Paul’s Second Letter to
the Corinthians
1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through
the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
to the assembly of God which is at Corinth,
with all the saints who are in the whole
of Achaia: 1:2Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and
God of all comfort; 1:4who comforts us in all our affliction,
that we may be able to comfort those who
are in any affliction, through the comfort
with which we ourselves are comforted by
God. 1:5For as the sufferings of Christ abound
to us, even so our comfort also abounds
through Christ. 1:6But if we are afflicted, it is for your
comfort and salvation. If we are comforted,
it is for your comfort, which produces in
you the patient enduring of the same sufferings
which we also suffer. 1:7Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing
that, since you are partakers of the sufferings,
so also are you of the comfort. 1:8For we don't desire to have you uninformed,
brothers, concerning our
affliction which happened to us in Asia,
that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond
our power, so much that we despaired even
of life. 1:9Yes, we ourselves
have had the sentence of death within ourselves,
that we should not trust in ourselves, but
in God who raises the dead, 1:10who delivered us out of so great a death,
and does deliver; on whom we have set our
hope that he will also still deliver us;
1:11you also helping together on our behalf
by your supplication; that, for the gift
bestowed on us by means of many, thanks
may be given by many persons on your behalf.
1:12For our boasting is this: the testimony
of our conscience, that in holiness and
sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom
but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves
in the world, and more abundantly toward
you. 1:13For we write no
other things to you, than what you read
or even acknowledge, and I hope you will
acknowledge to the end; 1:14as also you acknowledged
us in part, that we are your boasting, even
as you also are ours, in the day of our
Lord Jesus. 1:15In this confidence,
I was determined to come first to you, that
you might have a second benefit; 1:16and by you to pass into Macedonia, and
again from Macedonia to come to you, and
to be sent forward by you on my journey
to Judea. 1:17When I therefore was thus determined,
did I show fickleness? Or the things that
I purpose, do I purpose according to the
flesh, that with me there should be the
"Yes, yes" and the "No, no?"
1:18But as God is faithful,
our word toward you was not "Yes and
no." 1:19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who
was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus,
and Timothy, was not "Yes and no,"
but in him is "Yes." 1:20For however many are the promises of
God, in him is the "Yes." Therefore
also through him is the "Amen,"
to the glory of God through us.
1:21Now he who establishes us with you in
Christ, and anointed us, is God; 1:22who also sealed
us, and gave us the down payment of the
Spirit in our hearts. 1:23But I call God for a witness to my soul,
that I didn't come to Corinth to spare you.
1:24Not that we have
lordship over your faith, but are fellow
workers with you for your joy. For you stand
firm in faith.
2:1But I determined this for myself, that
I would not come to you again in sorrow.
2:2For if I make you
sorry, then who will make me glad but he
who is made sorry by me? 2:3And I wrote this very thing to you, so
that, when I came, I wouldn't have sorrow
from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having
confidence in you all, that my joy would
be shared by all of you. 2:4For out of much affliction and anguish
of heart I wrote to you with many tears,
not that you should be made sorry, but that
you might know the love that I have so abundantly
for you. 2:5But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused
sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I not
press too heavily) to you all. 2:6Sufficient to such a one is this punishment
which was inflicted by the many; 2:7so that on the contrary
you should rather forgive him and comfort
him, lest by any means such a one should
be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow.
2:8Therefore I beg you to confirm your love
toward him. 2:9For to this end I also wrote, that I might
know the proof of you, whether you are obedient
in all things. 2:10Now I also forgive whomever you forgive
anything. For if indeed I have forgiven
anything, I have forgiven that one for your
sakes in the presence of Christ, 2:11that no advantage
may be gained over us by Satan; for we are
not ignorant of his schemes.
2:12Now when I came to Troas for the Gospel
of Christ, and when a door was opened to
me in the Lord, 2:13I had no relief for my spirit, because
I didn't find Titus, my brother, but taking
my leave of them, I went out into Macedonia.
2:14Now thanks be to God, who always leads
us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through
us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every
place. 2:15For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to
God, in those who are saved, and in those
who perish; 2:16to the one a stench from death to death;
to the other a sweet aroma from life to
life. Who is sufficient for these things?
2:17For we are not as so many, peddling the
word of God. But as of sincerity, but as
of God, in the sight of God, we speak in
Christ.
3:1Are we beginning again to commend ourselves?
Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation
to you or from you? 3:2You are our letter, written in our hearts,
known and read by all men; 3:3being revealed that
you are a letter of Christ, ministered by
us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit
of the living God; not in tablets of stone,
but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.
3:4Such confidence
we have through Christ toward God; 3:5not that we are
sufficient of ourselves, to account anything
as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is
from God; 3:6who also made us sufficient as servants
of a new covenant; not of the letter, but
of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but
the Spirit gives life. 3:7But if the service
of death, written engraved on stones, came
with glory, so that the children of Israel
could not look steadfastly on the face of
Moses for the glory of his face; which was
passing away: 3:8won't service of
the Spirit be with much more glory? 3:9For if the service
of condemnation has glory, the service of
righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
3:10For most assuredly that which has been
made glorious has not been made glorious
in this respect, by reason of the glory
that surpasses. 3:11For if that which passes away was with
glory, much more that which remains is in
glory.
3:12Having therefore such a hope, we use
great boldness of speech, 3:13and not as Moses, who put a veil on his
face, that the children of Israel wouldn't
look steadfastly on the end of that which
was passing away. 3:14But their minds
were hardened, for until this very day at
the reading of the old covenant the same
veil remains, because in Christ it passes
away. 3:15But to this day, when Moses is read,
a veil lies on their heart. 3:16But whenever one
turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
3:17Now the Lord is the Spirit and where
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
3:18But we all, with
unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the
glory of the Lord, are transformed into
the same image from glory to glory, even
as from the Lord, the Spirit.
4:1Therefore seeing we have this ministry,
even as we obtained mercy, we don't faint.
4:2But we have renounced
the hidden things of shame, not walking
in craftiness, nor handling the word of
God deceitfully; but by the manifestation
of the truth commending ourselves to every
man's conscience in the sight of God. 4:3Even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled
in those who perish; 4:4in whom the god of this world has blinded
the minds of the unbelieving, that the light
of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who
is the image of God, should not dawn on
them. 4:5For we don't preach ourselves, but Christ
Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants
for Jesus' sake; 4:6seeing it is God who said, "Light
will shine out of darkness," who has
shone in our hearts, to give the light of
the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ.
4:7But we have this treasure in clay vessels,
that the exceeding greatness of the power
may be of God, and not from ourselves. 4:8We are pressed on every side, yet not
crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;
4:9pursued, yet not
forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;
4:10always carrying
in the body the putting to death of the
Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also
be revealed in our body. 4:11For we who live
are always delivered to death for Jesus'
sake, that the life also of Jesus may be
revealed in our mortal flesh. 4:12So then death works
in us, but life in you. 4:13But having the
same spirit of faith, according to that
which is written, "I believed, and
therefore I spoke." We also believe,
and therefore also we speak; 4:14knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus, and will
present us with you. 4:15For all things are for your sakes, that
the grace, being multiplied through the
many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound
to the glory of God. 4:16Therefore we don't
faint, but though our outward man is decaying,
yet our inward man is renewed day by day.
4:17For our light affliction, which is for
the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly
an eternal weight of glory; 4:18while we don't look at the things which
are seen, but at the things which are not
seen. For the things which are seen are
temporal, but the things which are not seen
are eternal.
5:1For we know that if the earthly house
of our tent is dissolved, we have a building
from God, a house not made with hands, eternal,
in the heavens. 5:2For most assuredly
in this we groan, longing to be clothed
with our habitation which is from heaven;
5:3if so be that being clothed we will not
be found naked. 5:4For indeed we who are in this tent do
groan, being burdened; not that we desire
to be unclothed, but that we desire to be
clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed
up by life. 5:5Now he who made us for this very thing
is God, who also gave to us the down payment
of the Spirit.
5:6Being therefore always of good courage,
and knowing that, while we are at home in
the body, we are absent from the Lord; 5:7for we walk by faith, not by sight. 5:8We are of good courage, I say, and are
willing rather to be absent from the body,
and to be at home with the Lord. 5:9Therefore also we make it our aim, whether
at home or absent, to be well pleasing to
him. 5:10For we must all be revealed before the
judgment seat of Christ; that each one may
receive the things in the body, according
to what he has done, whether good or bad.
