that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Parallel translations
- WEB namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.
- KJV To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
- BSB that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
- NASB namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their wrongdoings against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
- NLT For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
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
In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself by not counting sins against believers, and He has given us the message of reconciliation. God removes the barrier of guilt through Christ.
Overview
Reconciliation means God no longer reckons trespasses against those who are in Christ, because their guilt was dealt with at the cross. This is the heart of the gospel of grace, the non-imputation of sin to the forgiven. God entrusts this 'word of reconciliation' to His messengers to proclaim.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Isa 43:25I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.
- Isa 44:22I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.
- 1 Jn 4:10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
- 1 Jn 2:1–2My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.
- 1 Tim 3:16Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
- Ps 32:1–2By David. A contemplative psalm. Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
- Rom 4:6–8Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works,
- Col 2:9For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily,
- Rom 3:24–26being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;
- John 17:23I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me.
- John 14:10–11Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works.
- Matt 1:23“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel”; which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”
- John 14:20In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
- Rom 11:15For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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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 5:19 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.