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2nd. Corinthians 1
1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy
our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all
the saints who are in all Achaia: 2Grace be to you and
peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3Blessed is God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort; 4Who comforts
us in all our trouble, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in
any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God.
5For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation
also abounds by Christ. 6And if we are afflicted, it is
for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of
the same sufferings which we also suffer: or if we are comforted, it
is for your consolation and salvation.
7And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as you
are partakers of the sufferings, so you shall also be of
the consolation. 8For brothers, we would not have you ignorant
of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure,
above strength, so that we despaired even of life: 9But we had
the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves,
but in God who raises the dead: 10Who delivered us from so great
a death and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver
us; 11You also helping together by prayer for us, that
for the gift bestowed on us by the means of many persons thanks
may be given by many on our behalf.
12For our rejoicing is this: the testimony of our conscience,
that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the
grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly
toward you. 13For we write no other things to you, than what you
read or acknowledge; and I trust you shall acknowledge even to the end;
14As also you have acknowledged us in part, that we are your
rejoicing, even as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15And previously, in this confidence. I was minded to come to
you, that you might have a second charismatic gift; 16And to pass
by you into Macedonia and to come again out of Macedonia to you and by you
to be brought on my way toward Judea. 17Therefore when I was thus
minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according
to the flesh, that with me there should be yes yes and no no?
18But as God is true, our word toward you was
not yes and no. 19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached
among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not
yes and no, but in him was yes. 20For all the promises of God
in him are yes and in him Amen, to the glory of God by us.
21Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed
us, is God; 22Who has also sealed us and given the earnest
of the Spirit in our hearts. 23Also I call God as a witness on
my soul, that to spare you I did not come as yet to Corinth. 24Not
that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by
faith you stand.
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Chapter 2
1But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again
to you in heaviness. 2For if I would make you sorry, who is he
then who makes me glad, but the same who would be made sorry by me?
3And I wrote this same to you [instead of coming], lest,
if I came, I would have had sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice;
having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you
with many tears; not that you should be grieved, but that you might know
the love which I have more abundantly to you.
5But if any has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but in part:
so that I may not overcharge you all. 6Sufficient to such a man
is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7So that contrariwise you ought rather to forgive
him and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be
swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8Therefore I beseech you that
you would confirm your love toward him. 9For also to
this end I wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you would be
obedient in all things. 10 To whom you forgive any thing, I
forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave
it, for your sakes I forgave it in the person
of Christ; 11Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we
are not ignorant of his devices.
12Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's
gospel and a door was opened to me of the Lord, 13I had no rest
in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother: but taking my leave
of them, I went from there into Macedonia. 14Now thanks
be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ and makes manifest
the savor of his knowledge by us in every place. 15For we are
to God a sweet savor of Christ, in those who are saved and in those who perish:
16To the one we are the savor of death to death; and
to the other the savor of life to life. And who is sufficient for
these things? 17For we are not as many, who corrupt the word of
God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God we speak in
Christ.
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Chapter 3
1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or do we need, as some
do, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation
from you? 2You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and
read of all men: 3Forasmuch as you are manifestly declared
to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with
the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables
of the heart. 4And we have such trust through Christ toward God:
5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as
of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6Who also has made us able ministers of the new testament; not
of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives
life. 7But if the ministration of death, written and
engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not
stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which
glory was to be done away: 8How shall the ministration
of the spirit not be more glorious? 9For if the ministration of
condemnation was glory, much more the ministration of righteousness
exceeds in glory. 10For even that which was made glorious had
no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excells.
11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more
that which remains is glorious.
12Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of
speech: 13And not as Moses, who put a veil over his face,
so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that
which is abolished: 14But their minds were
blinded: for until this day the same veil remains not taken away in the reading
of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ.
15But even to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is on their
heart. 16Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil
shall be taken away. 17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18But we all, with open face beholding as in a mirror the glory
of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory,
even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
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Chapter 4
1Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy,
we faint not; 2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty,
not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but
by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience
in the sight of God. 3But if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden
to those who are lost: 4In whom the god of this world has blinded
the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the glorious gospel
of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them. 5For
we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants
for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who commanded the light to shine out
of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But
we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power
may be of God and not of us.
8We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we
are perplexed, but not in despair; 9Persecuted, but not forsaken;
cast down, but not destroyed; 10Always bearing about in the body
the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest
in our body. 11For we who live are always delivered to death for
Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal
flesh. 12So then death works in us, but life in you. 13
We have the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed
and therefore I have spoken; we also believe and therefore speak;
14Knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us
up also by Jesus and shall present us with you. 15For
all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace through the
thanksgiving of many might excel to the glory of God. 16For which
cause we do not faint; but although our outward man perish, yet the inward
man is renewed day by day. 17For our light affliction,
which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory; 18While we look not 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.
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Chapter 5
1For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle
were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal
in the heavens. 2For we groan in this, earnestly desiring to be
clothed on with our house which is from heaven: 3If it is so that
being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4For we who are in
this tabernacle groan, being burdened: not so that we would be
unclothed, but clothed, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
5Now he who has fashioned us for the selfsame thing is
God, who also has given to us the earnest of the Spirit.
6Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while
we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7(For
we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8We are confident, I say
and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the
Lord. 9Therefore we labor, so that, whether present or absent,
we may be accepted by him. 10For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ; so that every one may receive the things
done in his body, according to that which he has done,
whether it is good or bad. 11Knowing therefore the terror
of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest to God; and I trust
also are made manifest in your consciences.
12For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you occasion
to glory on our behalf, that you may have somewhat to answer those
who glory in appearance and not in heart. 13For whether we are
beside ourselves, it is for God: or whether we are sober, it
is for your cause. 14For the love of Christ constrains us;
because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then all were dead:
15And he died for all, so that those who live, from now on should
not live for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again.
16Therefore from now on we know no man after the flesh: yes, though
we have known Christ after the flesh, yet from now on we no longer know him
this way . 17Therefore if any man is in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things
have become new. 18And all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry
of reconciliation; 19Which is, that God was in Christ, reconciling
the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them; and has
committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20Now then we are
ambassadors for Christ, as though God is encouraging you by us:
we plead instead of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For he has
made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him.
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Chapter 6
1We then, as workers together with him, beseech
you also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain.
2(For he said, I have heard you in an accepted, time and I have
supported you in the day of salvation: behold, now is the accepted
time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 3Giving no
offence in any thing, so that the ministry is not blamed: 4But
in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much
patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5In stripes,
in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;
6By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by
the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned, 7By the word of truth, by
the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on
the left, 8By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report:
as deceivers and yet true; 9As unknown and yet
well known; as dying and, behold, we live; as chastened and not killed;
10As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many
rich; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.
11O you Corinthians, our mouth is open to you, our heart is enlarged.
12You are not narrowed in us, but you are narrowed in your own
hearts. 13Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as to
my children,) be you also enlarged. 14Do not be unequally
yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness? 15And
what concord has Christ with Belial? or what part has he who believes with
an infidel? 16And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?
for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in
them and walk in them; and I will be their God and they shall be
my people. 17Therefore come out from among them and be you separate,
said the Lord and do not touch the unclean thing; and I will receive
you, 18And will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and
daughters, said the Lord Almighty.
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Chapter 7
1Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness
in the fear of God. 2Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have
corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. 3I do not speak
this to condemn you: for I have said before, that you are
in our hearts to die and live with you. 4Great
is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying
of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our trouble.
5For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest,
but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within
were fears. 6But God, who comforts those who are cast
down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7And not by his coming
only, but by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he
told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me;
so that I rejoiced the more. 8For though I made you sorry with
a letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it: for I
perceive that the same epistle has made you sorry, though it were
but for a season. 9Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry,
but that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry after a godly
manner, that you might receive damage by us in nothing. 10For
godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be regreted: but the sorrow
of the world works death. 11For behold this selfsame thing, that
you sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yes,
what clearing of yourselves, yes, what indignation, yes,
what fear, yes, what vehement desire, yes, what
zeal, yes, what revenge! In all things you have approved
yourselves to be clear in this matter.
12Therefore, though I wrote to you, I did not do
it for his cause who had done the wrong, nor for his cause that
suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear
to you. 13Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yes and
exceedingly the more we joyed for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was
refreshed by you all. 14For if I have boasted any thing to him
of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, even
so our boasting, which I made before to Titus, is found true.
