For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
What does 2 Corinthians 4:16 mean?
The grace of faith is an effectual remedy against fainting in times of trouble. They knew that Christ was raised, and that his resurrection was an earnest and assurance of theirs.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside 2 Corinthians 4:13-17 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:16
For which cause - With such an object in view, and sustained by such elevated purposes and desires. The sense is, that the purpose of trying to save as many as possible would make toil easy, privations welcome, and would be so accompanied by the grace of God, as to gird the soul with strength, and fill it with abundant consolations. We faint not - For an explanation of the word used here, see the note on 2 Corinthians 4:1 . We are not exhausted, desponding, or disheartened. We are sustained, encouraged, emboldened by having such an object in view. But though our outward man perish - By outward man, Paul evidently means the body.
Key words
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Context in 2 Corinthians 4
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2 Corinthians 4 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as reconciliation and the new covenant. Second Corinthians is Paul’s deepest letter on apostolic suffering, consolation, generosity, reconciliation, and the paradox of strength in weakness. Read this chapter with the wider themes of weakness, ministry, and reconciliation in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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