Scripture Helps

2 Corinthians 8–13

Paul taught that Jesus Christ is our example of giving. He thanked the Corinthian Saints for their contributions to the poor in Jerusalem and encouraged them to continue to give generously. Paul spoke strongly against false apostles and defended his calling as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. He also gloried in the Lord and shared details of his life, his tribulations, and his faith in Jesus Christ. Paul recorded his vision of the third heaven and invited the Saints to examine themselves and to prove themselves faithful.

Resources

• Background and Context

• Learn More

• Media

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Background and Context

2 Corinthians 8–9

How did Saints in the early Church care for the poor?

One of Paul’s ongoing efforts during his missions was to gather a collection for the poor in Jerusalem. Paul wrote to the Corinthian Saints about this effort in 2 Corinthians 8–9. The churches in Macedonia had given generously to the cause, and Paul encouraged the Saints in Corinth to do likewise. He seems to have implied that the Corinthian Saints were in a better financial situation than those in Jerusalem. Paul later wrote that the Corinthians had responded favorably to his request.

2 Corinthians 9:6–13

What was Paul’s counsel on giving?

Paul explained that a person’s willingness to give is more important than their ability to give. He promised that those who were generous would receive great blessings, while those who gave little would receive little. Paul quoted a Psalm about giving cheerfully. He warned against giving grudgingly or out of obligation. Paul promised that unselfish giving not only helped those in need but also increased faith in God.

Paul’s concern was for there to be equality among the Saints. This is why he encouraged those who had more to give to those who had less. Latter-day revelation clarified that temporal equality is based on each person’s circumstances, wants, and needs. Today, members of the Church can make generous donations to the poor through fast offerings, as well as donations to the Church’s humanitarian aid fund.

2 Corinthians 10:3–6

What “weapons of our warfare” was Paul referring to?

Paul taught that although we are living in a physical world, the war we are fighting is spiritual. As a result, we do not use physical weapons but spiritual weapons in our war against Satan. Paul’s imagery of “pulling down of strong holds” and “casting down … every high thing” may have alluded to a hilltop fortress that overlooked Corinth in Paul’s day. Paul emphasized that the Saints should use their spiritual weapons to overcome pride. Many of the Corinthian Saints had adopted the ideas, rationales, and worldviews of their society. Paul invited them to join him in tearing down anything that turned them away from following the Savior.

The high hill overlooking ancient Corinth. Balage Balogh / archaeologyillustrated.com

2 Corinthians 10:7–18

How did Paul respond to criticisms about his limitations?

Some who opposed Paul had criticized his physical appearance and speaking ability. Paul did not deny his weaknesses but tried to help the Corinthian Saints stop using worldly standards to measure each other.

The scriptures contain many examples that illustrate the Lord using “the weak things of the world” to accomplish His work. He helped individuals like Enoch, Moses, Moroni, and Joseph Smith overcome their limitations and fulfill the work He had for them to do.

2 Corinthians 10:8, 13–17; 11:10–18, 21

Why did Paul engage in boasting?

The Greek word kauchaomai is sometimes translated as “to boast” and generally has a negative connotation. Of the 37 times kauchaomai is used in the New Testament, 35 are found in Paul’s letters. Paul felt that his boasting was good because it focused on Jesus Christ. When Paul boasted about himself, it was really about what he was able to do through the Savior. “In short, Paul’s boasting comes from the work that he does for the Lord. As a result, his boasting is in what Christ does and not in what he himself does.” Paul’s “boasting” could be viewed like Ammon’s glorying in the Lord.

2 Corinthians 11:1–5, 13–15; 12:11–12

How did Paul seek to protect the Church against false teachings?

Paul wrote to the Corinthian Saints as the figurative father of a bride engaged to Christ—a bride he felt responsible for keeping pure. He warned about false teachers who seemed to be righteous ministers and compared them to the serpent who deceived Eve in the garden. Paul reasoned that just as Satan himself can appear like an angel of light, false apostles in Corinth disguised themselves as ministers of righteousness. These individuals preached “another” Christ. Although it is unclear what these false apostles were teaching about Jesus Christ, we know that on another occasion Paul had to refute claims in Corinth that Christ had not risen from the dead.

In contrast to the false apostles in Corinth, Paul testified that he was a true Apostle. Paul invited the Corinthian members to consider if his works among them were signs of a true Apostle and authenticated his ministry.

2 Corinthians 11:7–9; 12:13–17

Why did Paul speak about not burdening the Saints?

While ministering in Corinth, Paul relied somewhat on contributions from Church members in Macedonia, but he also labored to support himself financially. He did not want his own temporal needs to be burdensome to the Church.

2 Corinthians 12:2–4

Who was the man caught up to the third heaven?

Paul was referring to himself in the third person when he spoke of a man caught up to the third heaven, which is the celestial kingdom. Paul may have related part of this experience to oppose the false teachers and their claims.

2 Corinthians 12:4

Why couldn’t Paul share more about his visionary experience?

Not only would it have been difficult for Paul to describe his experience; he was forbidden to do so. The Lord may reveal things to His disciples that are not meant for the world. Like Paul, we too may have spiritual experiences that we should share only when directed by the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 12:7–9

What was the thorn that troubled Paul?

The Greek word translated as thorn could mean anything pointed—a thorn, a splinter, or even, metaphorically, a plague. Paul used the term to suggest an unnamed infirmity that kept him humble.

2 Corinthians 12:8–10

How are we made strong in weakness?

The Greek word translated as “weak” has a variety of possible meanings. It could refer to someone who is physically ill or weak. Other times the word is used for those who are morally weak or spiritually immature. Paul used the word in this instance to answer the criticism of his unimpressive speech and appearance.

Both Paul and Moroni related an important revelation they each received from the Lord regarding human weakness. The Savior’s grace is sufficient for those who recognize their weakness and come to Him. Christ’s power flows through the weak who are humble. For this reason, Paul rejoiced in his weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:12

What are the signs of an Apostle?

Paul taught the Corinthian Saints that they should recognize his apostolic authority because he demonstrated the signs of an Apostle. Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught that the signs of an Apostle “are healing the sick, casting out devils, raising the dead; they are preaching and teaching and suffering in the Cause of Christ; they are walking uprightly before all men and being adopted into the family of God as his sons, becoming thus joint-heirs with his natural Son. They are precisely the same divine endowments which should rest upon all the elders of the kingdom, upon every person who has received the right to the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 12:15

Why did Paul feel he was not loved?

Paul told the Corinthian Saints he would visit them a third time, and he promised not to be a burden on them. There seems to be a defensive tone in this letter, as Paul asked if he should be loved less for loving them more. One difficult part of seeking to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is the division and hard feelings that may result as we try to show love for others by sharing truth. Paul expressed fear that when he did visit the Corinthian Saints, there would remain bad feelings between them.

President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Sometimes we as leaders of the Church are criticized for holding firm to the laws of God, defending the Savior’s doctrine, and resisting the social pressures of our day. But our commission as ordained apostles is ‘to go into all the world to preach [His] gospel unto every creature’ [Doctrine and Covenants 18:28]. That means we are commanded to teach truth.”

Learn More

Caring for the Poor and Others in Need

• Linda K. Burton, “I Was a Stranger,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 13–15

• Jeffrey R. Holland, “Are We Not All Beggars?,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 40–42

False Prophets

• M. Russell Ballard, “Beware of False Prophets and False Teachers,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 62–64

Media

Images

Glory by Degrees, by Annie Henrie Nader

Except for These Chains, © Pacific Press, licensed from GoodSalt.com

Notes

1. See Acts 24:17; Romans 15:25–32; 1 Corinthians 16:1–4.

2. See 2 Corinthians 8:1–7.

3. See Romans 15:26. Corinth was a city in Achaia.

4. See 2 Corinthians 8:12; see also Mosiah 4:24.

5. See 2 Corinthians 9:6. The Greek word eulogia is translated as “bountifully” in the King James Version. It can also mean bless, praise, or give thanks (see Tremper Longman III and Mark L. Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, entry 2129b, page 1084).

6. Paul taught this idea, sometimes referred to as “the law of the harvest,” more extensively in Galatians 6:7–10.

7. See 2 Corinthians 9:9; Psalm 112:5, 9.

8. See also 2 Corinthians 9:7; Moroni 7:6–7.

9. See 2 Corinthians 9:12–13.

10. See 2 Corinthians 8:14.

11. Wants here does not necessarily mean desires. The Greek word translated “want” in 2 Corinthians 8:14 means “that which is lacking, poverty, deficiency” (Longman and Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary, 463). This matches the typical meaning of the word want in Joseph Smith’s day (see Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language [1828], “want,” webstersdictionary1828.com).

12. See Doctrine and Covenants 51:3; 82:17.

13. See Topics and Questions, “Fasting and Fast Offerings,” Gospel Library.

14. See Humanitarian Services, philanthropies.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

15. 2 Corinthians 10:4–5; see Earl D. Radmacher and others, NKJV Study Bible (2018), 1743, note for 2 Corinthians 10:4–5.

16. For modern-day prophetic teachings on the dangers of pride, see Ezra Taft Benson, “The Faces of Pride,” New Era, Oct. 2003, 40–44; Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Pride and the Priesthood,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 55–58; David A. Bednar, “In the Space of Not Many Years,” Liahona, Nov. 2024.

17. See 2 Corinthians 10:4–5.

18. See 2 Corinthians 10:10.

19. See 2 Corinthians 10:12–14; see also 1 Corinthians 1:25–27.

20. Doctrine and Covenants 1:19–28.

21. See Exodus 4:10; Moses 6:31; Ether 12:23–27; Joseph Smith—History 1:28–29; compare Galatians 4:13.

22. Richard D. Draper and Michael D. Rhodes, Paul’s Second Epistle to the Corinthians, Brigham Young University New Testament Commentary (2023), 537.

