Names of the Book
| English: | 2 Corinthians |
| Greek: | 2 Κορίνθιος |
| Transliterated: | 2 Korinthios |
| Other names: | Paul's second epistle to the Corinthians |
Who
| Wrote the book: | Paul |
| Are the key people: | Paul, Timothy, Titus, false teachers |
| Is it written to: | Believers in Corinth |
What
| Explanation of Paul's actions (2 Corinthians 1:1-2:11) |
| Defense of Paul's service (2 Corinthians 2:12-9:15) |
| Defense of Paul's authority (2 Corinthians 10:1-13:14) |
When
| Was it written: | c 55-57 CE |
| Did the events occur: | c 55-57 CE |
| Was it canonized: | c 108-117 CE |
| (see the Timeline of the First Century) | |
Where
| Was it written: | Macedonia |
| Did the events occur: | Corinth, Jerusalem |
Why
| 2 Corinthians was written to inform us that: |
| G-d is faithful through all of our trials. |
| The community must discipline those involved in immorality or false teaching. |
| G-d's faithfulness gives us hope in the midst of our trials. |
| Sound doctrine must be maintained in the community. |
Introduction
The book of 2 Corinthians is Paul's second letter to the community of believers that he founded in the city of Corinth. Teachers who oppose Paul’s message have attacked his authority and credibility and Paul writes to the believers in Corinth to encourage them to remain faithful to his instruction. Paul highlights his dependence upon Messiah in the midst of trials and affliction and exhorts the Corinthians to do so as well. He affirms his teachings on issues from his previous letter, encourages the believers to live holy lives, and addresses some additional problems that have arisen in Corinth. Paul concludes his letter by challenging the Corinthians to "test themselves to see if they are in the faith" and to recognize that Paul, himself, does not fail such a test.
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