15And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, while
he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received
him. 16I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all
things.
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Chapter 8
1Moreover, brothers, we want you to know of the grace of God bestowed
on the churches of Macedonia; 2How that in a great trial of affliction
the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches
of their liberality. 3For to their power, I bear record,
yes and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
4Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift
and take on us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their
own selves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 6So that
we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the
same grace also.
7Therefore, as you abound in every thing, in faith and
utterance and knowledge and in all diligence and in your
love to us, see that you abound in this grace also. 8I
do not speak by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others
and to prove the sincerity of your love. 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 be rich. 10And
here I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun
before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. 11Now
therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a
readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that
which you have. 12For if there is first a willing mind, it
is accepted according to what a man has, and not according
to what he does not have. 13For I mean not that other
men are eased and you burdened: 14But by an equality,
that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for
their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want:
that there may be equality: 15As it is written, He who had
gathered much had nothing over; and he who had gathered little
had no lack.
16But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care
into the heart of Titus for you. 17For indeed he accepted the
exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went to you.
18And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is
in the gospel throughout all the churches; 19And not that
only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this
grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord and
declaration of your ready mind: 20Avoiding this, so that
no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:
21Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord,
but also in the sight of men. 22And we have sent with them our
brother, whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much
more diligent, for the great confidence which I have in you.
23If any enquires of Titus, he is my partner
and fellowhelper concerning you: or if our brothers are enquired of,
they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
24Therefore show to them and before the churches, the proof of
your love and of our boasting on your behalf.
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Chapter 9
1For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous
for me to write to you: 2For I know the forwardness of your mind,
for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year
ago; and your zeal has provoked very many. 3Yet I have sent the
brothers, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; so that,
as I said, you may be ready: 4Lest perhaps if they of Macedonia
come with me and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, you) should be
ashamed in this same confident boasting. 5Therefore I thought
it necessary to exhort the brothers, that they would go before to you and
make up beforehand your bounty, of which you had notice before, that the
same might be ready, as a matter of bounty and not as of
covetousness.
6But this I say, He who sows sparingly shall also reap
sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.
7Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him
give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.
8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound
to every good work: 9(As it is written, He has dispersed abroad;
he has given to the poor: his righteousness remains for ever.
10Now let him who ministers seed to the sower both minister bread
for your food and multiply your seed sown and increase the fruits
of your righteousness;) 11Being enriched in every thing to all
bountifulness, which causes thanksgiving to God through us. 12For
the administration of this service not only supplies the lack of the saints,
but is abundant also by many thanksgivings to God; 13While by
the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed
subjection to the gospel of Christ and for your liberal distribution
to them and to all men; 14And by their prayer for you,
who long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks
be to God for his unspeakable gift.
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Chapter 10
1Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness
of Christ, who in presence is base among you, but being absent is
bold toward you: 2But I beseech you, that I may not be
bold when I am present with that confidence, in which I think to be bold
against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting
down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge
of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your
obedience is fulfilled.
7Do you look on things after the outward appearance? If any man
trusts to himself that he is Christ's, let him think this again of himself,
that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
8For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which
the Lord has given us for edification and not for your destruction, I should
not be ashamed: 9That I may not seem as if I would terrify you
by letters. 10For they say his letters are weighty
and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak and
his speech contemptible. 11Let such a one think this,
that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will
we be also in deed when we are present.
12For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves
with some who commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves
and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13But
we will not boast of things outside our measure, but according to
the measure of the rule which God has distributed to us, a measure to reach
even to you. 14For we stretch not ourselves beyond our
measure, as though we did not reach you: for we have come as far as
to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 15Not
boasting of things outside our measure, that is, of other
men's labors; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall
be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, 16To preach
the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast
in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. 17But
he who glories, let him glory in the Lord. 18For he who commends
himself is not approved, but whom the Lord commends.
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Chapter 11
1Would to God you could bear with me a little in my
foolishness: and indeed bear with me. 2For I am jealous over you
with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present
you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3But I fear, lest by
any means, as the serpent deluded Eve through his subtilty, so your minds
should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4For
if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or
if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another
gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.
5For I suppose I am not at all behind the very chiefest apostles.
