What Does 2 Corinthians 12:12 Mean in the King James?
Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
A sent one’s signs are wrought through steadfast endurance as surely as through wonders and mighty acts.
THE MEANING
Among you, the mark of one who is sent is being worked through steadfast endurance, alongside signs, wonders, and mighty acts. These meet as one testimony in your life now.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the idea that apostolic authority is proved by spectacle alone: the verse places enduring patience alongside signs, wonders, and mighty acts.
THE ROOT
ὑπομονή
hypomonē
GROWS FROM
ὑπομένω (hypomenō), from ὑπό (hypo, under) + μένω (menō, remain)
To remain under; to endure.
Here patience is endurance: remaining under pressure without leaving. Since the signs are wrought in this endurance, steadfastness belongs to the visible testimony alongside signs, wonders, and mighty acts.
ALSO GROWS
hypomenō: Remain under, endure.
ὑπομένω
This verb expresses the sustained bearing that forms the setting for the signs in the verse.
menō: Remain, stay, abide.
μένω
This base sense shows patience as continued presence, not merely passive waiting.
ἀπόστολος
apostolos
GROWS FROM
ἀποστέλλω (apostellō), from ἀπό (apo, away) + στέλλω (stellō, send or dispatch)
To send forth or dispatch.
“apostle” in this verse is apostolos. The title names a person through a sending, tying the signs to a mission that reaches others. The verse locates those signs among you, where the sending has an effect.
ALSO GROWS
apostellō: Send out, dispatch.
ἀποστέλλω
The verb makes the outward movement within the title visible.
apostolē: A sending, commission.
ἀποστολή
This related noun keeps the focus on the work entrusted to the one who is sent.
σημεῖον
sēmeion
GROWS FROM
σῆμα (sēma, mark or sign), in the σημεῖον (sēmeion, sign or indication) word family
A mark or indication that points to something.
The word can name an indication as well as a wonder. The repeated “signs” point to the apostolic sending, with endurance part of the evidence rather than something outside it.
ALSO GROWS
sēmainō: Signify, indicate.
σημαίνω
This related verb shows how a sign functions: it makes something known through an indication.
sēma: Mark, sign.
σῆμα
This related word keeps the root’s sense of a mark that points beyond itself.
THE PATTERN
A sent witness becomes visible through sustained endurance and signs that testify among a people.
Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?THE THREAD
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.James uses the same word for endurance when trust is tested. Here, that endurance is where the signs of the sent one are wrought, joining steadfastness with outward testimony.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us