the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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THE MESSAGE
2 Corinthians 6:2
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- BridgewayEncyclopedias:
- InternationalDevotionals:
- DailyParallel Translations
God said, "Just in the nick of time, I heard you cry out for help and I saved you."Now is the time to listen. Today is the day to be saved.
for He says, "AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU." Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION"—
for He says,"At the acceptable time I listened to you,And on the day of salvation I helped you."Behold, now is "the acceptable time," behold, now is "the day of salvation"—
(For he says, I have given ear to you at a good time, and I have been your helper in a day of salvation: see, now is the good time; now is the day of salvation):
(for he says, I have listened to thee in an accepted time, and I have helped thee in a day of salvation: behold, now [is the] well-accepted time; behold, now [the] day of salvation:)
For He says: I heard you in an acceptable time, and I helped you in the day of salvation. Look, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.
for he says, "At an acceptable time I listened to you, In a day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.
(For he saith, I have heard thee in an acceptable time, and in a day of salvation have I succoured thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
For He says, "At a time of welcome I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have succoured you." Now is the time of loving welcome! Now is the day of salvation!
(For he saith, I haue heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee: beholde, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of saluation)
For He says, "In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is the acceptable time! Behold, now is the day of salvation! Isa. 49:8
For he sayeth: I haue herde the in the tyme accepted, and in the daye of saluacion haue I succoured the. Beholde, now is the accepted tyme, now is the daye of saluacion.
for he saith, " I have heard thee in a favourable time, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee." now this is the favourable time; this is that day of salvation.
For He says, "AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME (the time of grace) I LISTENED TO YOU, AND I HELPED YOU ON THE DAY OF SALVATION." Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION"—
(for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, And in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation):
For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
For he saith: I have hearde the in a tyme accepted: and in ye daye of saluacion have I suckered the. Beholde now is that well accepted tyme: beholde now is yt daye of saluacion.
(for he says, At an acceptable time I listened to you, And in a day of salvation I helped you: look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation):
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.)
for He saith, `In an acceptable time I did hear thee, and in a day of salvation I did help thee, lo, now [is] a well-accepted time; lo, now, a day of salvation,' --
God says, "At the right time I heard your prayers. On the day of salvation I helped you." Isaiah 49:8 I tell you that the "right time" is now, and the "day of salvation" is now.
For he says, " I heard you at the acceptable time , and in the day of salvation I helped you ." Look, now is the acceptable time ; look, now is the day of salvation !
For He says: "In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!
In the Scriptures God says, "When the time came, I listened to you, and when you needed help, I came to save you." That time has come. This is the day for you to be saved.
For he says, "At the acceptable time I heard you; in the day of salvation I helped you."
For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
For he sayth, I haue heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee: beholde nowe the accepted time, beholde nowe the day of saluation.
For he said, I have answered you in an acceptable time, and I have helped you on the day of salvation: behold, now is the acceptable time; and behold now is the day of salvation.
for he says, "At an acceptable time I listened to you, In a day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.
For he says,Isaiah 49:8;">[xr] "At the right time I heard you, and on a day of salvation I helped you."Isaiah 49:8">[fn] Listen, now is really the "right time"! Now is the "day of salvation"!
For he hath said, In the time acceptable I have heard thee, And in the day of salvation I have helped thee. Behold, Now is the time acceptable; behold, Now is the day of salvation.
For he hath said, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in the day of life I have aided thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time ! and behold, now is the day of life !
For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you,And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Isaiah 49:8 ">[fn]
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the day of salvation.
The Holy Writings say, "I heard you at the right time. I helped you on that day to be saved from the punishment of sin. Now is the right time! See! Now is the day to be saved."
(for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, And in a day of salvation did I succour thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation):
For he says, "At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you." See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!
For he saith - In an approved season, have I hearkened unto thee, and, in a day of salvation, have succoured thee; - Lo! now, a well-approved season, Lo! now, a day of salvation:
For he saith: In an accepted time have I heard thee and in the day of salvation have I helped thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time: behold, now is the day of salvation.
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
For he says, "At the acceptable time I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation!
For he saith: I haue heard thee in a tyme accepted, and in the day of saluation haue I suckoured thee. Beholde, nowe is that accepted tyme, beholde nowe is that day of saluation:
God says, "I heard you at the right time, and I gave you help on the day of salvation." I tell you that the "right time" is now. The "day of salvation" is now.
for He says, "AT A FAVORABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON A DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU." Behold, now is "A FAVORABLE TIME," behold, now is "A DAY OF SALVATION"—
Hear what God says: "When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you." Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!
