2 Corinthians 1:9
◄  2 Corinthians 1:9  ►
New International Version (©2011)
Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

New Living Translation (©2007)
In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Indeed, we personally had a death sentence within ourselves, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.

International Standard Version (©2012)
In fact, we felt that we had received a death sentence so we would not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

NET Bible (©2006)
Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
We passed a sentence of death upon ourselves, that we would not trust upon ourselves, but upon God who raises the dead,

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
In fact, we still feel as if we're under a death sentence. But we suffered so that we would stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God, who brings the dead back to life.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead:

American King James Version
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead:

American Standard Version
yea, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead:

Douay-Rheims Bible
But we had in ourselves the answer of death, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead.

Darby Bible Translation
But we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not have our trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;

English Revised Version
yea, we ourselves have had the answer of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

Webster's Bible Translation
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead:

Weymouth New Testament
Nay, we had, as we still have, the sentence of death within our own selves, in order that our confidence may repose, not on ourselves, but on God who raised the dead to life.

World English Bible
Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,

Young's Literal Translation
but we ourselves in ourselves the sentence of the death have had, that we may not be trusting on ourselves, but on God, who is raising the dead,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:1-11 We are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. The Lord is able to give peace to the troubled conscience, and to calm the raging passions of the soul. These blessings are given by him, as the Father of his redeemed family. It is our Saviour who says, Let not your heart be troubled. All comforts come from God, and our sweetest comforts are in him. He speaks peace to souls by granting the free remission of sins; and he comforts them by the enlivening influences of the Holy Spirit, and by the rich mercies of his grace. He is able to bind up the broken-hearted, to heal the most painful wounds, and also to give hope and joy under the heaviest sorrows. The favours God bestows on us, are not only to make us cheerful, but also that we may be useful to others. He sends comforts enough to support such as simply trust in and serve him. If we should be brought so low as to despair even of life, yet we may then trust God, who can bring back even from death. Their hope and trust were not in vain; nor shall any be ashamed who trust in the Lord. Past experiences encourage faith and hope, and lay us under obligation to trust in God for time to come. And it is our duty, not only to help one another with prayer, but in praise and thanksgiving, and thereby to make suitable returns for benefits received. Thus both trials and mercies will end in good to ourselves and others.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - But; perhaps rather, yea. The word strengthens the phrase, "were in utter perplexity." We had the sentence of death in ourselves. The original is more emphatic, "Ourselves in our own selves we have had." Not only did all the outer world look dark to me, but the answer which my own spirit returned to the question," What will be the end of it all?" was "Death!" and that doom still seems to echo in my spirit. The sentence; rather, the answer. The word is unique in the LXX. and the New Testament. In ourselves. Because I seemed to myself to be beyond all human possibility of deliverance. That we should not trust in ourselves. There was a divinely intended meaning in my despair. It was meant to teach me, not only submission, but absolute trust in God (see Jeremiah 17:5, 7). Which raiseth the dead. Being practically dead - utterly crushed with anguish and despairing of deliverance - I learnt by my deliverance to have faith in God as one who can raise men even from the dead.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves,.... By the sentence of death is meant, not any decree of heaven, or appointment of God that they should die; nor any sentence of condemnation and death passed on them by the civil magistrate; but an opinion or persuasion in their own breasts, that they should die; so far were they from any hopes of life, that they looked upon themselves as dead men, as the Egyptians did, when their firstborn were slain, and said, "we be all dead men", Exodus 12:33, and to this extremity they were suffered to be brought by the wise counsel of God, for the following purposes, to learn to lay aside all self-trust and confidence:

that we should not trust in ourselves; in our strength, wisdom, and policy, to make our escape, and preserve our lives; and also to teach and encourage them to trust in God alone, and depend on his arm, on his almighty power:

but in God which raiseth the dead; who will raise the dead at the last day, and so is able to deliver persons when they are in the most distressed condition, and in their own opinion as dead men.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9. But—"Yea."

in God which raiseth the dead—We had so given up all thoughts of life, that our only hope was fixed on the coming resurrection; so in 1Co 15:32 his hope of the resurrection was what buoyed him up in contending with foes, savage as wild beasts. Here he touches only on the doctrine of the resurrection, taking it for granted that its truth is admitted by the Corinthians, and urging its bearing on their practice.

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The God of All Comfort
…8For we would not, brothers, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life: 9But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead: 10Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Proverbs 14:32 When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.
Isaiah 38:10 I said, "In the prime of my life must I go through the gates of death and be robbed of the rest of my years?"
Romans 8:36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
2 Corinthians 1:8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.
2 Corinthians 1:10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,