2 Corinthians 4:11
in 2 Corinthians 4For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
KJV
For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 4
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For we which live - Those of us, the apostles and ministers of the Redeemer who still survive. James the brother of John had been put to death Act 12:2; and it is probable also that some other of the apostles had been also. This verse is merely explanatory of the previous verse. Are alway delivered unto death - Exposed constantly to death. This shows what is meant in 2Co 4:10, by bearing about in the body the dying the Lord Jesus; see the note on 1Co 15:31. In our mortal flesh - In our body. In our life on earth; and in our glorified body in heaven; see the note on 2Co 4:10.
This site's exposition
carry around in our body the death
on 2 Corinthians 4:10-11
The death of Jesus that Paul carries in his body is nekrosis, a continual dying, so that the life of Jesus may show there. Paul's own body is where the Corinthians see both the cross and the resurrection.
This site's exposition
our mortal body
The verse restates verse 10 in plainer words. Albert Barnes notes that James the brother of John had been put to death (Acts 12:2), so the words we who are alive carried weight.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
That he uses these words with respect to the body of flesh, and to none other, he declares to the Corinthians manifestly, indubitably, and free from all ambiguity: "Always bearing about in our body the dying of Jesus, that also the life of Jesus Christ might be manifested in our body. For if we who live are delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, it is that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal flesh."
Now of what life of Christ does he here speak? Of that which we are now living? Then how is it, that in the words which follow he exhorts us not to the things which are seen and are temporal, but to those which are not seen and are eternal -in other words, not to the present, but to the future? But if it be of the future life of Christ that he speaks, intimating that it is to be made manifest in our body, then he has clearly predicted the resurrection of the flesh.
But lest any one should here object, that the life of Jesus has even now to be manifested in our body by the discipline of holiness, and patience, and righteousness, and wisdom, in which the Lord's life abounded, the most provident wisdom of the apostle inserts this purpose: "For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that His life may be manifested in our mortal body." In us, therefore, even when dead, does he say that this is to take place in us.
"For we which live are also delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in us in our mortal flesh." For every where when he has said any thing obscure, he interprets himself again. So he has done here also, giving a clear interpretation of this which I have cited. 'For therefore, "we are delivered,"' he says, 'in other words, we bear about His dying that the power of His life may be made manifest, who permitteth not mortal flesh, though undergoing so great sufferings, to be overcome by the snowstorm of these calamities.' And it may be taken too in another way. How? As he says in another place, "If we die with him, we shall also live with Him." 'For as we endure His dying now, and choose whilst living to die for His sake: so also will he choose, when we are dead, to beget us then unto life. For if we from life come into death, He also will from death lead us by the hand into life.'
Paul is saying that Christians are not afraid to die because they have the promise of resurrection.
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Having mentioned the patience of the apostles in the midst of evils, and revealed the cause of their patience, the Apostle now explains them. First, he explains what he said about the hope of glory; secondly, what he said about his own patience (v. 16). …
This explains the words "the dying of Jesus," which were unclear. For he usually clarifies what has been said obscurely. And the words "that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest," besides the previous interpretation, should also be interpreted thus: as we now …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For we who yet live - Who are not yet killed for the testimony of Jesus. Are always delivered unto death - Are perpetually in the very jaws of destruction; which we willingly submit to, that we may "obtain a better resurrection."
The apostles were great sufferers; therein they followed their Master: Christ had told them that in the world they should have tribulation, and so they had; yet they met with wonderful support, great relief, and many allays of their sorrows. " We are, " says the apostle, " troubled on every side, afflicted many ways, and we meet with almost all sorts of troubles; yet not distressed,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
we which live--in the power of Christ's "life" manifested in us, in our whole man body as well as spirit (Ro 8:10, 11; see on 2Co 4:10; compare 2Co 5:15).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
For we which live - And yet, although we are preserved alive, we are in such continual dangers that we carry our life in our hands, and are constantly in the spirit of sacrifice. But the life - the preserving power, of Christ is manifest in our continual support.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀεὶ | aei | always | G104 → | |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἡμεῖς | hemeis | we ourselves | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ζῶντες | zontes | living | G2198 → | 139 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| θάνατον | thanaton | death | G2288 → | 120 times |
| παραδιδόμεθα | paradidometha | are being delivered | G3860 → | |
| διὰ | dia | on account of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| Ἰησοῦν, | iesoun | Jesus, | G2424 → | 908 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ζωὴ | zoe | life | G2222 → | 135 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | of Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| φανερωθῇ | phanerothea | may be manifested | G5319 → | 45 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θνητῇ | thnetea | mortal | G2349 → | |
| σαρκὶ | sarki | flesh | G4561 → | 146 times |
| ἡμῶν. | hemon | of us. | G3165 → | 1936 times |
ἀεὶalways
aeiG104 →
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἡμεῖςwe ourselves
hemeisG3165 →1936 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ζῶντεςliving
zontesG2198 →139 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
θάνατονdeath
thanatonG2288 →120 times
παραδιδόμεθαare being delivered
paradidomethaG3860 →
διὰon account of
diaG1223 →664 times
Ἰησοῦν,Jesus,
iesounG2424 →908 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ζωὴlife
zoeG2222 →135 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
Ἰησοῦof Jesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
φανερωθῇmay be manifested
phanerotheaG5319 →45 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
θνητῇmortal
thneteaG2349 →
σαρκὶflesh
sarkiG4561 →146 times
ἡμῶν.of us.
hemonG3165 →1936 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
Romans 8:36As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
it leads to
- Psalms 44:22
Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
- Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 4:9
For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 15:30
And why do we endanger ourselves every hour?
- Psalms 44:22
Through
1 Corinthians 15:31I face death every day, brothers, as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 4:10–11
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 4:9–13
For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as…
- 2 Corinthians 4:10–11
Through
Psalms 44:22Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
it leads to
- Romans 8:36
As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 8:36
Through
1 Corinthians 15:49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man.
it leads to
- Romans 8:29
For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
- Romans 8:29
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Corinthians
This page draws on 14 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; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily 9 on 2 Corinthians; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V; Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Corinthians.