5:11Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord,
we persuade men, but we are revealed to
God; and I hope that we are revealed also
in your consciences. 5:12For we are not
commending ourselves to you again, but speak
as giving you occasion of boasting on our
behalf, that you may have something to answer
those who boast in appearance, and not in
heart. 5:13For if we are beside
ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of
sober mind, it is for you. 5:14For the love of Christ constrains us;
because we judge thus, that one died for
all, therefore all died. 5:15He died for all, that those who live
should no longer live to themselves, but
to him who for their sakes died and rose
again. 5:16Therefore we know no one after the flesh
from now on. Even though we have known Christ
after the flesh, yet now we know him so
no more. 5:17Therefore if anyone
is in Christ, he is a new creation. The
old things have passed away. Behold, all
things have become new. 5:18But all things
are of God, who reconciled us to himself
through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the
ministry of reconciliation; 5:19namely, that God
was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,
not reckoning to them their trespasses,
and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.
5:20We are therefore ambassadors on behalf
of Christ, as though God were entreating
by us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be
reconciled to God. 5:21For him who knew
no sin he made to be sin on our behalf;
so that in him we might become the righteousness
of God.
6:1Working together, we entreat also that
you not receive the grace of God in vain,
6:2for he says,
"At an acceptable time I listened
to you,
In a day of salvation I helped you."
Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold,
now is the day of salvation. 6:3We give no occasion of stumbling in anything,
that our service may not be blamed, 6:4but in everything
commending ourselves, as servants of God,
in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships,
in distresses, 6:5in beatings, in
imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings,
in fastings; 6:6in pureness, in knowledge, in patience,
in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere
love, 6:7in the word of truth, in the power of
God; by the armor of righteousness on the
right hand and on the left, 6:8by glory and dishonor, by evil report
and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
6:9as unknown, and
yet well known; as dying, and behold, we
live; as punished, and not killed; 6:10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as
poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing,
and yet possessing all things.
6:11Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians.
Our heart is enlarged. 6:12You are not restricted
by us, but you are restricted by your own
affections. 6:13Now in return, I speak as to my children,
you also be open wide. 6:14Don't be unequally
yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship
have righteousness and iniquity? Or what
communion has light with darkness? 6:15What agreement has Christ with Belial?
Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever?
6:16What agreement has a temple of God with
idols? For you are a temple of the living
God. Even as God said, "I will dwell
in them, and walk in them; and I will be
their God, and they will be my people."
6:17Therefore,
"'Come out from among them,
And
be separate,' says the Lord,
'Touch no unclean thing.
I will
receive you.
6:18I will be to you a Father.
You
will be to me sons and daughters,'
says the Lord Almighty."
7:1Having therefore these promises, beloved,
let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement
of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness
in the fear of God. 7:2Open your hearts
to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no
one. We took advantage of no one. 7:3I say this not to condemn you, for I have
said before, that you are in our hearts
to die together and live together. 7:4Great is my boldness of speech toward
you. Great is my boasting on your behalf.
I am filled with comfort. I overflow with
joy in all our affliction. 7:5For even when we
had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no
relief, but we were afflicted on every side.
Fightings were outside. Fear was inside.
7:6Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly,
God, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
7:7and not by his coming
only, but also by the comfort with which
he was comforted in you, while he told us
of your longing, your mourning, and your
zeal for me; so that I rejoiced still more.
7:8For though I made you sorry with my letter,
I do not regret it, though I did regret
it. For I see that my letter made you sorry,
though just for a while. 7:9I now rejoice, not
that you were made sorry, but that you were
made sorry to repentance. For you were made
sorry in a godly way, that you might suffer
loss by us in nothing. 7:10For godly sorrow works repentance to
salvation, which brings no regret. But the
sorrow of the world works death. 7:11For behold, this same thing, that you
were made sorry in a godly way, what earnest
care it worked in you. Yes, what defense,
indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance!
In everything you demonstrated yourselves
to be pure in the matter. 7:12So although I wrote to you, I wrote not
for his cause that did the wrong, nor for
his cause that suffered the wrong, but that
your earnest care for us might be revealed
in you in the sight of God. 7:13Therefore we have been comforted. In
our comfort we rejoiced the more exceedingly
for the joy of Titus, because his spirit
has been refreshed by you all. 7:14For if in anything
I have boasted to him on your behalf, I
was not disappointed. But as we spoke all
things to you in truth, so our glorying
also which I made before Titus was found
to be truth. 7:15His affection is
more abundantly toward you, while he remembers
all of your obedience, how with fear and
trembling you received him. 7:16I rejoice that in everything I am of
good courage concerning you.
8:1Moreover, brothers, we make known to you
the grace of God which has been given in
the assemblies of Macedonia; 8:2how that in much proof of affliction the
abundance of their joy and their deep poverty
abounded to the riches of their liberality.
8:3For according to their power, I testify,
yes and beyond their power, they gave of
their own accord, 8:4begging us with much entreaty to receive
this grace and the fellowship in the service
to the saints. 8:5This was not as we had hoped, but first
they gave their own selves to the Lord,
and to us through the will of God. 8:6So we urged Titus, that as he made a beginning
before, so he would also complete in you
this grace. 8:7But as you abound in everything, in faith,
utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and
in your love to us, see that you also abound
in this grace. 8:8I speak not by way
of commandment, but as proving through the
earnestness of others the sincerity also
of your love. 8:9For you know the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though
he was rich, yet for your sakes he became
poor, that you through his poverty might
become rich. 8:10I give a judgment in this: for this is
expedient for you, who were the first to
start a year ago, not only to do, but also
to be willing. 8:11But now complete
the doing also, that as there was the readiness
to be willing, so there may be the completion
also out of your ability. 8:12For if the readiness is there, it is
acceptable according to what you have, not
according to what you don't have. 8:13For this is not that others may be eased
and you distressed, 8:14but for equality. Your abundance at this
present time supplies their lack, that their
abundance also may become a supply for your
lack; that there may be equality. 8:15As it is written, "He who gathered
much had nothing left over, and he who gathered
little had no lack."
8:16But thanks be to God, who puts the same
earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.
8:17For he indeed accepted our exhortation,
but being himself very earnest, he went
out to you of his own accord. 8:18We have sent together with him the brother
whose praise in the Gospel is known through
all the assemblies. 8:19Not only so, but who was also appointed
by the assemblies to travel with us in this
grace, which is served by us to the glory
of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness.
8:20We are avoiding this, that any man should
blame us concerning this abundance which
is administered by us. 8:21Having regard for honorable things, not
only in the sight of the Lord, but also
in the sight of men. 8:22We have sent with them our brother, whom
we have many times proved earnest in many
things, but now much more earnest, by reason
of the great confidence which he has in
you. 8:23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow
worker for you. As for our brothers, they
are the apostles of the assemblies, the
glory of Christ. 8:24Therefore show
the proof of your love to them in front
of the assemblies, and of our boasting on
your behalf.
9:1It is indeed unnecessary for me to write
to you concerning the service to the saints,
9:2for I know your
readiness, of which I boast on your behalf
to them of Macedonia, that Achaia has been
prepared for a year past. Your zeal has
stirred up very many of them. 9:3But I have sent the brothers that our
boasting on your behalf may not be in vain
in this respect, that, just as I said, you
may be prepared, 9:4so that I won't by any means, if there
come with me any of Macedonia and find you
unprepared, we (to say nothing of you) should
be disappointed in this confident boasting.
9:5I thought it necessary therefore to entreat
the brothers that they would go before to
you, and arrange ahead of time the generous
gift that you promised before, that the
same might be ready as a matter of generosity,
and not of greediness. 9:6Remember this: he who sows sparingly will
also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully
will also reap bountifully. 9:7Let each man give according as he has
determined in his heart; not grudgingly,
or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful
giver. 9:8And God is able to make all grace abound
to you, that you, always having all sufficiency
in everything, may abound to every good
work. 9:9As it is written,
"He has scattered abroad, he
has given to the poor.
His
righteousness remains forever."
9:10Now may he who supplies seed to the sower
and bread for food, supply and multiply
your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits
of your righteousness; 9:11you being enriched
in everything to all liberality, which works
through us thanksgiving to God. 9:12For this service of giving that you perform
not only makes up for lack among the saints,
but abounds also through many givings of
thanks to God; 9:13seeing that through
the proof given by this service, they glorify
God for the obedience of your confession
to the Gospel of Christ, and for the liberality
of your contribution to them and to all;
9:14while they themselves
also, with supplication on your behalf,
yearn for you by reason of the exceeding
grace of God in you. 9:15Now thanks be to
God for his unspeakable gift!
10:1Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the
humility and gentleness of Christ; I who
in your presence am lowly among you, but
being absent am of good courage toward you.
10:2Yes, I beg you that I may not, when present,
show courage with the confidence with which
I intend to be bold against some, who consider
us to be walking according to the flesh.
10:3For though we walk in the flesh, we don't
wage war according to the flesh; 10:4for the weapons
of our warfare are not of the flesh, but
mighty before God to the throwing down of
strongholds, 10:5throwing down imaginations and every
high thing that is exalted against the knowledge
of God, and bringing every thought into
captivity to the obedience of Christ; 10:6and being in readiness to avenge all
disobedience, when your obedience will be
made full. 10:7Do you look at things only as they appear
in front of your face? If anyone trusts
in himself that he is Christ's, let him
consider this again with himself, that,
even as he is Christ's, so also we are Christ's.
10:8For though I should
boast somewhat abundantly concerning our
authority, (which the Lord gave for building
you up, and not for casting you down) I
will not be disappointed, 10:9that I may not seem as if I desire to
terrify you by my letters. 10:10For, "His
letters," they say, "are weighty
and strong, but his bodily presence is weak,
and his speech is despised." 10:11Let such a person consider this, that
what we are in word by letters when we are
absent, such are we also in deed when we
are present. 10:12For we are not bold to number or compare
ourselves with some of those who commend
themselves. But they themselves, measuring
themselves by themselves, and comparing
themselves with themselves, are without
understanding. 10:13But we will not
boast beyond proper limits, but within the
boundaries with which God appointed to us,
which reach even to you. 10:14For we don't stretch
ourselves too much, as though we didn't
reach to you. For we came even as far as
to you with the Gospel of Christ, 10:15not boasting beyond proper limits in
other men's labors, but having hope that
as your faith grows, we will be abundantly
enlarged by you in our sphere of influence,
10:16so as to preach the Gospel even to the
parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone
else has already done. 10:17But "he who boasts, let him boast
in the Lord." 10:18For it isn't he who commends himself
who is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
11:1I wish that you would bear with me in
a little foolishness, but indeed you do
bear with me. 11:2For I am jealous over you with a godly
jealousy. For I married you to one husband,
that I might present you as a pure virgin
to Christ. 11:3But I am afraid that somehow, as the
serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness,
so your minds might be corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ. 11:4For if he who comes
preaches another Jesus, whom we did not
preach, or if you receive a different spirit,
which you did not receive, or a different
gospel, which you did not accept, you put
up with that well enough. 11:5For I reckon that I am not at all behind
the very best apostles. 11:6But though I am unskilled in speech,
yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No,
in every way we have been revealed to you
in all things. 11:7Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself
that you might be exalted, because I preached
to you God's Gospel free of charge? 11:8I robbed other assemblies, taking wages
from them that I might serve you. 11:9When I was present
with you and was in need, I wasn't a burden
on anyone, for the brothers, when they came
from Macedonia, supplied the measure of
my need. In everything I kept myself from
being burdensome to you, and I will continue
to do so. 11:10As the truth of Christ is in me, no
one will stop me from this boasting in the
regions of Achaia. 11:11Why? Because I don't love you? God knows.
11:12But what I do, that I will do, that
I may cut off occasion from them that desire
an occasion, that in which they boast, they
may be found even as we. 11:13For such men are
false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading
as Christ's apostles. 11:14And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades
as an angel of light. 11:15It is no great
thing therefore if his ministers also masquerade
as servants of righteousness, whose end
will be according to their works.
11:16I say again, let no one think me foolish.
But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that
I also may boast a little. 11:17That which I speak, I don't speak according
to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this
confidence of boasting. 11:18Seeing that many boast after the flesh,
I will also boast. 11:19For you bear with the foolish gladly,
being wise. 11:20For you bear with a man, if he brings
you into bondage, if he devours you, if
he takes you captive, if he exalts himself,
if he strikes you on the face. 11:21I speak by way
of disparagement, as though we had been
weak. Yet however any is bold (I speak in
foolishness), I am bold also. 11:22Are they Hebrews?
So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are
they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 11:23Are they servants of Christ? (I speak
as one beside himself) I am more so; in
labors more abundantly, in prisons more
abundantly, in stripes above measure, in
deaths often. 11:24Five times from the Jews I received
forty stripes minus one. 11:25Three times I
was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned.
Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have
been a night and a day in the deep. 11:26I have been in travels often, perils
of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from
my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles,
perils in the city, perils in the wilderness,
perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;
11:27in labor and travail,
in watchings often, in hunger and thirst,
in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.
