2 Corinthians 5:19 (ASV)

Passage

to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Nearby Context

2 Corinthians 5:17 Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.

2 Corinthians 5:18 But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation;

2 Corinthians 5:19 to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:20 We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech [you] on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "world", "christ", "reconciling", "himself", "reckoning", "trespasses", "having", and "committed". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "world" and "christ", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "But all things are of God who..." into verse 20's "We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of...", so "world" and "christ" 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 "world" and "christ" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.