2 Corinthians 5:15
in 2 Corinthians 5And 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 2 Corinthians 5
Commentary
13 notes on this verseWhat is the mark of those who eat the bread and drink the cup of Christ? That they keep in perpetual remembrance him who died for us and rose again. What is the mark of those who keep such remembrance? That they live not for themselves but for him who died for them and rose again. What is the mark of a Christian? That his justice abound in all things more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, according to the rule of the doctrine which has been handed down in the Lord's gospel.
This site's exposition
Christ’s love compels us
on 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Christ’s love compels us translates sunechei, to hem in on every side, a word used of a besieged city. The logic follows: One died for all, therefore all died, one death standing for the death of all He represented.
This site's exposition
no longer live for themselves
Chrysostom reads the verse as a debt counted twice, since believers live through Christ and He also died for them. Basil of Caesarea makes it the mark of everyone who eats the bread and drinks the cup of Christ. Wesley names what a life for self seeks: honour, profit, pleasure.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
CyprianTreatise XI Exhortation to Martyrdom Addressed to Fortunatus · Written before 258.
proposed
That, being redeemed and quickened by the blood of Christ, we ought to prefer nothing to Christ. ...Moreover, the Apostle Paul says: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, Because for Thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we overcome on account of Him who hath loved us." And again: "Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body." And again: "Christ died for all, that both they which live may not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again."
If therefore we ought not to live unto ourselves, be not troubled, says he, nor be confounded when dangers and deaths assail you. And he assigns besides an indubitable argument by which he shows that the thing is a debt. For if through Him we live who were dead; to Him we ought to live through Whom we live. And what is said appears indeed to be one thing, but if any one accurately examine it, it is two: one that we live by Him, another that He died for us: either of which even by itself is enough to make us liable; but when even both are united consider how great the debt is. Yea, rather, there are three things here. For the First-fruits also for thy sake He raised up, and led up to heaven: wherefore also he added, "Who for our sakes died and rose again."
The Medieval Church2 voices
He explains this interpretation when he says, and he died for all: "He died that we might live to Christ." Hence he continues, that those who live might live, namely, with a natural life, no longer for themselves, i.e., solely for themselves and their own …
Therefore, since He brought us to life, we ought no longer to live "for ourselves," but for Him by whom we live, who not only died for us but also rose again, having taken up to heaven our firstfruits, that is, His body, so that …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Should not henceforth - From the moment they know him. Live unto themselves - Seek their own honour, profit, pleasure. But unto him - In all righteousness and true holiness.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. In these verses the apostle mentions two things that are necessary in order to our living to Christ, both of which are the consequences of Christ's dying for us; namely, regeneration and reconciliation.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:25w-of-59
And that he died for all, that they which live,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
He died in their stead, He arose again for their good, "for (the effecting of) their justification" (Ro 4:25), and that He might be their Lord (Ro 14:7-9). ELLICOTT and ALFORD join "for them" with both "died" and "rose again"; as Christ's death is our death, so His resurrection is our resurrection;
And that he died for all, that they which live, etc. - 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.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | for | G5228 → | 155 times |
| πάντων | panton | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ἀπέθανεν, | apethanen | He died, | G599 → | 110 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| οἱ | hoi | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ζῶντες | zontes | living | G2198 → | 139 times |
| μηκέτι | meketi | no longer | G3371 → | |
| ἑαυτοῖς | he'autois | to themselves | G1438 → | 322 times |
| ζῶσιν | zosin | may live | G2198 → | 139 times |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| τῷ | to | to the [One] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | for | G5228 → | 155 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀποθανόντι | apothanonti | having died | G599 → | 110 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐγερθέντι.¶ | egerthenti | having been raised again. | G1453 → | 142 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑπὲρfor
huperG5228 →155 times
πάντωνall
pantonG3956 →1235 times
ἀπέθανεν,He died,
apethanenG599 →110 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
οἱthose
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ζῶντεςliving
zontesG2198 →139 times
μηκέτιno longer
meketiG3371 →
ἑαυτοῖςto themselves
he'autoisG1438 →322 times
ζῶσινmay live
zosinG2198 →139 times
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
τῷto the [One]
toG3588 →19766 times
ὑπὲρfor
huperG5228 →155 times
αὐτῶνthem
autonG846 →5565 times
ἀποθανόντιhaving died
apothanontiG599 →110 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐγερθέντι.¶having been raised again.
egerthentiG1453 →142 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
Colossians 3:17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
- Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,
- Proverbs 3:6
in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
- Ephesians 5:20
always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31
Through
Colossians 3:1Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
it leads to
- Romans 8:6
The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,
- Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
- 2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
- Colossians 3:2
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
- Romans 8:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies12
About 2 Corinthians
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); Basil of Caesarea, THE MORALS 22; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians; Cyprian, Treatise XI Exhortation to Martyrdom Addressed to Fortunatus; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 11 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.