Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.
- BSB So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
- NKJV Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
- NASB Therefore from now on we recognize no one by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
- NLT So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!
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 no longer evaluates people by worldly, fleshly standards, including how he once misjudged Christ. The gospel transforms how we view everyone.
Overview
In light of the cross, Paul stopped assessing people 'after the flesh' by outward, worldly criteria. He even renounces a former, merely human estimate of Christ in favor of knowing the risen Lord rightly. The new creation reality reshapes all of one's perceptions and relationships.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Col 3:11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
- John 6:63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
- Phil 3:7–8But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
- Jas 2:1–4My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
- Jas 3:17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
- Gal 5:6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
- John 15:14Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
- 1 Tim 5:21–22I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
- Gal 2:5–6To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
- Matt 10:37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
- John 2:4Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
- Deut 33:9Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.
- 2 Cor 11:18Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
- Mark 3:31–35There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
- 1 Sam 2:29Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
- Matt 12:48–50But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 5:16 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.