For he seith, In tyme wel plesinge Y haue herd thee, and in the dai of heelthe Y haue helpid thee. Lo! now a tyme acceptable, lo! now a dai of heelthe.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
a time: Isaiah 49:8, Isaiah 61:2, Ezekiel 16:8, Luke 4:19, Luke 19:42-44, Hebrews 3:7, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 4:7
Reciprocal: Genesis 19:15 - hastened Exodus 16:21 - General Leviticus 8:32 - General Joshua 4:10 - hasted Psalms 32:6 - pray Psalms 69:13 - in an Proverbs 27:1 - Boast Ecclesiastes 9:12 - man Song of Solomon 2:13 - Arise Isaiah 55:6 - Seek Hosea 13:13 - for he Matthew 5:25 - whiles Luke 11:9 - knock Luke 12:58 - give Luke 13:25 - once Luke 18:37 - they John 4:40 - he abode Acts 17:32 - We will Acts 24:25 - when
Cross-References
When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she'd know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate.
When the human race began to increase, with more and more daughters being born, the sons of God noticed that the daughters of men were beautiful. They looked them over and picked out wives for themselves.
Then God said, "I'm not going to breathe life into men and women endlessly. Eventually they're going to die; from now on they can expect a life span of 120 years."
This was back in the days (and also later) when there were giants in the land. The giants came from the union of the sons of God and the daughters of men. These were the mighty men of ancient lore, the famous ones.
But Noah was different. God liked what he saw in Noah.
God said to Noah, "It's all over. It's the end of the human race. The violence is everywhere; I'm making a clean sweep.
"Build yourself a ship from teakwood. Make rooms in it. Coat it with pitch inside and out. Make it 450 feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high. Build a roof for it and put in a window eighteen inches from the top; put in a door on the side of the ship; and make three decks, lower, middle, and upper.
Noah did everything God commanded him to do.
Rebekah spoke to Isaac, "I'm sick to death of these Hittite women. If Jacob also marries a native Hittite woman, why live?"
You are children of God , your God, so don't mutilate your bodies or shave your heads in funeral rites for the dead. You only are a people holy to God , your God; God chose you out of all the people on Earth as his cherished personal treasure.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted,.... These words are a citation from Isaiah 49:8 and are spoken by the Father to Christ, declaring he had heard him, as he always did. He heard him when he put up that prayer to him, recorded John 17:1 for the glorification of himself, by strengthening him as man in his work, by raising him from the dead, setting him at his own right hand, and giving him the glory he had with him before the world was; for the good of his people, the preservation of those that were called, the conversion of them that are called, and the glorification of all the Father had given him: he heard him in the garden, and answered him; the will of God was done according to his desire, and his will was conformed to the will of his Father, and he was delivered from the fear of death; his ends in his prayer there were answered, which were to show the greatness of his sufferings, the impossibility of man's salvation in any other way, and that there could be no alteration made in the methods of obtaining it. He heard him on the cross with respect to the deliverance of him from man, with regard to his being forsaken by God, and for the forgiveness of his enemies. Now this period of time in which he was heard on account of these several things, is called a time accepted; or, as in the Hebrew text, עת רצ××, "a time of good will, or acceptance"; a season in which God expressed good will to the sons of men, by sending his own Son to work out salvation for them; this was good will to men, and not to angels, to such as were ungodly, enemies, sinners, and the worst of sinners: it was a time very grateful to him; it was "the accepted year of the Lord"; the sufferings, sacrifice, satisfaction, and righteousness of his Son were well pleasing to him; because his purposes, promises, and covenant transactions had their accomplishment, his perfections were glorified, and his people saved. And it was a time of acceptance, or an acceptable time to men, since it was the day of their salvation, and therefore must be exceedingly agreeable to all such who see their need of it, know the worth of it, and are sensible that there is no other way of salvation than by him.
And in the day of salvation have I succoured thee. These words are still spoken to Christ, who whilst he was in human nature, working out the salvation of his people, by his obedience, sufferings, and death, was succoured, or helped by his Father. This help was promised to him as man, and he expected it, and exercised faith on God for it, and which was actually and punctually given him; and which is no instance of weakness in Christ, who is the mighty God, and was mighty to save; but an indication of the Father's regard to the human nature of Christ, and of his concern for the salvation of men; and also shows what power and strength were necessary to accomplish it.
