2 Corinthians 1:9 (KJV)

Passage

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

Nearby Context

2 Corinthians 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

2 Corinthians 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

2 Corinthians 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

2 Corinthians 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

2 Corinthians 1:11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sentence", "death", "ourselves", "should", "trust", "raiseth", and "dead". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sentence" and "death", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "For we would not brethren have you..." into verse 10's "Who delivered us from so great a...", so "sentence" and "death" belong inside that flow. In 2 Corinthians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sentence" and "death" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.