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THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE
CORINTHIANS.
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CHAPTER 1.
AUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and
Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at
Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from
the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able
to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort
wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our
consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and
salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same
sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it
is for your consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are
partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the
consolation.
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble
which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure,
above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
"If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what
advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to
morrow we die (I. Cor., 15:32)."
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should
not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in
whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift
bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be
given by many on our behalf.
12 For 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 to you-ward.
"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of
man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power
of God (I. Cor., 2:4, 5)."
13 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read
or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your
rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord
Jesus.
15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before,
that ye might have a second benefit;
"For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift,
to the end ye may be established;
That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith
both of you and me (Rom., 1:11, 12)."
16 And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of
Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward
Judæa.
17 When I therefore 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 yea yea, and nay nay?
18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and
nay.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you
by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and
nay, but in him was yea.
"For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ,
and him crucified (I. Cor., 2:2)."
20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him
Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new
(II. Cor., 5:17)."
21 Now he which stablisheth us with
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you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit
in our hearts.
23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare
you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are
helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
"Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye
believed, even as the Lord gave to every man (I. Cor., 3:5)?"
CHAPTER 2.
UT I determined this with myself, that I would not come
again to you in heaviness.
2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad,
but the same which is made sorry by me?
3 And I wrote this same unto you, 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.
4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto
you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye
might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in
part: that I may not overcharge you all.
6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was
inflicted of many.
7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and
comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up
with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love
toward him.
9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof
of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I
forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes
forgave I it in the person of Christ;
11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not
ignorant of his devices.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (I. Pet., 5:8)."
12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's
gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
"For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are
many adversaries (I. Cor., 16:9)."
13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my
brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into
Macedonia.
14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph
in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us
in every place.
15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that
are saved, and in them that perish:
16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to
the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient
for these things?
17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but
as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in
Christ.
"Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth:
and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of
the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day
whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that
were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will
serve the Lord (Josh., 24:14, 15)."
CHAPTER 3.
O we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some
others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of
commendation from you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of
all men:
3 Forasmuch as ye 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.
"Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye
believed, even as the Lord gave to every man (I. Cor., 3:5)?"
"For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have
ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you
through the gospel (I. Cor., 4:15)."
"And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did
neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the
words of the covenant, the ten commandments (Ex., 34:28)."
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"I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my
heart (Ps., 40:8)."
"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house
of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their
inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and
they shall be my people (Jer., 31:33)."
"And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within
you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give
them an heart of flesh (Ezek., 11:19)."
4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as
of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;
not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but
the spirit giveth life.
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah (Jer., 31:31)."
"And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by
means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that
were under the first testament, they which are called might receive
the promise of eternal inheritance.
For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the
death of the testator.
For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is
of no strength at all while the testator liveth (Heb., 9:15-17)."
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin
(Rom., 3:20)."
"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,
God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin,
condemned sin in the flesh:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Rom., 8:2-4)."
7 But 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:
"And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to
be unto death (Rom., 7:10)."
"And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there
fell of the people that day about three thousand men (Ex., 32:28)."
"And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten
commandments, which the Lord spake unto you in the mount out of the
midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the Lord gave them
unto me (Deut., 10:4)."
"And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of
Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he
went in to speak with him (Ex., 34:35)."
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather
glorious?
"He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles
among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the
hearing of faith (Gal., 3:5)?"
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more
doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:
as it is written, The just shall live by faith (Rom., 1:17)."
10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this
respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more
that which remaineth is glorious.
"Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the
first, that he may establish the second.
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all (Heb., 10:9, 10)."
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness
of speech:
"For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope
did; by the which we draw nigh unto God (Heb., 7:19)."
13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the
children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that
which is abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth
the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament;
which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon
their heart.
"Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut
their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed
(Isa., 6:10)."
"He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more
abundance: but
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whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath
(Matt., 13:11, 12)."
"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery,
lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is
happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in
(Rom., 11:25)."
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall
be taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty.
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I
know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known
(I. Cor., 13:12)."
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory
of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory,
even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
CHAPTER 4.
HEREFORE seeing we have this ministry, as we have received
mercy, we faint not;
"Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the
letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit
giveth life (II. Cor., 3:6)."
2 But 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.
"For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of
sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ
(II. Cor., 2:17)."
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but
unto us which are saved it is the power of God (I. Cor., 1:18)."
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
"Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world
be cast out (Jno., 12:31)."
"Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut
their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed
(Isa., 6:10)."
"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in
the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him (Jno., 1:18)."
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and
ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
"For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself
servant unto all, that I might gain the more (I. Cor., 9:19)."
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,
hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an
understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him
that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true
God, and eternal life (I. Jno., 5:20)."
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the
excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are
perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord
Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our
body.
11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus'
sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our
mortal flesh.
"I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I
die daily (I. Cor., 15:31)."
"It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we
shall also live with him:
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny
him, he also will deny us (II. Tim., 2:11, 12)."
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also
glorified together (Rom., 8:17)."
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is
written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also
believe, and therefore speak;
"I believed, therefore have I spoken (Ps., 116:10)."
14 Knowing that he which raised up
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the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present
us with you.
"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in
you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you (Rom., 8:11)."
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace
might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of
God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man
perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
"For I delight in the law of God after the inward man (Rom., 7:22)."
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh
for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute
you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for
my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you
(Matt., 5:10-12)."
18 While 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.
"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what
a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for (Rom., 8:24)?"
CHAPTER 5.
OR we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle
were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens.
"Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you
up by putting you in remembrance;
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as
our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me (II. Pet., 1:13, 14)."
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon
with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
"And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body
(Rom., 8:23)."
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being
burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon,
that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
"He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away
tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take
away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it
(Isa., 25:8)."
5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God,
who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we
are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I
know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known
(I. Cor., 13:12)."
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent
from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may
be accepted of him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels
with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate
them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the
goats (Matt., 25:31, 32)."
"But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought
thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ
(Rom., 14:10)."
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;
but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made
manifest in your consciences.
"For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by
reason of his highness I could not endure (Job, 31:23)."
12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you
occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to
answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
13 For whether we be beside
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ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is
for your cause.
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus
judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not
henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for
them, and rose again.
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me
(Gal., 2:20)."
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea,
though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth
know we him no more.
"For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the
same is my brother, and sister, and mother (Matt., 12:50)."
"For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor
uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love (Gal., 5:6)."
"Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision,
Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all,
and in all (Col., 3:11)."
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin;
but the Spirit is life because of righteousness
(Rom., 8:9, 10)."
"Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who
are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me
(Rom., 16:7)."
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (I. Cor., 1:30)."
"For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us,
even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but
in him was yea.
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen,
unto the glory of God by us (II. Cor., 1:19, 20)."
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ
were baptized into his death (Rom., 6:3)?"
"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ (Gal., 3:27)."
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to
himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath
committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me
in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world
(Matt., 28:18-20)."
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did
beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye
reconciled to God.
"For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak
boldly, as I ought to speak (Eph., 6:20)."
"Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his
way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins
(Jas., 5:19, 20)."
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
CHAPTER 6.
E then, as workers together with him, beseech you also
that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
"For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye
are God's building (I. Cor., 3:9)."
2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in
the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the
accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
"Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a
day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give
thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to
inherit the desolate heritages (Isa., 49:8)."
3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not
blamed:
4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of
God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in
distresses,
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"Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and
stewards of the mysteries of God (I. Cor., 4:1)."
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in
watchings, in fastings;
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by
the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned,
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of
righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as
deceivers, and yet true;
9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we
live; as chastened, and not killed;
10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many
rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is
enlarged.
12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your
own bowels.
13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my
children,) be ye also enlarged.
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for
what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what
communion hath light with darkness?
"And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt
smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no
covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt
not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son
(Deut., 7:2, 3)."
"I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators
(I. Cor., 5:9)."
"When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the
house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon
was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the
Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again
(I. Sam., 5:2, 3)."
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath
he that believeth with an infidel?
"And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye
between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if
Baal, then follow him (I. Kings, 18:21)."
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye
are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell
in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they
shall be my people.
"And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God
(Ex., 29:45)."
"That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do
them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God
(Ezek., 11:20)."
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith
the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive
you,
"Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean
thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the
vessels of the Lord (Isa., 52:11)."
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
CHAPTER 7.
AVING therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that
by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust
(II. Pet., 1:4)."
2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man,
we have defrauded no man.
"I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.
Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my
necessities, and to them that were with me (Acts, 20:33, 34)."
3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before,
that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
4 Great 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 tribulation.
5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest,
but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings,
within were fears.
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6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down,
comforted us by the coming of Titus;
"Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which
hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and
good hope through grace,
Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work
(II. Thess., 2:16, 17)."
7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith
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.
8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent,
though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath
made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
"For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with
many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the
love which I have more abundantly unto you (II. Cor., 2:4)."
9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye
sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly
manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be
repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
"And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And
Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt
not die (II. Sam., 12:13)."
"Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before
me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in
thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest,
and be clear when thou judgest (Ps., 51:2-4)."