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. These are the words of the apostle, applying the former to the present Gospel dispensation; which he introduces with prefixing a "behold" to each sentence, in order to raise both attention to, and admiration at what is delivered:
now is the accepted time; not that the Gospel dispensation is a milder dispensation of things, in which God will accept of an imperfect sincere obedience to his law, in the room of a perfect one; or in which Christ is now offered to sinners, and it is left to them whether they will accept of him or not: but it is so called, because God and Christ now testify their good will to the sons of men, and are ready to accept of, and embrace poor sensible sinners coming to them; and because the Gospel publishes salvation by Christ, which, as it is worthy of their acceptation, cannot but be acceptable to them: now is the day of salvation: now is salvation preached, as being done, already obtained by Christ for sinners, the chief of sinners; it is now brought home to their souls by the ministration of the Gospel under the influence of the Spirit of God; now sinners are convinced of their need of it, and that it cannot be had elsewhere; now they are made to submit to Christ, to be saved by him, and him alone, are encouraged to believe in him, and are by him actually possessed of it. "Now" is, and not yesterday was, the day of salvation; and "now", and that for ever, that is, as long as the Gospel dispensation continues; for it will be always now till all the elect of God are gathered in. This day of grace and salvation will never be over till that time comes; it is still "now is the day of salvation": though men may have long withstood the ministration of the Gospel, and notwithstanding their manifold sins and transgressions. There is no withstanding the "now" of grace when it comes with the power of the Holy Ghost.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For he saith - see Isaiah 49:8. In that passage the declaration refers to the Messiah, and the design is there to show that God would be favorable to him; that he would hear him when he prayed, and would make him the medium of establishing a covenant with his own people, and of spreading the true religion around the earth; see my note on that place. Paul quotes the passage here not as affirming that he used it in exactly the sense, or with reference to the same design for which it was originally spoken, but as expressing the idea which he wished to convey, or in accordance with the general principle implied in its use in Isaiah. The general idea there, or the principle involved, was, that under the Messiah God would be willing to hear; that is, that he would be disposed to show mercy to the Jew and to the Gentile. This is the main idea of the passage as used by Paul. Under the Messiah, it is said by Isaiah, God would be willing to show mercy. That would be an acceptable time. That time says Paul, has arrived. The Messiah has come, and now God is willing to pardon and save. And the doctrine in this verse is, that under the Messiah, or in the time of Christ, God is willing to show mercy to people. In him alone is the throne of grace accessible, and now that he has come, God is willing to pardon, and people should avail themselves of the offers of mercy.
I have heard thee - The Messiah. I have listened to thy prayer for the salvation of the pagan world. The promise to the Messiah was, that the pagan world should be given to him; but it was a promise that it should be in answer to his prayers and intercessions. âAsk of me, and I shall give thee the pagan for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession;â Psalms 2:8. The salvation of the pagan world, and of all who are saved, is to be in answer to the prevalent intercession of the Lord Jesus.
In a time accepted - In Isaiah, âin an acceptable time.â The idea is, that he had prayed in a time when God was disposed to show mercy; the time when in his wise arrangements he had designed that his salvation should be extended to the world. It is a time which he had fixed as the appropriate period for extending the knowledge of his truth and his salvation; and it proves that there was to be a period which was the favorable period of salvation, that is, which God esteemed to be the proper period for making his salvation known to people. At such a period the Messiah would pray, and the prayer would be answered.
In the day of salvation - In the time when I am disposed to show salvation.
Have I succored thee - The Messiah. I have sustained thee, that is, in the effort to make salvation known. God here speaks of there being an accepted time, a limited period, in which petitions in favor of the world would be acceptable to him. That time Paul says had come; and the idea which he urges is, that people should avail themselves of that, and embrace now the offers of mercy.
