2 Corinthians 5:16
New International Version
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

New Living Translation
So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!

English Standard Version
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.

Berean Standard Bible
So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore from now, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have regarded Christ according to flesh, yet now we regard Him thus no longer.

King James Bible
Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

New King James Version
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore from now on we recognize no one by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.

NASB 1995
Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.

NASB 1977
Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.

Amplified Bible
So from now on we regard no one from a human point of view [according to worldly standards and values]. Though we have known Christ from a human point of view, now we no longer know Him in this way.

Christian Standard Bible
From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective. Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective, yet now we no longer know him in this way.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him in this way.

American Standard Version
Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Now therefore, we do not know a person by the body, and if we have known The Messiah in the body, from now on we do not even know him so.

Contemporary English Version
We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in this way.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore henceforth, we know no man according to the flesh. And if we have known Christ according to the flesh; but now we know him so no longer.

English Revised Version
Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So from now on we don't think of anyone from a human point of view. If we did think of Christ from a human point of view, we don't anymore.

Good News Translation
No longer, then, do we judge anyone by human standards. Even if at one time we judged Christ according to human standards, we no longer do so.

International Standard Version
So then, from now on we do not think of anyone from a human point of view. Even if we did think of the Messiah from a human point of view, we don't think of him that way anymore.

Literal Standard Version
So that we, from now on, have known no one according to the flesh, and even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him [thus] no longer;

Majority Standard Bible
So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

New American Bible
Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer.

NET Bible
So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know him in that way any longer.

New Revised Standard Version
From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way.

New Heart English Bible
Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we no longer know him in this way.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore henceforth we know no man according to the flesh: though indeed we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now henceforth we know him no more.

Weymouth New Testament
Therefore for the future we know no one simply as a man. Even if we have known Christ as a man, yet now we do so no longer.

World English Bible
Therefore we know no one according to the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

Young's Literal Translation
So that we henceforth have known no one according to the flesh, and even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him no more;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ambassadors for Christ
15And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again. 16So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!…

Cross References
John 8:15
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

2 Corinthians 11:18
Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I too will boast.

Philippians 3:4
though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:


Treasury of Scripture

Why from now on know we no man after the flesh: yes, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now from now on know we him no more.

know we no.

Deuteronomy 33:9
Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.

1 Samuel 2:29
Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

Matthew 10:37
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

yet.

John 6:63
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Jump to Previous
Christ Flesh Forward Future Henceforth Human Indeed Longer Once Point Reason Recognize Regard Simply Time View Way Wherefore Worldly
Jump to Next
Christ Flesh Forward Future Henceforth Human Indeed Longer Once Point Reason Recognize Regard Simply Time View Way Wherefore Worldly
2 Corinthians 5
1. That in his assured hope of immortal glory,
9. and in expectation of it, he labors to keep a good conscience;
12. not that he may boast of himself,
14. but as one that, having received life from Christ,
17. endeavors to live as a new creature to Christ only,
18. and by his ministry of reconciliation, to reconcile others also in Christ to God.














(16) Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh.--The logical dependence of this sentence on the foregoing lies in the suppressed premise, that in living not to ourselves, but to Christ, we gain new standards of judgment, new ways of looking at things. To know a man "after the flesh" is to know him by the outward accidents and circumstances of his life: his wealth, rank, culture, knowledge. St. Paul had ceased to judge of men by those standards. With him the one question was whether the man was, by his own act and choice, claiming the place which the death of Christ had secured for him, and living in Him as a new creature. That is the point of view from which he now "knows," or looks on, every man.

Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh.--What, we ask, gave occasion to this strange parenthesis? What did it mean? To what stage of the Apostle's life does it refer? (1) The answer to the first question is probably to be found in once more reading between the lines. There was, we know, a party at Corinth claiming a special relation to Christ (1Corinthians 1:12). They probably did so as having been personal disciples. If they were like those who elsewhere claimed to speak in the name of James (Acts 15:24; Galatians 2:12), they were likely to urge his claims as the brother of the Lord. To St. Paul such a way of judging would be to know Christ after the flesh--to judge of Him, as of others, by the lower standard of the world. (2) The next question is more difficult. The hypothetical form of the proposition practically implies an admission of its truth. It is hardly conceivable that he refers to the time before his conversion, and means that he too had once seen and known Jesus of Nazareth, judging of Him "after the flesh," by an earthly standard, and therefore had thought that He ought to do many things against him; or that, after the revelation of Christ in him, at the time of his conversion, he had, for a time, known Him after a manner which he now saw to be at least imperfect. The true solution of the problem is probably to be found in the fact that he had once thought, even before he appeared as the persecutor of the Church, of the Christ that was to come as others thought, that his Messianic expectations had been those of an earthly kingdom restored to Israel. Jesus of Nazareth did not fulfil those expectations, and therefore he had opposed His claim to be the Messiah. Now, he says, he had come to take a different view of the work and office of the Christ. (3) It follows, if this interpretation is correct, that he speaks of the period that preceded his conversion. not of an imperfect state of knowledge after it, out of which he had risen by progressive stages of illumination and clearer vision of the truth. Now and from henceforth, he seems to say, we think of Christ not as the King of Israel, but as the Saviour of mankind.

Verse 16. - Know no man after the flesh. It is a consequence of my death with Christ that I have done with carnal, superficial, earthly, external judgments according to the appearance, and not according to the heart. Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh. The word for "know" is different from the one just used (οῖδα, scio; ἔγνωκα, cognovi), and may be rendered, "though we have taken note of." The whole phrase, which has been interpreted in multitudes of different ways, and has led to many different hypotheses, must be understood in accordance with the context. St. Paul is saying that he has now renounced all mere earthly and human judgments; and he here implies that the day has been (whether - which is a very unlikely view - before his conversion, when he looked on Christ as a "deceiver," or just after his conversion, when possibly he may only have known him partially as the Jewish Messiah) when he knew Christ only in this fleshly way; but henceforth he will know him so no more. Probably this "knowing Christ after the flesh" is a rebuke to those members of the Christ party at Corinth who may have boasted that they were superior to all others because they had personally seen or known Christ - a spirit which Christ himself not only discouraged (John 16:7) but even rebuked (Matthew 12:50). To St. Paul Christ is now regarded as far above all local, national, personal, and Jewish limitations, and as the principle of spiritual life in the heart of every Christian. In the view which he took of his Lord St. Paul henceforth has banished all Jewish particularism for gospel catholicity. He regards Christ, not in the light of earthly relationships and conditions, but as the risen, glorified, eternal, universal Saviour.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So
Ὥστε (Hōste)
Conjunction
Strong's 5620: So that, therefore, so then, so as to. From hos and te; so too, i.e. Thus therefore.

from
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

now on
νῦν (nyn)
Adverb
Strong's 3568: A primary particle of present time; 'now'; also as noun or adjective present or immediate.

we
ἡμεῖς (hēmeis)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

regard
οἴδαμεν (oidamen)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

no one
οὐδένα (oudena)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3762: No one, none, nothing.

according to
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

[the] flesh.
σάρκα (sarka)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4561: Flesh, body, human nature, materiality; kindred.

Although
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

we once regarded
ἐγνώκαμεν (egnōkamen)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

Christ
Χριστόν (Christon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.

[in this way],
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

[we do so]
γινώσκομεν (ginōskomen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

no longer.
οὐκέτι (ouketi)
Adverb
Strong's 3765: No longer, no more. Also ouk eti from ou and eti; not yet, no longer.


Links
2 Corinthians 5:16 NIV
2 Corinthians 5:16 NLT
2 Corinthians 5:16 ESV
2 Corinthians 5:16 NASB
2 Corinthians 5:16 KJV

2 Corinthians 5:16 BibleApps.com
2 Corinthians 5:16 Biblia Paralela
2 Corinthians 5:16 Chinese Bible
2 Corinthians 5:16 French Bible
2 Corinthians 5:16 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore we know no one after (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor)
2 Corinthians 5:15
Top of Page
Top of Page