Paul’s ministry didn’t look successful. He was often rejected, beaten, and misunderstood. But in 2 Corinthians 2:5–17, Paul reminds us that the gospel doesn’t need to be repackaged to be effective.
How do you know if you’ve successfully understood a passage of Scripture? Start by understanding and embracing these basic interpretative convictions.
When Paul didn’t return to Corinth as expected, some accused him of being unreliable. In 2 Corinthians 1:12–2:4, Paul explains his decision did not result from selfish motives but from pastoral care. His example gives us a window into how mature faith navigates conflict, disappointment, and the hard work of loving others well.
After you’ve done your observation, word studies, outlining and answered the questions you generated, it’s time to start putting it all together. In this step, you want to collect, refine and organize all those details you observed into a coherent meaning.
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for glory, doxa, G1391
Suffering Comfort & Prayer in 2 Corinthians: Learn why they matter in the Christian life and what they teach about trusting God.
The first step in Bible study is observation. The goal is to slow down your reading and generate a list of questions that must be answered to understand the passage. I tend to break observation into the following 4 steps which generally correspond to my first few readings through the passage.
Curious about our Bible studies but don’t listen to podcasts? There are several ways to engage without ever hitting play.
Corinth was one of the most influential and morally corrupt cities in the Roman Empire. Yet it became home to a growing church. In this episode, we study Acts 18 to explain how and why Paul founded a church in Corinth, what made Corinth strategic, and how God used unexpected partnerships to advance the gospel.
You may have heard the “rule” in Bible Study that a text always means what the author intended it to mean. But how do you evaluate whether a particular interpretation hits the mark of authorial intent? You can test any interpretation with the five C’s.
July is the time to start preparing for your fall Bible study. Are you overwhelmed by the details or don’t know where to start? Assuming your study starts in September, here’s my summer ministry preparation checklist.
Wednesday in the Word Season 26 kicks off July 9 with a series on 2 Corinthians: When Church Hurts.
Krisan Marotta is a Bible teacher and host of Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.