2 Corinthians 1:4 Meaning and Explanation
“Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The comfort God gives us in our trouble is meant to flow through us to someone else in theirs.
The Context of 2 Corinthians 1:4
Paul continues his opening blessing, writing as one who has just been through severe affliction in the province of Asia. He turns his own suffering into a window onto how God's comfort works.
What Does 2 Corinthians 1:4 Mean?
Paul describes a current that moves. God comforts us in all our tribulation, and that same comfort does not stop with us; it equips us to come alongside others in any trouble of theirs. The word translated 'comfort' appears again and again in these verses, like a refrain. What we receive in our hardest hours becomes something we can hand on, so that no sorrow we endure is finally wasted.
There is a quiet dignity here for anyone who has suffered. The pain we carry can become the very thing that lets us sit with another person in their darkness, because we have been there and know the way God meets us in it. This is the pattern of Christ Himself, who entered our suffering so that He could comfort us from within it. Our comfort flows from His.
2 Corinthians 1:4 in the Original Language
thlipsis (θλῖψις), 'tribulation' -- pressure, the crushing weight of affliction and distress.
How to Apply 2 Corinthians 1:4 Today
The comfort we have received in our own troubles is not only for us; it becomes something to give away. Having been met by God in our worst hours, we are able to sit with others in theirs, carrying to them the same comfort that carried us.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Corinthians 1:4
What does 2 Corinthians 1:4 mean?
The comfort God gives us in our trouble is meant to flow through us to someone else in theirs.
What is the context of 2 Corinthians 1:4?
Paul continues his opening blessing, writing as one who has just been through severe affliction in the province of Asia. He turns his own suffering into a window onto how God's comfort works.
How can I apply 2 Corinthians 1:4 today?
The comfort we have received in our own troubles is not only for us; it becomes something to give away. Having been met by God in our worst hours, we are able to sit with others in theirs, carrying to them the same comfort that carried us.