6But though I am rude in speech, yet not in knowledge;
but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself so that you might
be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
8I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do
you service. 9And when I was present with you and wanted, I was
chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brothers which
came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself
from being burdensome to you and so I will keep myself.
10As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this
boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11Why? because I do not love?
God knows. 12But what I do, that I will do, so that I may cut
off occasion from those who desire occasion; so that in what they glory,
they may be found even as we. 13For such are false apostles,
deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel
of light. 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers
also are transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be
according to their works.
16I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as
a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. 17That which
I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly,
in this confidence of boasting. 18Seeing that many glory after
the flesh, I will glory also. 19For you suffer fools gladly, seeing
you yourselves are wise. 20For you suffer, if a man brings
you into bondage, if a man devours you, if a man takes of
you, if a man exalts himself, if a man strikes you on the face.
21I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak.
Howbeit in what ever thing anyone is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold
also.
22Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so
am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am
more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more
frequent, in deaths often. 24Of the Jews five times I received
forty stripes save one. 25Three times was I beaten with
rods, once was I stoned, three times I suffered shipwreck, a night and a
day I have been in the deep; 26In journeyings often,
in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in
perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen,
in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness,
in perils in the sea, in perils among false brothers;
27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger
and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28Beside
those things that are without, that which comes on me daily, the care of
all the churches. 29Who is weak and I am not weak? who is offended
and I do not burn? 30If I must glory, I will glory of the things
which concern my infirmities. 31The God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knows that I do not lie.
32In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city
of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 33And
I was let down by the wall in a basket through a window and escaped his hands.
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Chapter 12
1It is doubtless not expedient for me to glory. I will come to
visions and revelations of the Lord. 2I knew a man in Christ above
fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of
the body, I cannot tell: God knows;) such a one was caught up to the third
heaven. 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of
the body, I cannot tell: God knows;) 4How that he was caught up
to paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man
to utter. 5Of such a one will I glory: yet of myself I will not
glory, except in my infirmities. 6For though I would desire to
glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now
I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he sees me to
be, or that he hears of me. 7And lest I should be
exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was
given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest
I should be exalted above measure. 8For this thing I besought
the Lord three times, that it might depart from me. 9And he said
to me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in
weakness. Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my infirmities, that
the power of Christ may rest on me. 10Therefore I take pleasure
in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses
for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.
11I am become a fool in glorying; you have compelled me: for I
ought to have been commended by you: for I am behind the very chiefest apostles
in nothing, though I am nothing. 12Truly the signs of an apostle
were worked among you in all patience, in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds.
13For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches,
except it is that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me
this wrong. 14Behold, this is the third time I have prepared
to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours,
but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents
for the children. 15And I will very gladly spend and be spent
for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
16But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty,
I caught you with guile. 17Did I make a gain of you by any of
them whom I sent to you? 18I desired Titus and with him
I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? Did we not walk in the same
spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? 19Again, do
you think that we excuse ourselves to you? we speak before God in Christ:
but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
20For I was concerned, lest, when I should come, I would not find
you such as I would and that I should be found to you such as you
would not: lest there would be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes,
backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: 21And lest,
when I come again, my God will humble me among you and that I shall
bewail many who have sinned already and have not repented of the uncleanness
and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
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Chapter 13
1This is the third time I am coming to you.
In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
2I told you before and foretell you, as if I were present, the
second time; but being still absent now I write to those who before
have sinned and to all others, that, if I do come again, I will not spare:
3Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which toward
you is not weak, but is mighty in you. 4For though he was crucified
through weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak
in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
5Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith; prove your
own selves. Do you not know your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in
you, except you are reprobates? 6But I trust that you shall know
that we are not reprobates.
7Now I pray to God that you do no evil; not that we should appear
approved, but that you should do that which is honest, though we are as
reprobates. 8For we can do nothing against the truth, but for
the truth. 9For we are glad, when we are weak and you are strong:
and this we wish also , even your perfection. 10Therefore
I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness,
according to the power which the Lord has given me to edification and not
to destruction.
11Finally, brothers, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort,
be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with
you. 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13All the
saints salute you. 14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the
love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Amen.
[The second epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi, a city
of Macedonia, carried by Titus and Luke. Of interst is the fact that Luke
does not mention Titus in the Book of Acts even one time.]
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