"And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before
the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept
bitterly (Matt., 26:75)."
"But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
(Acts, 2:14)."
"Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned,
repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the
chief priests and elders,
Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And
they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and
went and hanged himself (Matt., 27:3-5)."
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a
godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what
clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what
fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea,
what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves
to be clear in this matter.
"Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness
that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he
shall save his soul alive.
Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions
that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die
(Ezek., 18:27, 28)."
12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his
cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered
wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear
unto you.
13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and
exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his
spirit was refreshed by you all.
14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not
ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our
boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst
he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and
trembling ye received him.
16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all
things.
CHAPTER 8.
OREOVER, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God
bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of
their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of
their liberality.
3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their
power they were willing of themselves;
4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift,
and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the
saints.
5 And this they did, not as we hoped,
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but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of
God.
"And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than
enough for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make
(Ex., 36:5)."
6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he
would also finish in you the same grace also.
7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and
utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your
love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the
forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
9 For 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 be rich.
"And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the
air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay
his head (Matt., 8:20)."
"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are God's (I. Cor., 6:20)."
10 And herein 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.
11 Now 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 ye have.
12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted
according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath
not.
"All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among
thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.
But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou
redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the
firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before
me empty (Ex., 34:19, 20)."
"Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy
God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened
bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and
they shall not appear before the Lord empty:
Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of
the Lord thy God which he hath given thee (Deut., 16:16, 17)."
"There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that
withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be
watered also himself.
He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing
shall be upon the head of him that selleth it
(Prov., 11:24-26)."
"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and
shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For
with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you
again (Luke, 6:38)."
"I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to
support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he
said, It is more blessed to give than to receive
(Acts, 20:35)."
13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14 But 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:
"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ
(Gal., 6:2)."
15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing
over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
"And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much
had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they
gathered every man according to his eating (Ex., 16:17, 18)."
16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into
the heart of Titus for you.
17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more
forward, of his own accord he went unto you.
18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in
the gospel throughout all the churches;
19 And 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:
20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance
which is administered by us:
21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the
Lord, but also in the sight of men.
"Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight
of all men (Rom., 12:17)."
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22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have
oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more
diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.
23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and
fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of,
they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of
Christ.
24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the
proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
CHAPTER 9.
OR as touching the ministering to the saints, it is
superfluous for me to write to you:
2 For 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 hath provoked very many.
3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should
be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you
unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this
same confident boasting.
5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that
they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your
bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be
ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also
sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully.
"There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that
withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty
(Prov., 11:24)."
"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which
he hath given will he pay him again (Prov., 19:17)."
"He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his
bread to the poor (Prov., 22:9)."
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that
shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but
he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not (Gal., 6:7-9)."
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him
give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful
giver.
"If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of
thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt
not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him
sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth
(Deut., 15:7, 8)."
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of
every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my
offering (Ex., 25:1, 2)."
"And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel,
saying, This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying,
Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is
of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord
(Ex., 35:4, 5)."
"He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity (Rom., 12:8)."
"For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according
to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not
(II. Cor., 8:12)."
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound
to every good work:
"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of
love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered
to the saints, and do minister (Heb., 6:10)."
9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to
the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
"He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness
endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour (Ps., 112:9)."
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister
bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase
the fruits of your righteousness;)
"For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth
not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud,
that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not
return unto me void,
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but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in
the thing whereto I sent it (Isa., 55:10, 11)."
"Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your
fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and
rain righteousness upon you (Hos., 10:12)."
11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which
causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth
the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many
thanksgivings unto God;
13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify
God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and
for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all
men;
14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the
exceeding grace of God in you.
15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
CHAPTER 10.
OW I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness
of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent
am bold toward you:
2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present
with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some,
which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For 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;)
"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able
to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand
(Eph. 6:13)."
"That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the
power of God (II. Cor., 2:5)."
"Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord
said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms,
to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to
build, and to plant (Jer., 1:9, 10)."
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth
itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ;
"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and
to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your
ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts
(Isa., 55:7-9)."
6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when
your obedience is fulfilled.
7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man
trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think
this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
"If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him
acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments
of the Lord (I. Cor., 14:37)."
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority,
which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your
destruction, I should not be ashamed:
9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but
his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
11 Let such an 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.
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare
ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring
themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among
themselves, are not wise.
13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but
according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed
to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though
we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in
preaching the gospel of Christ:
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15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of
other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is
increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule
abundantly,
"Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was
named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation
(Rom., 15:20)."
