"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
2 Corinthians 5:17 is the "new creation in Christ" verse. This page gives the verse, where it sits in 2 Corinthians 5, and a plain reading. For more verses on the theme, see Bible verses about new creation, Bible verses about salvation, and Bible verses about reconciliation.
Free PDF
Get the free 30 Days of Love Verses PDF
Sign up for the daily Bible verse email, and get the free 30 Days of Love Verses PDF. 30 Days of Love Verses · Open the PDF
The verse
The King James says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
"New" is kainos (G2537), new in kind, not just recent. "Creation" or "creature" is ktisis (G2937), something made by God. "Old" is archaios (G744), what belongs to the former time. "Passed away" is parerchomai (G3928), to go by or come to an end.
Where it sits in 2 Corinthians 5
The verse grows out of Christ's love. Paul writes, "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all" (2 Corinthians 5:14), and "he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again" (2 Corinthians 5:15).
Right after verse 17 he says, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18). The chapter ends with the exchange at the cross: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
What the verse is saying
Being "in Christ" is not a small upgrade. Paul says it is a new creation, the same kind of word used for God making the world. The old way of life, lived for yourself, has gone, and a new one has started.
That newness comes from God, not self-improvement. Verse 18 says "all this is from God," and it sends the person outward with a message of reconciliation. For more, see Bible verses about redemption, Bible verses about forgiveness, and Romans 12:2.
Questions people ask
What does 2 Corinthians 5:17 say?
In the NIV it says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" The KJV says, "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away."
What does "new creation" mean in 2 Corinthians 5:17?
"New" is the Greek kainos, new in kind, and "creation" is ktisis, something God makes. A person in Christ is made new by God, not just given a fresh start by their own effort.
What does "in Christ" mean?
It means belonging to Jesus and being joined to him by faith. Paul says Christ "died for all" so that people would "no longer live for themselves but for him" (2 Corinthians 5:15).
What is the context of 2 Corinthians 5:17?
It follows Christ's love that "compels us" (2 Corinthians 5:14) and leads into reconciliation with God (2 Corinthians 5:18) and the exchange of 2 Corinthians 5:21.
What verse goes well with 2 Corinthians 5:17?
Romans 12:2 says, "be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 5:8 says Christ died for us while we were still sinners.
