2 Corinthians 1:19
in 2 Corinthians 1For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in Him it has always been “Yes.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in him is yea.
KJV
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 1
Commentary
14 notes on this verseCompetent preachers ought to be unambiguous about what they say. Say nothing that is not beneficial. Given that our human will often tends in ambivalent directions, Paul is insistent that he is not acting according to his will but according to what he knows will …
This site's exposition
as surely as God is faithful
on 2 Corinthians 1:18-20
Paul grounds his consistency in God's character, as surely as God is faithful. Verse 20 states the doctrine the defense was leading to: all the promises of God find their Yes in Christ.
This site's exposition
in Him it has always been
Paul moves from his travel plans to the Christ he preached. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read the unchanging Son of God as proof that the message about Him cannot change either.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"For the Son of God," saith he, "Who was preached among you by us, even by me, and Silvanus, and Timothy, was not yea and nay." For on this account he brings before them the company of the teachers also, as thence too giving credibility to the testimony by those who taught, and not who heard it only. And yet they were disciples; however in his modesty he counts them as in the rank of teachers. But what is, "was not yea and nay?" I have never, he saith, unsaid what before I said in the Preaching. My discourse to you was not now this, now that. For this is not of faith, but of an erring mind. "But in Him was the yea." That is, just as I said, the word abideth unshaken and steadfast.
And when we confess that we have lied, we speak that which is true; for we say what we know, for we know that we lied. But that Word which is God, and can do more than we, cannot do this. For it "can do nothing except what it sees the Father do;" and it "speaks not of itself," but it has from the Father all that it speaks, since the Father speaks it in a special way; and the great might of that Word is that it cannot lie, because there cannot be there "yea and nay," but "yea yea, nay nay." Well, but that is not even to be called a word, which is not true.
The Medieval Church2 voices
In regard to the cause, he excuses himself for two reasons, namely, from the motive and the efficient cause. His motive for not lying is that a person who assumes an office is naturally moved to what suits that office and not to what is …
Finally he says what word was not "yes" and "no." He Whom we preached to you was not "yes" and "no," that is, one thing was not preached now and another thing now, but it was "yes," that is, what was preached was firm and …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
For if it had been so, that he had been fickle in his purposes, or even false in the promises he made of coming to them (which he was not justly to be accused of, and so some understand his expression,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
For Jesus Christ, who was preached by us - That is, our preaching concerning him. Was not yea and nay - Was not variable and inconsistent with itself.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:81%@v17-19
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For the Son of God - In this verse, and the following, Paul states that he felt himself bound to maintain the strictest veracity for two reasons; the one, that Jesus Christ always evinced the strictest veracity 2Co 1:19; the other, God was always true to all the promises that He made 2Co 1:20; and as he felt himself to be the servant of the Saviour and of God, he was bound by the most sacred obligations also to maintain a character irreproachable in regard to veracity on the meaning of the phrase “Son of God,” see the note, Rom 1:
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Proof of the unchangeableness of the doctrine from the unchangeableness of the subject of it, namely, Jesus Christ. He is called "the Son of God" to show the impossibility of change in One who is co-equal with God himself (compare 1Sa 15:29;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
For the Son of God, etc. - If I could have changed my purpose through carnal or secular interests then I must have had the same interest in view when I first preached the Gospel to you, with Silvanus and Timotheus. But did not the whole of our conduct prove that we neither had, nor could have such interest in view?
The words behind it
29 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| υἱὸς | huios | Son | G5207 → | 377 times |
| Ἰησοῦς | iesous | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| Χριστὸς | christos | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [One] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐν | en | among | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| δι᾽ | di᾽ | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| κηρυχθείς, | keruchtheis | having been proclaimed | G2784 → | 59 times |
| δι᾽ | di᾽ | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| ἐμοῦ | emou | me | G1473 → | 839 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Σιλουανοῦ | silouanou | Silvanus | G4610 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Τιμοθέου, | timotheou | Timothy, | G5095 → | |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἐγένετο | egeneto | was | G1096 → | 667 times |
| ναὶ | nai | Yes | G3483 → | 33 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οὒ, | ou | No, | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| ναὶ | nai | Yes | G3483 → | 33 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| γέγονεν· | gegonen | it has always been; | G1096 → | 667 times |
ὁThe
hoG3588 →19766 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
υἱὸςSon
huiosG5207 →377 times
ἸησοῦςJesus
iesousG2424 →908 times
ΧριστὸςChrist
christosG5547 →523 times
ὁthe [One]
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἐνamong
enG1722 →2738 times
ὑμῖνyou
huminG4771 →2973 times
δι᾽through
di᾽G1223 →664 times
ἡμῶνus
hemonG3165 →1936 times
κηρυχθείς,having been proclaimed
keruchtheisG2784 →59 times
δι᾽through
di᾽G1223 →664 times
ἐμοῦme
emouG1473 →839 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ΣιλουανοῦSilvanus
silouanouG4610 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
Τιμοθέου,Timothy,
timotheouG5095 →
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἐγένετοwas
egenetoG1096 →667 times
ναὶYes
naiG3483 →33 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οὒ,No,
ouG3756 →1664 times
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
ναὶYes
naiG3483 →33 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐτῷHim
autoG846 →5565 times
γέγονεν·it has always been;
gegonenG1096 →667 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
it leads to
- Isaiah 44:6
Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Malachi 3:6
“Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.
- James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
- Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
- Hebrews 1:12
You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed; but You remain the same, and Your years will never end.”
- Isaiah 44:6
Through
Revelation 1:8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
it leads to
- Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 48:12
Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 43:10
“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed,…
- Revelation 22:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
On this verse
About 2 Corinthians
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Augustine of Hippo, ON THE TRINITY 15.15; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily 3 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.