2 Corinthians 6:18

My Notes

What Does 2 Corinthians 6:18 Mean?

2 Corinthians 6:18 closes a chain of Old Testament promises with the most intimate claim God makes in the Pauline letters: "And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

The Greek esō hymin eis patera kai hymeis esesthe moi eis huious kai thygateras — "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be to me sons and daughters" — draws from 2 Samuel 7:14 ("I will be his father, and he shall be my son"), Isaiah 43:6 ("bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth"), and Hosea 1:10. Paul weaves these into a single promise and adds something the Old Testament sources never explicitly stated together: sons and daughters. Both. Named. Included.

The Greek thygateras — daughters — is significant because the original Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:14) mentioned only a son. Paul, under the Spirit's inspiration, expands the promise to explicitly include daughters. The fatherhood of God is not gendered in its reach. The Almighty — pantokratōr, the one who holds all power — identifies Himself specifically as Father to daughters, not just sons.

"Saith the Lord Almighty" — legei kyrios pantokratōr. The title pantokratōr — all-ruler, almighty — appears here to anchor the intimacy in sovereignty. The Father who calls you daughter is the same One who holds all power. The intimacy isn't softness. It's the most powerful being in existence choosing the most personal possible relationship with you.

Reflection Questions

• 1.Do you live as a son or daughter of God, or with an orphan mentality — unclaimed, unnamed, uncertain of belonging?
• 2.Paul specifically adds 'daughters' to the promise. If you're a woman, does the explicit inclusion change how you receive the fatherhood of God?
• 3.The Father is also the Lord Almighty — pantokratōr. How does the combination of intimacy and omnipotence shape how you approach Him?
• 4.This verse is your adoption certificate. Have you signed it — have you accepted the identity of being God's child? What would change if you fully believed it?

Devotional

Sons and daughters. Both. Named. Included by the Lord Almighty.

Paul takes a promise originally spoken about David's royal heir — "I will be his father, he shall be my son" — and opens it to everyone. Not just sons. Daughters. Not just Israel's king. You. The Davidic covenant that was exclusive becomes, through Christ, radically inclusive. The fatherhood that was reserved for one lineage is now offered to anyone who will receive it.

The explicit naming of daughters is the detail that should stop every woman who has ever wondered whether God's promises are really for her. The Old Testament texts Paul draws from mention sons. Paul — under the Spirit's inspiration — adds daughters. Not as an afterthought. As a specific, deliberate inclusion. God is Father to daughters. The Lord Almighty — pantokratōr, the ruler of everything — considers daughters part of the family identity.

The title matters: Lord Almighty. Not just Father. Lord Almighty who is Father. The intimacy is backed by omnipotence. The tenderness is funded by sovereignty. The God who calls you daughter is the same God who holds the universe in His hand. The arms that hold you are the arms that hold everything. The voice that says "my daughter" is the voice that commands galaxies.

If you've been operating with an orphan mentality — functioning as though you're unclaimed, unnamed, without a family to belong to — this verse is your adoption certificate. Signed by the Lord Almighty. Addressed to sons and daughters. You have a Father. And His name is Pantokratōr.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture