The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 1:10 Explained

2 Corinthians 1:10

KJV: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

YLT: who out of so great a death did deliver us, and doth deliver, in whom we have hoped that even yet He will deliver;

Darby: who has delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom we confide that he will also yet deliver;

ASV: who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Who  delivered  us  from  so great  a death,  and  doth deliver:  in  whom  we trust  that  he will  yet  deliver  [us]; 

What does 2 Corinthians 1:10 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Corinthians 1:1-11 - Sharing Comfort In Affliction
This was a circular letter, including in its scope all the scattered communities in the district. Grace was the usual salutation of the West, Peace of the East. Here they meet. All our mercies emanate from the Father's heart, and all comfort comes from the Comforter. When next passing through great sorrow and trial, notice how near God comes and what He says. Try to learn His methods, to get His secret. Remember that you are being comforted in order to comfort others. God is training you to be, like Barnabas, a "son of consolation." The gains of trial are immense, because they furnish the experience from which others may profit. Often God ministers comfort by sending a friend, 2 Corinthians 7:5-7.
Either through persecution or through severe illness Paul had been brought to the gates of death, 2 Corinthians 1:8. His recovery was little less than a miracle, but throughout his trust never wavered. Dare to believe, like Paul, that God has delivered, doth deliver, and will deliver! Past, present, and coming deliverances blend in this sweet verse. What He hath done, He doth now, and will do. Only see to it that you have the sentence of death in yourself, and on yourself, and that you go out of yourself to God, in whom is all necessary help. In such hours we may also receive great help from the faith of our friends, 2 Corinthians 1:11. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 1

1  Paul salutes the Corinthians;
3  he encourages them against troubles,
5  by the comforts and deliverances which God had given him,
8  so particularly in his late danger in Asia
12  And calling both his own conscience and theirs,
15  he excuses his not coming to them, as proceeding not of lightness,
23  but of his care for them

Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 1:10

Out of so great a death [εκ τηλικουτου τανατου]
He had considered himself as good as dead. [source]
Delivered [ερυσατο]
Old verb ρυω — ruō middle, ρυομαι — ruomai draw oneself, as out of a pit, rescue. So Paul faces death without fear. On whom we have set our hope Perfect active indicative of ελπιζω — elpizō We still have that hope, emphasized by ετι ρυσεται — eti rusetai (he will still deliver). [source]
- will deliver [ρυσεται]
Old verb ρυω — ruō middle, ρυομαι — ruomai draw oneself, as out of a pit, rescue. So Paul faces death without fear. [source]
On whom we have set our hope [εις ον ηλπικαμεν]
Perfect active indicative of ελπιζω — elpizō We still have that hope, emphasized by ετι ρυσεται — eti rusetai (he will still deliver). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 1:10

John 5:45 Think not [μη δοκειτε]
Prohibition with μη — mē and the present imperative. See on John 5:39 for δοκεω — dokeō for mistaken opinions in John. I will accuse you Emphasis on εγω — egō (I). Future active indicative of κατηγορεω — katēgoreō See Romans 3:9 for προαιτιαομαι — proaitiaomai for making previous charge and Luke 16:1 for διαβαλλω — diaballō a secret malicious accusation, and Romans 8:33 for εγκαλεω — egkaleō for public charge, not necessarily before tribunal. Even Moses No “even” in the Greek. On whom ye have set your hope Perfect active indicative of ελπιζω — elpizō state of repose in Moses. Only example of ελπιζω — elpizō in John. See 2 Corinthians 1:10 for use of εις — eis with ελπιζω — elpizō instead of the usual επι — epi (1 Timothy 4:10). [source]
Romans 11:26 All Israel [πας Ισραηλ]
What does Paul mean? The immediate context (use of πας — pās in contrast with απο μερουσ πληρωμα — apo merousπληρωμα — plērōma here in contrast with ο ρυομενος — plērōma in Romans 11:12) argues for the Jewish people “as a whole.” But the spiritual Israel (both Jews and Gentiles) may be his idea in accord with Romans 9:6 (Galatians 6:16) as the climax of the argument. At any rate we should strive for and pray for the conversion of Jews as a whole. Paul here quotes from Isaiah 59:20.; Isaiah 27:9. The Deliverer (ρυομαι — ho ruomenos). Present middle articular participle of ruomai to rescue, to deliver. See note on 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 1:10. The Hebrew Goel, the Avenger, the Messiah, the Redeemer (Deuteronomy 25:5-10; Job 19:25; Rth 3:12.). Paul interprets it of Jesus as Messiah. [source]
Romans 11:26 The Deliverer [ρυομαι]
Present middle articular participle of ruomai to rescue, to deliver. See note on 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 1:10. The Hebrew Goel, the Avenger, the Messiah, the Redeemer (Deuteronomy 25:5-10; Job 19:25; Rth 3:12.). Paul interprets it of Jesus as Messiah. [source]
Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape? [πως ημεις εκπευχομετα]
Rhetorical question with future middle indicative of εκπευγω — ekpheugō and conclusion of the condition. If we neglect First aorist active participle of αμελεω — ameleō “having neglected.” So great salvation Ablative case after αμελησαντες — amelēsantes Correlative pronoun of age, but used of size in the N.T. (James 3:4; 2 Corinthians 1:10). Which “Which very salvation,” before described, now summarized. Having at the first been spoken Literally, “having received a beginning to be spoken,” “having begun to be spoken,” a common literary Koiné idiom (Polybius, etc.). Through the Lord The Lord Jesus who is superior to angels. Jesus was God‘s full revelation and he is the source of this new and superior revelation. Was confirmed First aorist passive indicative of βεβαιοω — bebaioō from βεβαιος — bebaios (stable), old verb as in 1 Corinthians 1:6. By them that heard Ablative case with υπο — hupo of the articular first aorist active participle of ακουω — akouō Those who heard the Lord Jesus. Only one generation between Jesus and the writer. Paul (Galatians 1:11) got his message directly from Christ. [source]
James 3:4 Though they are so great [τηλικαυτα οντα]
Concessive participle of ειμι — eimi The quantitative pronoun τηλικουτος — tēlikoutos occurs in the N.T. only here, 2 Corinthians 1:10; Hebrews 2:3; Revelation 16:18. If James had only seen the modern mammoth ships. But the ship on which Paul went to Malta carried 276 persons (Acts 27:37).And are driven (και ελαυνομενα — kai elaunomena). Present passive participle of ελαυνω — elaunō old verb, in this sense (2 Peter 2:17) for rowing (Mark 6:48; John 6:19).Rough Old adjective (from σκελλω — skellō to dry up), harsh, stiff, hard (Matthew 25:24).Are yet turned (μεταγεται — metagetai). Present passive indicative of the same verb, μεταγω — metagō in James 3:3. James is fond of repeating words (James 1:13.; James 2:14, James 2:16; James 2:21, James 2:25).By a very small rudder For the use of υπο — hupo (under) with things see Luke 8:14; 2 Peter 2:7. There is possibly personification in the use of υπο — hupo for agency in James 1:14; James 2:9; Colossians 2:18. Πηδαλιου — Pēdaliou (from πηδον — pēdon the blade of an oar) is an old word, in N.T. only here and Acts 27:40. Ελαχιστου — Elachistou is the elative superlative as in 1 Corinthians 4:3 (from the Epic ελαχυς — elachus for μικρος — mikros).The impulse (η ορμη — hē hormē). Old word for rapid, violent motion, here of the hand that worked the rudder, in N.T. only here and Acts 14:5 (rush or onset of the people).Of the steersman Present active genitive articular participle of ευτυνω — euthunō old verb, to make straight (from ευτυς — euthus straight, level, Mark 1:3), in N.T. only here and John 1:23. Used also of the shepherd, the charioteer, and today it would apply to the chauffeur. “The twin figure of the control of horse and of ship are frequently found together in later Greek writers” (Ropes). As in Plutarch and Philo.Willeth (βουλεται — bouletai). Present middle indicative of βουλομαι — boulomai common verb to will. Here intention of the steersman lies back of the impact of the hand on the rudder. [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 1:10 mean?

who from such a great a death has delivered us and will deliver [us] in whom we have hope that also still He will deliver [us]
ὃς ἐκ τηλικούτου θανάτου ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς καὶ ῥύσεται εἰς ὃν ἠλπίκαμεν ὅτι καὶ ἔτι ῥύσεται

τηλικούτου  such  a  great 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: τηλικοῦτος  
Sense: of age.
θανάτου  a  death 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θάνατος 
Sense: the death of the body.
ἐρρύσατο  has  delivered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ῥύομαι  
Sense: to draw to one’s self, to rescue, to deliver.
ἡμᾶς  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ῥύσεται  will  deliver  [us] 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ῥύομαι  
Sense: to draw to one’s self, to rescue, to deliver.
ὃν  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἠλπίκαμεν  we  have  hope 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐλπίζω  
Sense: to hope.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
ἔτι  still 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἔτι  
Sense: yet, still.
ῥύσεται  He  will  deliver  [us] 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ῥύομαι  
Sense: to draw to one’s self, to rescue, to deliver.