2 Corinthians 1:11

11 And you must add your help by praying for us; for the more people there are praying, the more people there will be to give thanks when their prayer for us is answered.

2 Corinthians 1:11 Meaning and Commentary

2 Corinthians 1:11

You also helping together by prayer for us
Though the apostle ascribes their deliverance solely to God, as the author and efficient cause of it; yet he takes notice of the prayers of the saints for them, as helping causes or means of their obtaining it. It was a very laudable practice in the churches, and worthy of imitation, to pray for the ministers of the Gospel, and especially when under affliction and persecution; see ( Acts 12:5 ) , and the prayers of those righteous ones were heard by God, and often effectual for the deliverance of them, as they were in the present case: for

by the means of many persons,
who wrestled together in prayer with God,

the gift
of deliverance from so great a death, which the apostle looked upon as a wonderful mercy, (carisma) , "a free grace gift", was "bestowed upon" them, which was granted for this end,

that thanks may be given by many on our behalf;
which is but reasonable, and ought to be observed; for since many were concerned in asking for, and obtaining the mercy, they ought to join in thanksgiving for it: and the apostle's view in this is to stir them up to a joint acknowledgment of the deliverance with them, which better became them than to side with the false apostles in their charge against him.

2 Corinthians 1:11 In-Context

9 In our hearts we felt we were under sentence of death. However, this was to get us to rely not on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead!

10 He rescued us from such deadly peril, and he will rescue us again! The one in whom we have placed our hope will indeed continue to rescue us.

11 And you must add your help by praying for us; for the more people there are praying, the more people there will be to give thanks when their prayer for us is answered.

12 For we take pride in this: that our conscience assures us that in our dealings with the world, and especially with you, we have conducted ourselves with frankness and godly pureness of motive - not by worldly wisdom but by God-given grace.

13 There are no hidden meanings in our letters other than what you can read and understand; and my hope is that you will understand fully,