16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not
to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
"But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and
knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness,
judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I
delight, saith the Lord (Jer., 9:24)."
18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the
Lord commendeth.
"Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and
not thine own lips (Prov., 27:2)."
"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come,
who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and
will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall
every man have praise of God (I. Cor., 4:5)."
CHAPTER 11.
OULD to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly:
and indeed bear with me.
2 For 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.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve
through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ.
"But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the
garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch
it, lest ye die.
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall
be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that
it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make
one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave
also unto her husband with her; and he did eat (Gen., 3:3-6)."
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have
not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have
not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye
might well bear with him.
5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest
apostles.
6 But though I be 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 that ye might
be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God
freely?
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you
service.
9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable
to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which
came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept
myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep
myself.
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of
this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion
from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they
may be found even as we.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an
angel of light.
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any
other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed
(Gal., 1:8, 9)."
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be
transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be
according to their works.
16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet
as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as
it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
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18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
"Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man
thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe
of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee
(Phil., 3:4, 5)."
19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man
devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if
a man smite you on the face.
21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak.
Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold
also.
22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so
am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am
more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in
prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was
bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly
than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me
(I. Cor., 15:10)."
"And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I
die daily (I. Cor., 15:30, 31)."
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
"Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if
he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy
brother should seem vile unto thee (Deut., 25:3)."
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I
suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
"And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates
rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them
into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely (Acts, 16:22, 23)."
"And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium,
who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out
of the city, supposing he had been dead (Acts, 14:19)."
"But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their
purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast
themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
"And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the
ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land
(Acts, 27:43, 44)."
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils
of robbers, in perils by mine 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
brethren;
"And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill
him (Acts, 9:23)."
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger
and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
"Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I
ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears (Acts, 20:31)."
"Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked,
and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being
persecuted, we suffer it:
Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world,
and are the offscouring of all things unto this day
(I. Cor., 4:11-13)."
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon
me daily, the care of all the churches.
"Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I
have been with you at all seasons,
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and
temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you,
but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to
house (Acts, 20:18-20)."
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn
not?
30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which
concern mine infirmities.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is
blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city
of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall,
and escaped his hands.
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CHAPTER 12.
T is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to
visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I 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 knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
"And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even
while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of
Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me
(Acts, 22:17, 18)."
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the
body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
"Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are
at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from
the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be
accepted of him (II. Cor., 5:6-9)."
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard
unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
"Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be
with me in paradise (Luke, 23:42, 43)."
5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory,
but in mine infirmities.
"If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine
infirmities (II. Cor., 11:30)."
6 For 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 seeth me to be, or
that he heareth of me.
7 And 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.
"And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel,
nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them,
that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord God
(Ezek., 28:24)."
"Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto
you at the first.
And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected;
but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus
(Gal., 13:14)."
"So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote
Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down
among the ashes (Job, 2:7, 8)."
"And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath
bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the
sabbath day (Luke, 13:16?"
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might
depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my
strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will
I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may
rest upon me.
"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud,
but giveth grace unto the humble (Jas., 4:6)."
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake:
for when I am weak, then am I strong.
11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I
ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind
the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all
patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
"Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our
Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the
seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord (I. Cor., 9:1, 2)."
"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the
first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them
that heard him;
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and
with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his
own will (Heb., 2:3, 4)?"
13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches,
except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive
me this wrong.
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14 Behold, the third time I am ready 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.
15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though
the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being
crafty, I caught you with guile.
17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto
you?
18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus
make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we
not in the same steps?
19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak
before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for
your edifying.
20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as
I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would
not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes,
backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among
you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already,
and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and
lasciviousness which they have committed.
CHAPTER 13.
HIS is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth
of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
"Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the
mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any
person to cause him to die (Num., 35:30)."
2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present,
the second time; and being absent now I write to them which
heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again,
I will not spare:
3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to
you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.
"But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the
Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God
(I. Cor., 2:10)."
4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth
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.
"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the
body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve
sin (Rom., 6:6)."
5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your
own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is
in you, except ye be reprobates?
"But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that
bread, and drink of that cup (I. Cor., 11:28)."
"And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of
sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness
(Rom., 8:10)."
6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
"But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest
that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway (I. Cor., 9:27)."
7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should
appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest,
though we be as reprobates.
8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and
this also we wish, even your perfection.
10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being
present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the
Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.
11 Finally, brethren, 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.
"Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one
toward another according to Christ Jesus:
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom., 15:5, 6)."
12 Greet one another with an holy kiss.
13 All the saints salute you.
14 The 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, by
Titus and Lucas.
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