Student Question

How many chapters are in 2 Corinthians?

Quick answer:

There are thirteen chapters in 2 Corinthians.

Expert Answers

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Paul penned 2 Corinthians after sending a letter via Timothy from Ephesus; this letter would become known as 1 Corinthians in the New Testament. Paul then left for Macedonia, as he had prior commitments there. Once in Macedonia, he received news from Titus about the Corinthians, leading him to write another letter to the Corinthians. This letter would become known as the thirteen chapters of 2 Corinthians in the New Testament.

These chapters contain a good deal of instruction guiding leadership within the Christian church. Paul instructs the church to live in unity and to forgive each other of wrongdoings. He also stresses the importance of following church leaders and reminds believers that they should endure the persecution they face while clinging to the promises of God:

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

He also spends an entire chapter reminding the church of the importance of giving, stressing that it is important to show charity regardless of race or nationality.

In this letter, Paul defends himself as a trusted leader of the Corinthians, pointing to his prior physical punishment in the name of Christ and reminding them of his visions from God. These thirteen chapters remind Christians of the importance of following godly leaders and living in unity with each other, standing ready to forgive each other when necessary.

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