2 Corinthians 5:17 Commentary
In-depth 2 Corinthians 5:17 commentary covering historical setting, original Greek/Hebrew, theology, and pastoral application.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
Exposition
Paul describes the radical transformation that occurs when someone trusts in Christ. Believers become new creations—their old identity passes away and everything becomes new.
Historical Setting
Paul wrote this around AD 55-56. Corinth was a Roman colony known for moral corruption—the Greek verb 'korinthiazesthai' (to act like a Corinthian) meant to practice immorality. For Corinthian converts, becoming 'new creatures' wasn't metaphorical—it meant a radical break from deeply embedded cultural sin patterns.
Original Language Notes
'Kainē' means new in quality (not 'neos,' new in time)—fresh, unprecedented. 'Ktisis' means creation—the same word used for God's original creation. In Christ, God performs a new creation of the same magnitude as Genesis 1—something entirely new in kind.
Pastoral Application
Your past doesn't define you. In Christ, you have a new identity, a fresh start, and a transformed nature. Old patterns can be overcome because you are new.
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