact that he died for all evinced such unbounded and infinite benevolence that it should induce us who are actually benefitted by his death, and who have any just views of it, to devote all that we have to his service.

Should not henceforth live unto themselves - Should not seek our own ease and pleasure; should not make it our great object to promote our own interest, but should make it the grand purpose of our lives to promote his honor, and to advance his cause. This is a vital principle in religion, and it is exceedingly important to know what is meant by living to ourselves, and whether we do it. It is done in the following, and perhaps in some other ways:

(1) When people seek pleasure, gain, or reputation as the controlling principle of their lives.

(2) When they are regardless of the rights of others, and sacrifice all the claims which others have on them in order to secure the advancement of their own purposes and ends.

(3) When they are regardless of the needs of others, and turn a deaf ear to all the appeals which charity makes to them, and have no time to give to serve them, and no money to spare to alleviate their needs; and especially when they turn a deaf ear to the appeals which are made for the diffusion of the gospel to the benighted and perishing.

(4) When their main purpose is the aggrandizement of their own families, for their families are but a diffusion of self. And,

(5) When they seek their own salvation only from selfish motives, and not from a desire to honor God. Multitudes are selfish even in their religion; and the main purpose which they have in view, is to promote their own objects, and not the honor of the Master whom they profess to serve. They seek and profess religion only because they desire to escape from wrath, and to obtain the happiness of heaven, and not from any love to the Redeemer or any desire to honor him, Or they seek to build up the interests of their own church and party, and all their zeal is expended on that and that alone, without any real desire to honor the Saviour. Or though in the church, they are still selfish, and live wholly to themselves. They live for fashion, for gain, for reputation. They practice no self-denial; they make no effort; to advance the cause of God the Saviour.

But unto him ... - Unto the Lord Jesus Christ. To live to him is the opposite to living unto ourselves. It is to seek his honor; to feel that we belong to him; that all our time and talents; all our strength of intellect and body; all the avails of our skill and toil, all belong to him, and should be employed in his service. If we have talents by which we can influence other minds, they should be employed to honor the Saviour. If we have skill, or strength to labor by which we can make money, we should feel that it all belongs to him, and should be employed in his service. If we have property, we should feel that it is his, and that he has a claim upon it all, and that it should be honestly consecrated to his cause. And if we are endowed with a spirit of enterprise, and are suited by nature to encounter perils in distant and barbarious climes, as Paul was, we should feel like him that we are bound to devote all entirely to his service, and to the promotion of his cause.

A servant, a slave, does not live to himself but to his master. His person, his time, his limbs, his talents, and the avails of his industry are not regarded as his own. He is judged incapable of holding any property which is not at the disposal of his master. If he has strength, it is his master’s. If he has skill, the avails of it are his master’s. If he is an ingenious mechanic, or labors in any department; if he is amiable, kind, gentle, and faithful, and adapted to be useful in an eminent degree, it is regarded as all the property of his master. He is bound to go where his master chooses; to execute the task which he assigns; to deny himself at his master’s will; and to come and lay the avails of all his toil and skill at his master’s feet. He is regarded as having been purchased with money; and the purchase money is supposed to give a right to his time, his talents, his services, and his soul. Such as the slave is supposed to become by purchase, and by the operation of human laws, the Christian becomes by the purchase of the Son of God, and by the voluntary recognition of him as the master, and as having a right to all that we have and are. To him all belongs; and all should be employed in endeavoring to promote his glory, and in advancing his cause.

Which died for them, and rose again - Paul here states the grounds of the obligation under which he felt himself placed, to live not unto himself but unto Christ.

(1) The first is, the fact that Christ had died for him, and for all his people. The effect of that death was the same as a purchase. It was a purchase; see the note, 1Co 6:20; 1 Corinthians 7:23; compare 1 Peter 1:18-19.

(2) The second is, that he had risen again from the dead. To this fact Paul traced all his hopes of eternal life, and of the resurrection from the dead; see Romans 4:25. As we have the hope of the resurrection from the dead only from the fact that he rose; as he has “brought life and immortality to light,” and hath in this way “abolished death” 2 Timothy 1:10; as all the prospect of entering a world where there is no death and no grave is to be traced to the resurrection of the Saviour, so we are bound by every obligation of gratitude to devote ourselves without any reserve to him. To him, and him alone should we live; and in his cause our lives should be, as Paul’s was, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable in his sight.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 15. And that he died for all, that they which live, c.] This third position he draws from the preceding: If all were dead, and in danger of endless perdition and if he died for all, to save them from that perdition; then it justly follows that they are not their own, that they are bought by his blood; and should not live unto themselves, for this is the way to final ruin; but unto him who died for them, and thus made an atonement for their sins, and rose again for their justification.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile