Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Parallel translations
- WEB not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
- BSB Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.
- NKJV Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
- NASB Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,
- NLT It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul claims no competence in himself; his sufficiency for ministry comes entirely from God. Human adequacy for God's work is a gift, not an achievement.
Overview
Answering his earlier question, 'Who is sufficient?', Paul confesses that he cannot even claim a single thought as coming from his own resources. All capability for gospel work is given by God. This radical dependence is foundational to faithful ministry and to the Christian life, which lives wholly by grace.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 2 Cor 12:9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
- Phil 4:13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
- 1 Cor 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
- Phil 2:13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
- John 15:5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
- Jas 1:17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
- Matt 10:19–20But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
- 1 Cor 3:6I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
- Luke 21:15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
- Exod 4:10–16And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
- Jer 1:6–10Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
- 2 Cor 4:7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
- 1 Cor 3:10According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
- Luke 24:49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
- 2 Cor 2:16To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
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Christ at the center
In Christ all God's promises are 'Yes and Amen'; though rich, he became poor to make us rich, and in him God reconciles the world, making us new creations.
How 2 Corinthians 3:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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