23. See Longman and Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, 110.

24. Draper and Rhodes, Paul’s Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 537.

25. See Alma 26:10–12, 16.

26. See Harold W. Attridge and others, eds., The HarperCollins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version, Including the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books (2006), 1968, note for 2 Corinthians 11:2. Some translations use the word jealous in this verse. The Greek word zēlos means “zeal” or “passion” and can be positive or negative, depending on where the emotion is directed. “Fervent concern” is the positive sense, focused on God (see Longman and Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary, 930).

27. See 2 Corinthians 11:3.

28. See 2 Corinthians 11:12–15; see also 2 Nephi 9:9; Alma 30:53; Doctrine and Covenants 129:8; Moses 5:13, 28–30.

29. The Greek word applied to Satan and false apostles in disguise is metaschēmatizō, which means to change or transform in appearance (see Longman and Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary, 1108).

30. See 2 Corinthians 11:15.

31. 2 Corinthians 11:4.

32. See 1 Corinthians 15:13–19.

33. Paul referred to the hyperlian apostles, which means the “exceedingly; preeminently” or highest apostles (see Longman and Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary, entry 5244b, page 1151). Some interpret this to be a sarcastic title directed at false apostles, while others see it as a reference to the authentic Apostles (see Radmacher and others, NKJV Study Bible, 1744, note for 2 Corinthians 11:5). Some translations prefer “super-apostles” (see Attridge and others, HarperCollins Study Bible, 1968, note for 2 Corinthians 11:5).

34. See also Mark 16:17–18.

35. See 2 Corinthians 11:2.

36. See Acts 18:3.

37. A close reading of verses 5 and 7 shows that this person was Paul himself (see Michael D. Coogan and others, eds., The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version, 5th ed. [2018], 1675, note for 2 Corinthians 12:2–3).

38. The Prophet Joseph Smith explained that “Paul ascended into the third Heavens and he could understand the three principal rounds of Jacob’s Ladder, the Telestial, the Terrestrial and the Celestial glories or Kingdoms, where Paul saw and heard things which were not lawful for him to utter” (in History, 1838–1856 [Manuscript History of the Church], volume D-1, 1556, josephsmithpapers.org; see also Doctrine and Covenants 137:1).

39. See Radmacher and others, NKJV Study Bible, 1746, notes for 2 Corinthians 12:1–11; Coogan and others, The New Oxford Annotated Bible, 1675, notes for 2 Corinthians 12:1–13.

40. Visionary experiences often defy descriptions. See Joseph Smith—History 1:17.

41. Other prophets have also been forbidden from sharing their full experiences (see 1 Nephi 14:28; 3 Nephi 28:14; Ether 4:1, 6–7; 13:13).

42. See Moses 1:42; Doctrine and Covenants 41:6.

43. Joseph Smith taught: “The reason we do not have the secrets of the Lord revealed unto us, is because we do not keep them, but reveal them; we do not keep our own secrets, but reveal our difficulties to the world, even to our enemies, then how would we keep the secrets of the Lord? ‘I can keep a secret till Doomsday’” (in History, 1838–1856 [Manuscript History of the Church], volume C-1 Addenda, 46, josephsmithpapers.org).

44. See Longman and Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary, entry 4647, page 1137.

45. Many have speculated on what Paul’s infirmity might have been—mental health issues, an illness, or even persecution. But Paul never specified his affliction. See Attridge and others, The HarperCollins Study Bible, 1970, note for 2 Corinthians 12:7.

46. The Greek word is asthenēs, meaning “weak, feeble, sick; morally weak; lacking in knowledge or faith” (Longman and Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, 891).

47. See Luke 10:9, where asthenēs refers to those whom Jesus sent His disciples to heal.

48. See 1 Corinthians 8:9, where asthenēs describes the faith of the Corinthian Saints.

49. See 2 Corinthians 10:10; 12:9–10.

50. See Ether 12:26–27.

51. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught: “When you feel weak, Jesus Christ is your strength. He gives power to the weary; and to those who feel powerless, He increases strength. They who wait upon the Lord will be renewed by His strength” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Jesus Christ Is the Strength of Youth,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 10).

52. The same Greek word, sēmeion (meaning “sign,” “mark,” “pledge,” or “token”), was used by John in his gospel to demonstrate that Jesus was the Christ. The word is used 77 times in the New Testament, mostly referring to a miraculous event, and denotes a visible and symbolic token (see Longman and Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, entry 4592, page 1136).

53. Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary (1971), 2:450.

54. See 2 Corinthians 12:14.

55. The King James Version lacks the question mark in 2 Corinthians 12:15, but it is found in other translations: “If I love you more, am I to be loved less?” (2 Corinthians 12:15, New Revised Standard Version).

56. Prophets throughout the ages have been hated and rejected for teaching God’s truth (see John 15:18; Joseph Smith—History 1:25; 1 Samuel 8:7; 1 Kings 19:10, 14; 1 Nephi 1:19–20).

57. See 2 Corinthians 12:20–21.

58. Russell M. Nelson, “The Love and Laws of God” (Brigham Young University devotional, Sept. 17, 2019), 3, speeches.byu.edu.