For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, [even] by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
For {G1063} the Son {G5207} of God {G2316}, Jesus {G2424} Christ {G5547}, who {G3588} was preached {G2784} among {G1722} you {G5213} by {G1223} us {G2257}, even by {G1223} me {G1700} and {G2532} Silvanus {G4610} and {G2532} Timotheus {G5095}, was {G1096} not {G3756} yea {G3483} and {G2532} nay {G3756}, but {G235} in {G1722} him {G846} was {G1096} yea {G3483}.
For the Son of God, the Messiah Yeshua, who was proclaimed among you through us — that is, through me and Sila and Timothy — was not a yes-and-no man; on the contrary, with him it is always “Yes!”
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in Him it has always been “Yes.”
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in him is yea.
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Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. -
Revelation 1:17
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: -
2 John 1:9
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. -
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. -
Revelation 2:18
¶ And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet [are] like fine brass; -
Revelation 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. -
Acts 18:5
And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews [that] Jesus [was] Christ.
Context of 2 Corinthians 1:19
In 2 Corinthians chapter 1, the Apostle Paul is defending his ministry and personal integrity to the Corinthian church. He had planned to visit them but altered his itinerary, leading some to accuse him of being unreliable or inconsistent in his commitments. This verse is a pivotal part of Paul's response to such accusations. He shifts the focus from his own human plans to the divine consistency of the message he preached. By invoking "the Son of God, Jesus Christ," Paul elevates the discussion, asserting that the Gospel's truthfulness is not subject to human fickleness but rests on the unchanging character of Christ Himself. He also emphasizes the unity of his message with that of his co-laborers, Silvanus (Silas) and Timotheus (Timothy).
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "yea and nay" translates the Greek words nai kai ou (ναὶ καὶ οὔ), meaning "yes and no." This signifies inconsistency, vacillation, or a lack of straightforwardness. In contrast, "yea" comes from the Greek word nai (ναὶ), which is a strong affirmation, meaning "yes, indeed," or "certainly." Paul's point is that while human words and plans might be inconsistent, the very essence of Jesus Christ, and therefore the Gospel message, is utterly consistent and true. This echoes Jesus' own teaching on the importance of simple truthfulness in speech, as found in Matthew 5:37: "But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."
Practical Application
This verse offers profound implications for believers today: