For all things are for your sakes; that the grace abounding through many, may abound in thanksgiving unto the glory of God.

“"That He which raised up Jesus, shall raise up also, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God." Again, he fills them with lofty thoughts, that they may not hold themselves indebted to men, I mean to the false Apostles. For the whole is of God Who willeth to bestow upon many, so that the grace may appear the greater. For your sakes, therefore, was the resurrection and all the other things. For He did not these things for the sake of one only, but of all.”

“Having set down the patience of the apostles in evils, and the cause of that patience having been shown, here the apostle consequently makes these things clear; and first he makes clear what he said about the hope of glory; second, what he said about his patience, at the place "therefore we do not fail," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he makes clear the hope of glory which he has; second he shows whence this hope comes to him, at the place "but having the same," etc. Concerning the first he does three things. First he shows how he bears the mortification of Jesus in his body; second he makes clear how he bears the life of Jesus, at the place "that also the life," etc.; third he makes clear what comes of this for himself and for others, at the place "therefore death," etc. He says therefore first: I say that we bear the mortification in our bodies, not that we die, but because we who live, by bodily life or by virtues, are always handed over to death, or to the dangers of death. And this indeed, for the sake of Jesus. Ps. 43:22: "we are accounted as sheep," etc. But how we bear the life of Jesus in the body he explains, adding: "so," namely that the life of Jesus, immortal and impassible, may be made manifest in our flesh, now mortal, so that our mortal flesh may receive immortality in the resurrection. 1 Cor. 15:53: "but this mortal must put on," etc. But what comes of this, he adds, saying "therefore death works," that is, exercises its dominion in us, "but life," namely the present life, "works in you," because you are in prosperity, according to that word, 1 Cor. 4:10: "we are fools," etc. So that death works in us a great good, namely the attainment of spiritual life. Ps. 115:15: "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints," etc. But the earthly life which you love works in you a great evil, namely eternal death. Prov. 10:16: "the work of the just is unto life," etc. John 12:25: "he who loves his soul in this world," etc. Or otherwise: there were two things in Christ, bodily death and spiritual life. He says therefore "therefore death," etc., as if to say: in us not only does spiritual life work, insofar as we imitate spiritually, but death also works, that is, on account of the hope of resurrection, and on account of the love of Christ, the traces of the death of Christ appear in us, insofar as we are exposed to the sufferings of death, Ps. 43:22: "for thy sake we are put to death all the day long;" but in you only the life of Christ works, through which life faith is planted in you, and spiritual life. But whence this hope of certitude comes to the apostle, he adds, saying "but having," etc. And concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the cause of the certitude; second he concludes the certitude itself, at the place "knowing that he who," etc. But the cause of this certitude is the spirit, infusing faith into their hearts. Hence first he sets down this cause; second he makes it clear by an example, at the place "as it is written," etc. He says therefore: from this we hope and do not fail, because we are having the same spirit of faith which the ancients had, because, although the times have changed, yet the spirit and faith have not changed, except that they believed Christ was to come and to suffer, but we believe that he has come and has suffered. And this spirit is the Holy Spirit, who is the spirit of faith. 1 Cor. 12:11: "but all these things one and the same spirit works," etc. And in the same place: "to another faith in the same spirit." Having therefore this spirit, which the ancients had, we do the same things as they, and we believe. But what they did, Ps. 115:10 says: "I believed," namely God, and perfectly. And this all the ancients did. Heb. 11:39: "all these by the testimony of faith," etc. "For which cause," namely I believed, "I have spoken," that is, I have confessed the faith. Rom. 10:10: "with the heart we believe unto justice," etc. Which we also do, because on account of the fact that we believe, we speak and confess the faith and preach. Acts 4:20: "for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." The Holy Spirit therefore is the cause of this certitude. Finally therefore he concludes the intended conclusion, namely the certitude itself. And first concerning his own salvation; second concerning the salvation of others, at the place "and will set with you," etc. He says therefore "knowing," that is, having certain knowledge, "that he who raised up Jesus," that is, God the Father, or the whole Trinity, "will raise us also with Jesus," namely that we may take up the same glory with Jesus, because since we are his members, we ought to be with the head. John 12:26: "I will, Father, that where I am, there also my minister may be," etc. Rom. 8:11: "he who raised up the Lord Jesus from the dead, will raise," etc. And I am certain not only of our salvation, but also of yours, because "he will set us with you," that is, we shall be together; because just as we are members of Christ, so also you through us. 1 Thess. 4:16: "and so we shall always be with the Lord." Matt. 24:28: "wherever the body shall be," etc. And therefore he says "with you," so as to encourage them to good, insofar as he shows them not to be inferior, but equal. And well can I say this with certainty, because all things are for your benefit. For all things which we endure, all the graces which we receive from God, are for you, namely that you may be instructed by our example. And this for the reason that the grace abounding from us may abound in you through many unto the glory of God, that is, that many may give thanks to God for so great a benefit. Eph. 5:20: "giving thanks to God and the Father," etc.”

“For which cause we faint not,.... Since our afflictions are overruled for the good of others, and the glory of God, we are not discouraged by them; our spirits do not sink under the weight of them; we do not give out from the work of the ministry because of them, but go on cheerfully therein: and the more so, since though our outward man perish; our outward circumstances of life are very mean and despicable; we are oftentimes in a very distressed condition through hunger, thirst, nakedness, and want of the common necessaries of life; our bodies are almost worn out with fatigue, labour, and sorrow; our earthly tabernacles are tottering, and just ready to fall in pieces: yet the inward man is renewed day by day; that is, continually; it answers to , an Hebraism; see Est 2:11 the internal hidden man of the heart, the new man is in a prosperous condition; our souls are in good health; the work of God is comfortably carried on in us; we have sweet and repeated experiences of the love of God; we are growing in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ; and, like the palm tree, the more weight is hung upon it, the more it thrives; and, like the children of Israel in Egypt, the more they were afflicted the more they grew.”

“For all things are for your sakes - We proclaim all these truths and bear all these sufferings for your sakes, thinking all our sufferings nothing if we can gain converts to Christ, and build believers up on their most holy faith. That the abundant grace - Ἡ χαρις πλεονασασα· The abounding benefit - the copious outpouring of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, by which you have been favored and enriched, may, through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God: i.e. that the gratitude of the multitudes which have been converted may keep pace with the blessings which they have received, and περισσευσῃ, abound, as these blessings have abounded.”

“&c. For all things, that we suffer, are for your sakes, that many may be brought to give thanks, and to praise God for eternity. This encourages us not to fail, nor faint in the cause of God, under these momentary and light tribulations, which mark in us above measure, an exceeding and eternal weight of glory. See the Greek text. (Witham)”

“For--Confirming his assertion "with you" (Co2 4:14), and "life . . . worketh in you" (Co2 4:12). all things--whether the afflictions and labors of us ministers (Co2 4:8-11), or your prosperity (Co2 4:12; Co1 3:21-22; Co1 4:8-13). for your sakes-- (Ti2 2:10). abundant grace, &c.--rather, "That grace (the grace which preserves us in trials and works life in you), being made the greater (multiplied), by means of the greater number (of its recipients), may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God." [CHRYSOSTOM] (Co2 1:11; Co2 9:11-12). The Greek is susceptible also of this translation, "That grace, being made the greater (multiplied) on account of the thanksgiving of the greater number (for grace already received), may abound (abundantly redound) to," &c. Thus the Greek for "abound" has not to be taken in an active sense, but in its ordinary neuter sense, and so the other Greek words. Thanksgiving invites more abundant grace (Ch2 20:19-22; Psa 18:3; Psa 50:23).”