11:28Besides those things that are outside,
there is that which presses on me daily,
anxiety for all the assemblies. 11:29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who
is caused to stumble, and I don't burn with
indignation? 11:30If I must boast, I will boast of the
things that concern my weakness. 11:31The God and Father
of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed
forevermore, knows that I don't lie. 11:32In Damascus the governor under Aretas
the king guarded the city of the Damascenes
desiring to arrest me. 11:33Through a window I was let down in a
basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.
12:1It is doubtless not profitable for me
to boast. For I will come to visions and
revelations of the Lord. 12:2I know a man in Christ, fourteen years
ago (whether in the body, I don't know,
or whether out of the body, I don't know;
God knows), such a one caught up into the
third heaven. 12:3I know such a man (whether in the body,
or outside of the body, I don't know; God
knows), 12:4how he was caught up into Paradise, and
heard unspeakable words, which it is not
lawful for a man to utter. 12:5On behalf of such a one I will boast,
but on my own behalf I will not boast, except
in my weaknesses. 12:6For if I would desire to boast, I will
not be foolish; for I will speak the truth.
But I forbear, so that no man may account
of me above that which he sees in me, or
hears from me. 12:7By reason of the exceeding greatness
of the revelations, that I should not be
exalted excessively, there was given to
me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of
Satan to buffet me, that I should not be
exalted excessively. 12:8Concerning this
thing, I begged the Lord three times that
it might depart from me. 12:9He has said to me, "My grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore
I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that
the power of Christ may rest on me.
12:10Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses,
in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions,
in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when
I am weak, then am I strong. 12:11I have become foolish in boasting. You
compelled me, for I ought to have been commended
by you, for in nothing was I inferior to
the very best apostles, though I am nothing.
12:12Truly the signs of an apostle were worked
among you in all patience, in signs and
wonders and mighty works. 12:13For what is there in which you were
made inferior to the rest of the assemblies,
unless it is that I myself was not a burden
to you? Forgive me this wrong.
12:14Behold, this is the third time I am
ready to come to you, and I will not be
a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions,
but you. For the children ought not to save
up for the parents, but the parents for
the children. 12:15I will most gladly
spend and be spent for your souls. If I
love you more abundantly, am I loved the
less? 12:16But be it so,
I did not myself burden you. But, being
crafty, I caught you with deception. 12:17Did I take advantage of you by anyone
of them whom I have sent to you? 12:18I exhorted Titus,
and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus
take any advantage of you? Didn't we walk
in the same spirit? Didn't we walk in the
same steps? 12:19Again, do you think that we are excusing
ourselves to you? In the sight of God we
speak in Christ. But all things, beloved,
are for your edifying. 12:20For I am afraid
that by any means, when I come, I might
find you not the way I want to, and that
I might be found by you as you don't desire;
that by any means there would be strife,
jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions,
slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots;
12:21that again when
I come my God would humble me before you,
and I would mourn for many of those who
have sinned before now, and not repented
of the uncleanness and sexual immorality
and lustfulness which they committed.
13:1This is the third time I am coming to
you. "At the mouth of two or three
witnesses shall every word established."
13:2I have said beforehand, and I do say
beforehand, as when I was present the second
time, so now, being absent, I write to those
who have sinned before now, and to all the
rest, that, if I come again, I will not
spare; 13:3seeing that you
seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me;
who toward you is not weak, but is powerful
in you. 13:4For he was crucified through weakness,
yet he lives through the power of God. For
we also are weak in him, but we will live
with him through the power of God toward
you. 13:5Test your own selves, whether you are
in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don't
you know as to your own selves, that Jesus
Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are
disqualified. 13:6But I hope that you will know that we
aren't disqualified.
13:7Now I pray to God that you do no evil;
not that we may appear approved, but that
you may do that which is honorable, though
we are as reprobate. 13:8For we can do nothing
against the truth, but for the truth. 13:9For we rejoice
when we are weak and you are strong. And
this we also pray for, even your perfecting.
13:10For this cause I write these things
while absent, that I may not deal sharply
when present, according to the authority
which the Lord gave me for building up,
and not for tearing down.
13:11Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be perfected,
be comforted, be of the same mind, live
in peace, and the God of love and peace
will be with you. 13:12Greet one another
with a holy kiss. 13:13All the saints greet you. 13:14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God, and the communion of the
Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
Notes:
[1] back
to 1:8 The word for "brothers"
here and where context allows may also be
correctly translated "brothers and
sisters" or "siblings."
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