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2 Corinthians 13:11

in 2 Corinthians 13

Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfected; be comforted; be of the same mind; live in peace: and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

KJV

Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

This verse in 2 Corinthians 13

Commentary

17 notes on this verse
Finally, brethren - (λοιπὸν loipon). The remainder; all that remains is for me to bid you an affectionate farewell. The word here rendered “farewell” (χαίρετε chairete), means usually to joy and rejoice, or to be glad; Luk 1:14; Joh 16:20, Joh 16:22; and it is often used in the sense of “joy to you,” “hail!” as a salutation; Mat 26:49; Mat 27:29. It is also used as a salutation at the beginning of an epistle, in the sense of greeting; Act 15:23; Act 23:26; Jas 1:

This site's exposition

Aim for perfect harmony

The closing exhortations answer the letter's opening themes, as encourage one another echoes the paraklesis, comfort, of 1:3-7. Be of one mind answers the divisions listed in 12:20.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers5 voices

A commentator

Pseudo-Clement

Second Epistle To The Corinthians (Pseudo-Clement) · Written before 400.

proposed

And not only now let us seem to believe and give heed, when we are admonished by the elders; but also when we take our departure home, let us remember the commandments of the Lord, and not be allured back by worldly lusts, but let …

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily 30 on 2 Corinthians · Written before 407.

proposed

What means, "for the rest, brethren, rejoice?" Thou hast pained, terrified, thrown them into an agony, made them to tremble and fear, and how biddest thou them rejoice? 'Why, for this very reason I bid them rejoice. For,' he says, 'if what is your part follow upon mine, there will be nothing to prevent that joy. For all my part has been done; I have suffered long, I have delayed, I have forborne to cut off, I have besought, I have advised, I have alarmed, I have threatened, so as by every means to gather you in unto the fruit of repentance. And now it behoveth that your part be done, and so your joy will be unfading.'

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily 30 on 2 Corinthians · Written before 407.

proposed

"Be comforted." For, since their trials were numerous, and their perils great, he says, '"be comforted," both by one another, and by us, and by your change unto the better. For if ye should have joy of conscience and become complete, nothing is wanting unto your cheerfulness and comfort. For nothing doth so produce comfort as a pure conscience, yea, though innumerable trials surround.'

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily 30 on 2 Corinthians · Written before 407.

proposed

"Be of the same mind, live in peace." The request he made in the former Epistle also, at the opening. For it is possible to be of one mind, and yet not to live in peace, [for instance], when people agree in doctrine, but in their dealings with each other are at variance. But Paul requires both.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily 30 on 2 Corinthians · Written before 407.

proposed

"And the God of love and peace shall be with you." For truly he not only recommends and advises, but also prays. For either he prays for this, or else foretells what shall happen; or rather, both. 'For if ye do these things,' he says, 'for instance, if ye be "of one mind" and "live in peace," God also will be with you, for He is "the God of love and of peace," and in these things He delighteth, He rejoiceth. Hence shall peace also be yours from His love; hence shall every evil be removed. This saved the world, this ended the long war, this blended together heaven and earth, this made men angels. This then let us also imitate, for love is the mother of countless good things. By this we were saved, by this all those unspeakable good things [come] to us.'
10 more voices on this verse

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily 30 on 2 Corinthians · Written before 407.

proposed

"Be perfected." What is, "be perfected?" 'Be complete, fill up what is deficient.'

A commentator

Ambrosiaster

COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES · Written before 384.

proposed

The joy referred to here will come when the Corinthians mend their ways, after which it will be possible for them to mature in faith. But before that there will be consolation, enabling them to abandon the pleasure of the present in favor of hope …

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on 2 Corinthians · Written before 1274.

proposed

Having rebuked those deceived by false apostles, the Apostle now comforts those who have persisted in his faith and doctrine. First, he gives an admonition; secondly, he adds a greeting (v. 12). In regard to the first he does two things. First, he gives the …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 2 Corinthians · Written before 1107.

proposed

I, he says, have done my part; it remains for you to act in accordance with me. For if you correct your life, you will gain unfading joy in your conscience, even though I grieved you with my words. That is, be perfect both in …

The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Be perfect - Aspire to the highest degree of holiness. Be of good comfort - Filled with divine consolation. Be of one mind - Desire, labour, pray for it, to the utmost degree that is possible.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Note, (1.) God is the God of love and peace. He is the author of peace, and lover of concord. He hath loved us, and is willing to be at peace with us; he commands us to love him, and to be reconciled to him, and also that we love one another, and be at peace among ourselves.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: 3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture

Finally, brethren, farewell,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

farewell--meaning in Greek also "rejoice"; thus in bidding farewell he returns to the point with which he set out, "we are helpers of your joy" (2Co 1:24; Be perfect--Become perfect by filling up what is lacking in your Christian character (Eph 4:13). be of good comfort-- (2Co 1:6;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Finally - Λοιπον· All that remains for me now to write is, to wish you all manner of happiness, and so to take my leave. Farewell - A good wish, from our old mother tongue, compounded of to go, and fairly, properly, or with felicity; go on prosperously! This is the spirit of this good wish. The Greek χαιρετε signifies nearly the same thing. Χαιρω means to be very joyous; χαιρετε, be joyous and happy, be ever prosperous; this was among the last words which Cyrus, when dying, spoke to his friends. Be perfect - Καταρτιζεσθε· Be compact; get into joint again; let unity and harmony be restored. See the note on 2Co 13:9. Be of good comfort - Παρακαλεισθε· Receive admonition; for παρακαλεω signifies to admonish, beg, entreat, and also to comfort. Receive admonition, that ye may receive comfort. If ye take my advice, ye shall have consolation; if ye do not, ye will have nothing but misery and wo. Be of one mind - Το αυτο φρονειτε· Think the same; let there be no dissensions among you. Be of the same creed, and let disputes about that religion which should be the bond of peace for ever subside. Live in peace - Ειρηνευετε· Cultivate peace; or, as he says elsewhere, Follow peace, and pursue it, Heb 12:14. Cultivate a peaceable disposition, and neither say nor do any thing which has a tendency to irritate each other. And the God of love and peace shall be with you - While ye are full of contentions, dissensions, and discord, peace can have no place among you; and as to love, the fulfilling of the law, that worketh no ill to its neighbor, it has necessarily taken its flight. Love cannot live, neither exist, where there are brawls, contentions, and divisions. And where neither peace nor love is to be found, there God cannot be. And if He be not there, yourselves and the devil make the whole assembly.

The words behind it

19 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    1 Corinthians 1:10

    I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united…

    it leads to

    • Philippians 2:1–4

      Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

    • Ephesians 4:1–7

      As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:

    • 1 Corinthians 12:25

      so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have mutual concern for one another.

    • Romans 12:16

      Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.

  • Through

    Hebrews 12:14

    Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

    it leads to

    • 2 Corinthians 7:1

      Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

    • 1 Peter 1:15–16

      But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,

    • 1 Thessalonians 4:7

      For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.

    • Matthew 5:8–9

      Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

About 2 Corinthians

The Apostle Paul in Prison, Rembrandt, 1627. Public domain.
The Apostle Paul in Prison, Rembrandt, 1627. Public domain.
This page draws on 12 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; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 30 on 2 Corinthians; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pseudo-Clement, Second Epistle To The Corinthians (Pseudo-Clement); Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.