Paul, 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:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all
comfort; who 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.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound unto us,
even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ.
But 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: and our hope for you is
stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are
ye of the comfort. For 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: yea, we ourselves
have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust
in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead:
who 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; ye 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.
For 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. For we write no other
things unto you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I hope ye will
acknowledge unto the end: as 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. And in this
confidence I was minded to come first unto you, that ye might have a
second benefit; and 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. When 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? But as God is
faithful, our word toward you is not yea and nay.
For 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. For 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.
Now he that establisheth us with you in Christ,
and anointed us, is God; who also sealed us, and
gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
But I call God for a witness upon my soul, that
to spare you I forbare to come unto Corinth. Not
that we have lordship over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for in
faith ye stand fast.
But I determined this for myself, that I would
not come again to you with sorrow. For if I make
you sorry, who then is he that maketh me glad but he that is made sorry by
me? And 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.
For 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.
But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused
sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all.
Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which
was inflicted by the many; so 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.
Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your
love toward him. For to this end also did I
write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all
things. But 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; that no advantage may be gained over us
by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of
Christ, and when a door was opened unto me in the Lord,
I had no relief for my spirit, because I found
not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went forth into
Macedonia. But 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. For we are a
sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that
perish; to the one a savor from death unto
death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for
these things? For 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.
Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or
need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you?
Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known
and read of all men; being 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. And such
confidence have we through Christ to God-ward:
not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to
account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
who 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. But 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: how shall not rather the ministration of
the spirit be with glory? For if the ministration
of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of
righteousness exceed in glory. For verily that
which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect,
by reason of the glory that surpasseth. For if
that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which
remaineth is in glory. Having therefore
such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
and 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: but
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. But unto this
day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart.
But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the
veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit:
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But 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.
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as
we obtained mercy, we faint not: but 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.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in
them that perish: in 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. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ
Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
Seeing 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.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from
ourselves; we are pressed on every side,
yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair;
pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not
destroyed; always bearing about in the body the
dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body.
For we who live are always delivered unto death
for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our
mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but
life in you. But 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;
knowing that he that raised up the Lord Jesus
shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you.
For 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. Wherefore we
faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is
renewed day by day. For our light affliction,
which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an
eternal weight of glory; 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 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. For verily
in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is
from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall
not be found naked. For 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. Now he that wrought us for
this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
Being therefore always of good courage, and
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 of good courage, I say, and are willing
rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.
Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at
home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him.
For 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. Knowing 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. We 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.
For whether we are beside ourselves, it is unto
God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is unto you.
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because
we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died;
and 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. Wherefore 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. Wherefore if any
man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed
away; behold, they are become new. But all
things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave
unto us the ministry of reconciliation; to 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. We 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.
Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on
our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
And working together with him we entreat
also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain
(for he says,
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):
giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that
our ministration be not blamed; but in everything
commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in
afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in
stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in
fastings; in pureness, in knowledge, in long
suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,
in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the
armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good
report; as deceivers, and yet true; as
unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as
chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet
always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and
yet possessing all things. Our mouth is
open unto you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged.
Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are
straitened in your own affections. Now for a
recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my children), be ye also
enlarged. Be not unequally yoked with
unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what
communion hath light with darkness? And what
concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an
unbeliever? And 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. Wherefore
Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate,
says the Lord,
And touch no unclean thing;
And I will receive you,
And will be to you a Father,
And ye shall be to me sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.
Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God. Open your hearts to
us: we wronged no man, we corrupted no man, we took advantage of no man.
I say it not to condemn you: for I have
said before, that ye are in our hearts to die together and live together.
Great 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. For 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.
Nevertheless he that comforteth the lowly,
even God, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
and 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.
For 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), I 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. For godly sorrow
worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no
regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
For 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. So 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.
Therefore 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. For 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. And his
affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembereth the
obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
I rejoice that in everything I am of good
courage concerning you.
Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the
grace of God which hath been given in the churches of Macedonia;
how that in much proof of affliction the
abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of
their liberality. For according to their power, I
bear witness, yea and beyond their power, they gave of their own
accord, beseeching us with much entreaty in
regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints:
and this, not as we had hoped, but first
they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God.
Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he made
a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace also.
But 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.
I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving
through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
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 become rich. And
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. But now complete the doing also; that as
there was the readiness to will, so there may be the
completion also out of your ability. For if the
readiness is there, it is acceptable according as a man
hath, not according as he hath not. For
I say not this that others may be eased and ye
distressed; but 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: as it is written, He that
gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little
had no lack. But thanks be to God, who putteth
the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.
For he accepted indeed our exhortation; but
being himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own accord.
And we have sent together with him the brother
whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the churches;
and 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: Avoiding this, that any man should
blame us in the matter of this bounty which is ministered by us:
for we take thought for things honorable, not
only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
and 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.
Whether 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. Show ye therefore unto them
in the face of the churches the proof of your love, and of our glorying on
your behalf.
For as touching the ministering to the saints, it
is superfluous for me to write to you: for 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. But 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: lest 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.
I 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. But this I say, He
that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth
bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Let each man do according as he
hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God
loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make
all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in
everything, may abound unto every good work: as
it is written,
He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor;
His righteousness abideth for ever.
And 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: ye
being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us
thanksgiving to God. For 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;
seeing 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; while they
themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by
reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.
Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.
Now 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: yea,
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. For though
we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh
(for the weapons of our warfare are not of the
flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds),
casting 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; and
being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall
be made full. Ye 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. For 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:
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by
my letters. For, His letters, they say, are
weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no
account. Let 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. For 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.
But 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.
For 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: not 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, so 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.
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the
Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is
approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Would that ye could bear with me in a little
foolishness: but indeed ye do bear with me. For
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.
But 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.
For 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. For I reckon that
I am not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
But 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. Or did I commit
a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to
you the gospel of God for nought? I robbed other
churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you;
and 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. As the truth of Christ is in me,
no man shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia.
Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
But 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. For such men are
false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of
Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan
fashioneth himself into an angel of light. It
is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as
ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
I say again, let no man think me foolish; but
if ye do, yet as foolish receive me, that I also may glory a
little. That which I speak, I speak not after
the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorying.
Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will
glory also. For ye bear with the foolish
gladly, being wise yourselves. For 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. I speak by way of disparagement, as
though we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any is bold (I speak in
foolishness), I am bold also. Are they Hebrews?
so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am
I. Are 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.
Of the Jews five times received I forty
stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten
with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a
day have I been in the deep; in
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; in labor and travail, in
watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and
nakedness. Besides those things that are
without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the
churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who
is caused to stumble, and I burn not? If I must
needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness.
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is
blessed for evermore knoweth that I lie not. In
Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the
Damascenes in order to take me: and through a
window was I let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.
I must needs glory, though it is not expedient;
but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
I 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.
And I know such a man (whether in the body, or
apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth),
how that he was caught up into Paradise, and
heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on
mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses.
For 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. And 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. Concerning this thing I
besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And 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. Wherefore 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.
I 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. Truly
the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, by signs
and wonders and mighty works. For 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.
Behold, 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. And I will most gladly spend
and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the
less? But be it so, I did not myself burden
you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
Did I take advantage of you by any one of them
whom I have sent unto you? I 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?
Ye 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.
For 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;
lest 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.
This is the third time I am coming to you. At
the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word established.
I 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; seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ
that speaketh in me; who to you-ward is not weak, but is powerful in you:
for 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.
Try 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.
But I hope that ye shall know that we are not
reprobate. Now 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. For we can
do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
For we rejoice, when we are weak, and ye are
strong: this we also pray for, even your perfecting.
For 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. Finally, 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. Salute one
another with a holy kiss. All the saints salute
you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
