What Does 2 Corinthians 3:17 Mean in the King James?

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

2 Corinthians 3:17 · KJV

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

Freedom is not found away from the Lord; it appears where the Lord’s own breath is present.

THE MEANING

The Lord is present as breath, and liberty is where that breath is. The verse speaks to you now: freedom belongs with the Lord’s nearness.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The belief that closeness to the Lord costs you freedom is undone: this verse locates liberty exactly where the Lord is.

THE ROOT

πνεῦμα

pneuma

GROWS FROM

πνέω

pneō

To blow or breathe.

The Greek word translated “Spirit” is pneuma, a word that also means breath or wind. The verse joins the Lord’s presence to this breath, then names liberty as what is found where that presence is.

ALSO GROWS

pneō: To blow or breathe.

πνέω

This verb shows the movement of air and breath within the word family behind pneuma.

pnoē: Breath or a blowing.

πνοή

This related noun keeps the sense of moving breath visible where English gives only “Spirit.”

ἐλευθερία

eleutheria

GROWS FROM

ἐλευθερ-

eleuther-

Free, unbound.

Liberty belongs to a Greek word family that names both the free person and the act of setting someone free. Here freedom is tied to the Lord’s presence: where the Lord’s pneuma is, there is eleutheria.

ALSO GROWS

eleutheros: Free; a free person.

ἐλεύθερος

This is the free state named by eleutheria, making liberty more than an abstract idea.

eleutheroō: To set free.

ἐλευθερόω

This verb shows the same word family in motion: liberty is also the act of releasing someone into freedom.

THE PATTERN

Where the Lord’s presence reaches what is bound, freedom appears.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Isaiah 61:1 · KJVThe Lord’s Spirit rests upon the speaker as liberty is proclaimed to captives and prison doors are opened.

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 8:36 · KJVThe Son’s act of freeing brings the reader into the freedom named in this verse.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:1 · KJVThe freedom Christ gives stands opposite to being bound again under a yoke.

THE THREAD

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

2 Corinthians 3:6 · KJV

The same Greek word, pneuma, appears here as “spirit.” This verse says the pneuma gives life; verse 17 names the Lord as this Spirit and locates liberty where it is present.

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