Behold, now is the accepted time ... - The meaning of this passage is, the âMessiah is come. The time referred to by Isaiah has arrived. It is now a time when God is ready to show compassion, to hear prayer, and to have mercy on mankind. Only through the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, does he show mercy, and people should therefore now embrace the offers of pardon.â The doctrine taught here, therefore. is, that through the Lord Jesus, and where he is preached, God is willing to pardon and save people; and this is true wherever he is preached, and as long as people live under the sound of the gospel. The world is under a dispensation of mercy, and God is willing to show compassion, and while this exists, that is, while people live, the offers of salvation are to he freely made to them. The time will come when it will not be an acceptable time with God. The day of mercy will be closed; the period of trial will be ended; and people will be removed to a world where no mercy is shown, and where compassion is unknown. This verse, which should be read as a parenthesis, is designed to be connected with the argument which the apostle is urging, and which he presented in the previous chapter. The general doctrine is, that people should seek reconciliation with God. To enforce that, he here says, that it was now the acceptable time, the time when God was willing to be reconciled to human beings. The general sentiment of this passage may be thus expressed:
(1) Under the gospel it is an acceptable time, a day of mercy, a time when God is willing to show mercy to people.
(2) There may be special seasons which may be especially called the acceptable, or accepted time:
- When the gospel is pressed on the attention by the faithful preaching of his servants, or by the urgent entreaties of friends;
- When it is brought to our attention by any striking dispensation of Providence;
- When the Spirit of God strives with us, and brings us to deep reflection, or to conviction for sin;
- In a revival of religion, when many are pressing into the kingdom - it is at all such seasons an accepted time, a day of salvation. a day which we should improve. It is ânowâ such a season, because:
- The time of mercy will pass by, and God will not be willing to pardon the sinner who goes unprepared to eternity.
- Because we cannot calculate on the future. We have no assurance, no evidence that we shall live another day, or hour.
- It is taught here, that the time will come when it will not be an accepted time. Now is the accepted time; at some future period it will not be.
If people grieve away the Holy Spirit; if they continue to reject the gospel; if they go unprepared to eternity, no mercy can be found. God does not design to pardon beyond the grave. He has made no provision for forgiveness there; and they who are not pardoned in this life, must be unpardoned forever.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 2 Corinthians 6:2. For he saith — That is, God hath said it, by the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 49:8; which place the apostle quotes verbatim et literatim from the Septuagint. And from this we may at once see what is the accepted time, and what the day of salvation. The advent of the Messiah was the עת רצ×× eth ratson, the time of God's pleasure or benevolence, of which all the faithful were in expectation; and the day of salvation, ××× ×©××¢× yom yeshuah, was the time in which this salvation should be manifested and applied. The apostle therefore informs them that this is the time predicted by the prophet; and the ministry of reconciliation being exercised in full force is a proof that the prophecy is fulfilled; and therefore the apostle confidently asserts, Behold, NOW is this accepted time, NOW the Messiah reigns, NOW is the Gospel dispensation, and therefore NOW is the day of salvation; that is, the very time in which the power of God is present to heal, and in which every sinner believing on the Lord Jesus may be saved.
I rather think that this second verse should be read immediately after the last verse of the preceding chapter; as where it now stands it greatly disturbs the connection between the first and the third verses. I will set down the whole in the order in which I think they should stand. 2 Corinthians 5:20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ; as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God. For he hath made him a sin-offering for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him: for he saith, "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Immediately after this, the sixth chapter will very properly commence, and we shall see that the connection will be then undisturbed:-
We then, as fellow workers, beseech you also, that ye receive not this grace of God in vain, giving no offence in any thing, that this ministry be not blamed. This change of the place of the second verse, which every one allows must, if it stand here, be read in a parenthesis, preserves the whole connection of the apostle's discourse, and certainly sets his argument before us in a stronger light. Let us review the whole:
1. God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, 2 Corinthians 5:18.
2. He appointed the apostles to proclaim to mankind the doctrine of reconciliation, 2 Corinthians 5:19.
3. The apostles, in consequence, proclaim this doctrine; and show that Christ was a sacrifice for sin, and that through him we may be perfectly saved, 2 Corinthians 5:20; 2 Corinthians 5:21.
4. They show also that all this was agreeable to the declaration of God by the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 49:8, where he predicts the days of the Messiah, and the grace then to be communicated, 2 Corinthians 6:2.
5. The apostle then, speaking in the person of all his fellow labourers, who had this ministry of reconciliation intrusted to them, exhorts them not to receive such a benefit of God in vain, 2 Corinthians 6:1.
6. He exhorts those who had embraced the Gospel not to put a stumbling block in the way of others, by acting irreligiously, lest this ministry of reconciliation should be reproached on their account, 2 Corinthians 6:3.
7. He shows what conscientious and scrupulous care he and his fellow apostles took to preach and walk so that this ministry might have its full effect, 2 Corinthians 6:4, &c.
This view of the subject, if I mistake not, shows a beautiful consistency throughout the whole.
