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 harass
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] 1:8
The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also
be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or
"siblings."
