The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus
through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God
which is at Corinth, with all the saints that 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
comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them
that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God. 1:5For as the sufferings of Christ abound
unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ. 1:6But
whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether
we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient
enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: 1:7and our hope for you is
stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are
ye of the comfort. 1:8For we would not have you ignorant,
brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that
we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we
despaired even of life: 1:9yea, we ourselves have had the sentence
of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in
God who raiseth the dead: 1:10who delivered us out of so great a
death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also
still deliver us; 1:11ye also helping together on our behalf
by your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed upon us by means of
many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf. 1:12For
our glorifying 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 to you-ward. 1:13For
we write no other things unto you, than what ye read or even acknowledge,
and I hope ye will acknowledge unto the end: 1:14as also ye did
acknowledge us in part, that we are your glorying, even as ye also are
ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus. 1:15And in this confidence I was minded to
come first unto you, that ye might have a second benefit; 1:16and
by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come unto you,
and of you to be set forward on my journey unto Judaea. 1:17When I therefore was thus minded, did
I show fickleness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to
the flesh, that with me there should be the yea yea and the nay nay? 1:18But
as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yea and nay. 1:19For
the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us,
even by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in
him is yea. 1:20For how many soever be the promises of
God, in him is the yea: wherefore also through him is the Amen, unto the
glory of God through us. 1:21Now he that establisheth us with you
in Christ, and anointed us, is God; 1:22who also sealed us, and gave us
the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 1:23But I call God for a
witness upon my soul, that to spare you I forbare to come unto Corinth. 1:24Not
that we have lordship over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for in
faith ye stand fast.
2:1But I determined this for myself, that
I would not come again to you with sorrow. 2:2For if I make you
sorry, who then is he that maketh me glad but he that is made sorry by me?
2:3And I wrote this very thing, lest, when
I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having
confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 2:4For
out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many
tears; not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love
that I have more abundantly unto you. 2:5But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath
caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to
you all. 2:6Sufficient to such a one is this
punishment which was inflicted by the many; 2:7so that contrariwise ye
should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one
should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow. 2:8Wherefore I beseech you
to confirm your love toward him. 2:9For to this end also
did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient
in all things. 2:10But to whom ye forgive anything, I
forgive also: for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven
anything, for your sakes have I forgiven it in the presence of
Christ; 2:11that no advantage may be gained over
us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2:12Now when I came to
Troas for the gospel of Christ, and when a door was opened unto me in the
Lord, 2:13I had no relief for my spirit, because
I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went forth
into Macedonia. 2:14But thanks be unto God, who always
leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor
of his knowledge in every place. 2:15For we are a sweet savor of Christ
unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; 2:16to
the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto
life. And who is sufficient for these things? 2:17For we are not as the
many, corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in
the sight of God, speak we in Christ.
3:1Are we beginning again to commend
ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from
you? 3:2Ye are our epistle, written in our
hearts, known and read of all men; 3:3being made manifest that ye are an
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 tables that
are hearts of flesh. 3:4And such confidence have we through
Christ to God-ward: 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
ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the
letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 3:7But if the ministration
of death, written, and engraven on stones, came with glory, so that
the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses
for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away: 3:8how
shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory? 3:9For
if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the
ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 3:10For verily that which
hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by
reason of the glory that surpasseth. 3:11For if that which passeth away
was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory.
3:12Having therefore such a hope, we use
great boldness of speech, 3:13and are not as Moses,
who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should
not look stedfastly 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 remaineth, it not being revealed to them
that it is done away in Christ. 3:15But unto this day, whensoever Moses is
read, a veil lieth upon their heart. 3:16But whensoever it shall turn 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 faint not: 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. 4:3And
even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: 4:4in
whom the god of this world hath 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 upon them. 4:5For we preach not ourselves, but Christ
Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 4:6Seeing it is God, that said, Light
shall shine out of darkness, who shined 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 earthen 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 straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair; 4:9pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten
down, yet not destroyed; 4:10always bearing about in the body the
dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body.
4:11For we who live are always delivered
unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested
in our mortal flesh. 4:12So then death worketh in us, but life
in you. 4:13But having the same spirit of faith,
according to that which is written, I believed, and therefore did I speak;
we also believe, and therefore also we speak; 4:14knowing that he that
raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall
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 unto the glory of God. 4:16Wherefore we faint
not; 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, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of
glory; 4:18while 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.
5:1For we know that if the earthly house
of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not
made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. 5:2For verily in this we
groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from
heaven: 5:3if so be that being clothed we shall
not be found naked. 5:4For indeed we that are in this
tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed,
but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up
of life. 5:5Now he that wrought us for this very
thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 5:6Being
therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home
in the body, we are absent from the Lord 5:7(for 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. 5:9Wherefore also we make it our aim,
whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him. 5:10For
we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each
one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he
hath done, whether it be good or bad. 5:11Knowing therefore the
fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and
I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 5:12We
are not again commending ourselves unto you, but speak as giving
you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to
answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart. 5:13For
whether we are beside ourselves, it is unto God; or whether we are of
sober mind, it is unto you. 5:14For the love of Christ constraineth
us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; 5:15and
he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto
themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again. 5:16Wherefore we henceforth know no man
after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now
we know him so no more. 5:17Wherefore if any man is in Christ,
he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they
are become new. 5:18But all things are of God, who
reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of
reconciliation; 5:19to wit, that God was in Christ
reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their
trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 5:20We
are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were
entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye
reconciled to God. 5:21Him who knew no sin he made to
be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in
him.
6:1And working together with him we
entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain 6:2(for
he saith,
At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee,
And in a day of salvation did I succor thee:
behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of
salvation): 6:3giving no occasion of stumbling in
anything, that our ministration be not blamed; 6:4but in everything
commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in
afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 6:5in stripes, in
imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; 6:6in
pureness, in knowledge, in long suffering, in kindness, in the Holy
Spirit, in love unfeigned, 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 chastened, 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 unto
you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged. 6:12Ye are not straitened
in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections. 6:13Now for a recompense
in like kind (I speak as unto my children), be ye also enlarged. 6:14Be
not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have
righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? 6:15And
what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with
an unbeliever? 6:16And what agreement hath a temple of
God with idols? for we 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
shall be my people. 6:17Wherefore
Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate,
saith the Lord,
And touch no unclean thing;
And I will receive you,
6:18And will be to you a Father,
And ye shall be to me sons and daughters,
saith 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 man, we corrupted no man, we took advantage of no man. 7:3I say
it not to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our
hearts to die together and live together. 7:4Great is my boldness of
speech toward you, great is my glorying on your behalf: I am filled with
comfort, I overflow with joy in all our affliction. 7:5For even when we were
come into Macedonia our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted
on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. 7:6Nevertheless he that comforteth the
lowly, even God, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7:7and
not by his coming only, but also by the comfort wherewith he was comforted
in you, while he told us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so
that I rejoiced yet more. 7:8For though I made you sorry with my
epistle, I do not regret it: though I did regret it (for I see that
that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season), 7:9I now
rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto
repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might
suffer loss by us in nothing. 7:10For godly sorrow worketh repentance
unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the
sorrow of the world worketh death. 7:11For behold, this selfsame thing, that
ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in
you, yea what clearing of yourselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear,
yea what longing, yea what zeal, yea what avenging! In everything ye
approved yourselves to be pure in the matter. 7:12So although I wrote
unto 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
made manifest unto you in the sight of God. 7:13Therefore we have been
comforted: And in our comfort we joyed the more exceedingly for the joy of
Titus, because his spirit hath been refreshed by you all. 7:14For
if in anything I have gloried to him on your behalf, I was not put to
shame; but as we spake all things to you in truth, so our glorying also
which I made before Titus was found to be truth. 7:15And his affection is
more abundantly toward you, while he remembereth the obedience of you all,
how with fear and trembling ye received him. 7:16I rejoice that in
everything I am of good courage concerning you.
8:1Moreover, brethren, we make known to
you the grace of God which hath been given in the churches of Macedonia;
8:2how that in much proof of affliction
the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches
of their liberality. 8:3For according to their power, I bear
witness, yea and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,
8:4beseeching us with much entreaty in
regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints:
8:5and this, not as we had hoped,
but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the
will of God. 8:6Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that
as he made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace
also. 8:7But as ye abound in everything,
in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all
earnestness, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in
this grace also. 8:8I speak not by way of commandment, but
as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your
love. 8:9For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that
ye through his poverty might become rich. 8:10And herein I give
my judgment: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to
make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will. 8:11But
now complete the doing also; that as there was the readiness to
will, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. 8:12For
if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according as a
man hath, not according as he hath not. 8:13For I say not
this that others may be eased and ye distressed; 8:14but
by equality: your abundance being a supply at this present time for
their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your
want; that there may be equality: 8:15as it is written, He that
gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little
had no lack. 8:16But thanks be to God, who putteth the
same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 8:17For he accepted indeed
our exhortation; but being himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of
his own accord. 8:18And we have sent together with him the
brother whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the
churches; 8:19and not only so, but who was also
appointed by the churches to travel with us in the matter of this
grace, which is ministered by us to the glory of the Lord, and to
show our readiness: 8:20Avoiding this, that any man should
blame us in the matter of this bounty which is ministered by us: 8:21for
we take thought for things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord,
but also in the sight of men. 8:22and we 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 hath
in you. 8:23Whether any inquire about
Titus, he is my partner and my fellow-worker to you-ward, or
our brethren, they are the messengers of the churches, they
are the glory of Christ. 8:24Show ye therefore unto them in the
face of the churches the proof of your love, and of our glorying on your
behalf.
9:1For as touching the ministering to the
saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 9:2for I know your
readiness, of which I glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that
Achaia hath been prepared for a year past; and your zeal hath stirred up
very many of them. 9:3But I have sent the brethren, that our
glorying on your behalf may not be made void in this respect; that, even
as I said, ye may be prepared: 9:4lest by any means, if there come with
me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye)
should be put to shame in this confidence. 9:5I thought it necessary
therefore to entreat the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and
make up beforehand your aforepromised bounty, that the same might be ready
as a matter of bounty, and not of extortion. 9:6But this I say,
He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth
bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 9:7Let each man
do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or
of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 9:8And God is able to make
all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in
everything, may abound unto every good work: 9:9as it is written,
He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor;
His righteousness abideth for ever.
9:10And he that supplieth seed to the
sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing,
and increase the fruits of your righteousness: 9:11ye being enriched in
everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to
God. 9:12For the ministration of this service
not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth
also through many thanksgivings unto God; 9:13seeing that through
the proving of you by this ministration they glorify God for the
obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the
liberality of your contribution unto them and unto all; 9:14while they themselves also, with
supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding
grace of God in you. 9:15Thanks be to God for his unspeakable
gift.
10:1Now I Paul myself entreat you by the
meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among
you, but being absent am of good courage toward you: 10:2yea, I beseech you,
that I may not when present show courage with the confidence wherewith I
count to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according
to the flesh. 10:3For though we walk in the flesh, we do
not war according to the flesh 10:4(for the weapons of our warfare are
not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of
strongholds), 10:5casting 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 shall
be made full. 10:7Ye look at the things that are before
your face. If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ's, let him
consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ's, so also
are we. 10:8For though I should glory somewhat
abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gave for building you
up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame: 10:9that I may not seem as if I would
terrify you by my letters. 10:10For, His letters, they say, are
weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no
account. 10:11Let such a one reckon 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 certain of them that commend themselves: but they
themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves
with themselves, are without understanding. 10:13But we will not glory
beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the province
which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even unto you. 10:14For we stretch not ourselves
overmuch, as though we reached not unto you: for we came even as far as
unto you in the gospel of Christ: 10:15not glorying beyond our
measure, that is, in other men's labors; but having hope that, as
your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our province
unto further abundance, 10:16so as to preach the gospel even unto
the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another's province in
regard of things ready to our hand. 10:17But he that glorieth, let him glory
in the Lord. 10:18For not he that commendeth himself is
approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
11:1Would that ye could bear with me in a
little foolishness: but indeed ye do bear with me. 11:2For I am jealous over
you with a godly jealousy: for I espoused you to one husband, that I might
present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 11:3But I fear, lest by
any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds
should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward
Christ. 11:4For if he that cometh preacheth
another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if ye receive a different
spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different gospel, which ye did not
accept, ye do well to bear with him. 11:5For I reckon that I am
not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. 11:6But though I be
rude in speech, yet am I not in knowledge; nay, in every way have
we made this manifest unto you in all things. 11:7Or did I commit a sin
in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the
gospel of God for nought? 11:8I robbed other churches, taking wages
of them that I might minister unto you; 11:9and when I was present
with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren,
when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in
everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so
will I keep myself. 11:10As the truth of Christ is in me, no
man shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia. 11:11Wherefore? because I love you not?
God knoweth. 11:12But what I do, that I will do, that I
may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion; that wherein they
glory, they may be found even as we. 11:13For such men are
false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of
Christ. 11:14And no marvel; for even Satan
fashioneth himself into an angel of light. 11:15It is no great thing
therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of
righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. 11:16I
say again, let no man think me foolish; but if ye do, yet as
foolish receive me, that I also may glory a little. 11:17That which I speak, I
speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of
glorying. 11:18Seeing that many glory after the
flesh, I will glory also. 11:19For ye bear with the foolish gladly,
being wise yourselves. 11:20For ye bear with a man, if he
bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth you, if he taketh you
captive, if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth you on the face. 11:21I
speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet
whereinsoever 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 ministers of Christ? (I
speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons
more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft. 11:24Of the Jews five times received I
forty stripes save one. 11:25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once
was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been
in the deep; 11:26in journeyings often,
in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils
from my countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in
perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils
in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 11:27in labor and
travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in
cold and nakedness. 11:28Besides those things that are
without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the
churches. 11:29Who is weak, and I am not weak? who
is caused to stumble, and I burn not? 11:30If I must needs
glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness. 11:31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus,
he who is blessed for evermore knoweth that I lie not. 11:32In Damascus the governor under Aretas
the king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to take me: 11:33and through a window was I let down
in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.
12:1I must needs glory, though it is not
expedient; but 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 know not;
or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up
even to the third heaven. 12:3And I know such a man (whether in the
body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth), 12:4how
that 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 will I glory:
but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses. 12:6For
if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I shall speak the
truth: but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which
he seeth me to be, or heareth from me. 12:7And by reason of the
exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted
overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan
to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. 12:8Concerning this thing
I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 12:9And
he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power
is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in
my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 12:10Wherefore 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
am become foolish: ye compelled me; for I ought to have been commended of
you: for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I am
nothing. 12:12Truly the signs of an apostle were
wrought among you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty works.
12:13For what is there wherein ye were
made inferior to the rest of the churches, except it be 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
yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but
the parents for the children. 12:15And I 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 guile. 12:17Did I take advantage
of you by any one of them whom I have sent unto you? 12:18I
exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any
advantage of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not
in the same steps? 12:19Ye think all this time that we are
excusing ourselves unto you. In the sight of God speak we in Christ. But
all things, beloved, are for your edifying. 12:20For I fear, lest by
any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should
myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means there
should be strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings,
whisperings, swellings, tumults; 12:21lest again when I come my God should
humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned
heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and
lasciviousness which they committed.
13:1This is the third time I am coming to
you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three 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,
to them that have sinned heretofore, and to all the rest, that, if I come
again, I will not spare; 13:3seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ
that speaketh in me; who to you-ward is not weak, but is powerful in you:
13:4for he was crucified through weakness,
yet he liveth through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but
we shall live with him through the power of God toward you. 13:5Try
your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or
know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless
indeed ye be reprobate. 13:6But I hope that ye shall know that we
are not reprobate. 13:7Now we pray to God that ye do no evil;
not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do that which is
honorable, though we be as reprobate. 13:8For we can do nothing
against the truth, but for the truth. 13:9For we rejoice, when
we are weak, and ye are strong: this we also pray for, even your
perfecting. 13:10For this cause I write these things
while absent, that I may not when present deal sharply, according to the
authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for casting
down. 13:11Finally, brethren, farewell. Be
perfected; be comforted; be of the same mind; live in peace: and the God
of love and peace shall be with you. 13:12Salute one another
with a holy kiss. 13:13All the saints salute you. 13:14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
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