The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 4:3 Explained

2 Corinthians 4:3

KJV: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

YLT: and if also our good news is vailed, in those perishing it is vailed,

Darby: But if also our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in those that are lost;

ASV: And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  if  our  gospel  be  hid,  it is  hid  to  them that are lost: 

What does 2 Corinthians 4:3 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 - God's Glory Reflected In Christ
The servant of Christ must never forget that he once needed and obtained mercy. This will sustain him in many an hour when heart and flesh fail. His weapon is the truth, his appeal to conscience. Others may vie with him in brilliant imagination, fervid enthusiasm, and intellectual force, but he has unrivaled supremacy in the realm of conscience. As Richard I of England, immured in a castle-dungeon, recognized the voice and song of his troubadour, singing outside the castle gate a strain familiar to them both, and responded note for note, so does conscience awaken and respond to the truth, which it recognizes as the voice of God.
Why, then, does the gospel fail? Not through any defect in itself, nor because of some arbitrary decree on the part of God, but because the god of this world has blinded the eyes of the heart by the glamour of worldly prosperity and success, or perhaps by the covering film or scale of evil habit, so that the light of the dawn, stealing over the world, is unable to penetrate the darkened life. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 4

1  Paul declares how he has used all sincerity and diligence in preaching the gospel,
7  and how his troubles and persecutions did redound to the praise of God's power,
12  to the benefit of the church,
16  and to the apostle's own eternal glory

Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 4:3

It is veiled in them that are perishing [εν τοις απολλυμενοις εστιν κεκαλυμμενον]
Periphrastic perfect passive of καλυπτω — kaluptō to veil in both condition (first class) and conclusion. See note on 2 Corinthians 2:15. for “the perishing.” [source]
Hid [κεκαλυμμένον]
Rev., veiled, in accordance with the imagery of ch. 3. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 4:3

1 Corinthians 1:18 To them that are perishing [τοις μεν απολλυμενοις]
Dative of disadvantage (personal interest). Present middle participle is here timeless, those in the path to destruction (not annihilation. See note on 2 Thessalonians 2:10). Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:3. Foolishness (μωρια — mōria). Folly. Old word from μωρος — mōros foolish. In N.T. only in 1 Corinthians 1:18, 1 Corinthians 1:21, 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 3:19. But unto us which are being saved Sharp contrast to those that are perishing and same construction with the articular participle. No reason for the change of pronouns in English. This present passive participle is again timeless. Salvation is described by Paul as a thing done in the past, “we were saved” (Romans 8:24), as a present state, “ye have been saved” (Ephesians 2:5), as a process, “ye are being saved” (1 Corinthians 15:2), as a future result, “thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). The power of God (δυναμις τεου — dunamis theou). So in Romans 1:16. No other message has this dynamite of God (1 Corinthians 4:20). God‘s power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages, now as always. No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them. The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time. [source]
2 Corinthians 4:9 Smitten down [καταβαλλομενοι]
As if overtaken. Destroyed (απολλυμενοι — apollumenoi). Perishing as in 2 Corinthians 4:3. Was Paul referring to Lystra when the Jews stoned him and thought him dead? [source]
2 Corinthians 4:9 Destroyed [απολλυμενοι]
Perishing as in 2 Corinthians 4:3. Was Paul referring to Lystra when the Jews stoned him and thought him dead? [source]
1 Thessalonians 1:5 Our gospel [το ευαγγελιον ημων]
The gospel (see Matthew 4:23; note on Mark 1:1 and Mark 1:15 for ευαγγελιον — euaggelion) which we preach, Paul‘s phrase also in 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:3; Romans 2:16; Romans 16:25; 2 Timothy 2:8. Paul had a definite, clear-cut message of grace that he preached everywhere including Thessalonica. This message is to be interpreted in the light of Paul‘s own sermons in Acts and Epistles, not by reading backward into them the later perversions of Gnostics and sacramentarians. This very word was later applied to the books about Jesus, but Paul is not so using the term here or anywhere else. In its origin Paul‘s gospel is of God (1 Thessalonians 2:2, 1 Thessalonians 2:8, 1 Thessalonians 2:9), in its substance it is Christ‘s (1 Thessalonians 3:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:8), and Paul is only the bearer of it (1 Thessalonians 2:4, 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:14) as Milligan points out. Paul and his associates have been entrusted with this gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:4) and preach it (Galatians 2:2). Elsewhere Paul calls it God‘s gospel (2 Corinthians 11:7; Romans 1:1; Romans 15:16) or Christ‘s (1 Corinthians 9:12; 2 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 9:13; 2 Corinthians 10:14; Galatians 1:7; Romans 15:19; Philemon 1:27). In both instances it is the subjective genitive. Came unto you (εγενητη εις υμας — egenēthē eis humās). First aorist passive indicative of γινομαι — ginomai in practically same sense as εγενετο — egeneto (second aorist middle indicative as in the late Greek generally). So also εις υμας — eis humās like the Koiné{[28928]}š is little more than the dative υμιν — humin (Robertson, Grammar, p. 594). Not only - but also Sharp contrast, negatively and positively. The contrast between δυναμις — logos (word) and εν πνευματι αγιωι και πληροποριαι πολληι — dunamis (power) is seen also in 1 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Corinthians 4:20. Paul does not refer to miracles by εν — dunamis In the Holy Spirit and much assurance (λογωι δυναμει — en pneumati hagiōi kai plērophoriāi pollēi). Preposition πληροποριαι — en repeated with πληροπορεω — logōiκατως οιδατε — dunamei but only once here thus uniting closely Holy Spirit and much assurance. No article with either word. The word οιοι εγενητημεν υμιν — plērophoriāi is not found in ancient Greek or the lxx. It appears once in Clement of Rome and one broken papyrus example. For the verb οιοι — plērophoreō see note on Luke 1:1. The substantive in the N.T. only here and Colossians 2:2; Hebrews 6:11; Hebrews 10:22. It means the full confidence which comes from the Holy Spirit. Even as ye know (υμιν — kathōs oidate). Paul appeals to the Thessalonians themselves as witnesses to the character of his preaching and life among them. What manner of men we showed ourselves toward you Literally, What sort of men we became to you. Qualitative relative ημετα — hoioi and dative δι υμας — humin and first aorist passive indicative egenēthēmen (not ēmetha we were). An epexegetical comment with for your sake (di' humās) added. It was all in their interest and for their advantage, however it may have seemed otherwise at the time. [source]
2 Thessalonians 2:10 For them that are perishing [τοις απολλυμενοις]
Dative case of personal interest. Note this very phrase in 2 Corinthians 2:15; 2 Corinthians 4:3. Present middle participle of αππολλυμι — appollumi to destroy, the dreadful process goes on. Because (αντ ον — anth' hon). In return for which things (αντι — anti and the genitive of the relative pronoun). Same idiom in Luke 1:20; Luke 12:3; Luke 19:44; Acts 12:23 and very common in the lxx. The love of the truth That is the gospel in contrast with lying and deceit. That they might be saved (εις το σωτηναι αυτους — eis to sōthēnai autous). First aorist passive infinitive of σωζω — sōzō with εις το — eis to again, epexegetic purpose of the truth if they had heeded it. [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 4:3 mean?

If however indeed is concealed the gospel of us to those who are perishing it is
Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔστιν κεκαλυμμένον τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἡμῶν ἐν τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις ἐστὶν

δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
καὶ  indeed 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
κεκαλυμμένον  concealed 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: καλύπτω  
Sense: to hide, veil.
εὐαγγέλιον  gospel 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: εὐαγγέλιον  
Sense: a reward for good tidings.
ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
τοῖς  those  who 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀπολλυμένοις  are  perishing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀπόλλυμι  
Sense: to destroy.
ἐστὶν  it  is 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.