2 Corinthians 4:6
What does 2 Corinthians 4:6 mean?
A plain-English look at 2 Corinthians 4:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 2 Corinthians 4:6 means
Paul compares conversion to the first creation: the God who once said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” has now shone in believers’ hearts. This inner illumination gives the knowledge of God’s glory as it is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ. The ultimate display of God’s beauty and majesty is seen in Christ’s person. Faith is not mere assent to ideas; it is beholding God’s glory in Jesus by a light God Himself kindles. Thus the power of ministry lies in God’s creative act, not human persuasion. When God shines, the veil lifts, and the heart sees the radiant truth centered on Christ.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
KJV
King James Version · 1611For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Seeing that it is God who said, Let light be shining out of the dark, who has put in our hearts the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862because <FI>it is<Fi> God who said, Out of darkness light <FI>is<Fi> to shine, who did shine in our hearts, for the enlightening of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ Jesus.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Because [it is] theGod who spoke that out of darkness light should shine who has shone in our hearts for the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory ofGod in [the] face of [Jesus] Christ.
Context
Following the commitment to preach Christ (verse 5), Paul explains the source of spiritual sight: God’s sovereign, heart-illumining work. The creation imagery heightens the point—this is new creation. This prepares the ground for verse 7’s metaphor of treasure in fragile containers, showing that the glory belongs to God. The flow moves from content (Christ’s glory) to cause (God’s shining) to vessel (earthen jars), setting up the paradox of weakness and power that will dominate the next section (verses 7–12).
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 74:16
The day is thine, the night also is thine: Thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
- Colossians 1:15
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;
- Ephesians 1:17
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;
- Exodus 33:18
And he said, Show me, I pray thee, thy glory.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4
in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them.
- Genesis 1:3
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
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