If you dislike a holy God now, why would you want to be with Him forever? If worship does not capture your attention at present, what makes you think it will thrill you in some heavenly future? If ungodliness is your delight here on earth, what will please you in heaven, where all is clean and pure? You would not be happy there if you are not holy here.
J.C. Ryle

The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

{1:1} Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, andTimothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, withall the saints that are in the whole of Achaia: {1:2} Grace to you andpeace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. {1:3} Blessed [be]the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies andGod of all comfort; {1:4} who comforteth us in all our affliction, thatwe may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through thecomfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. {1:5} For as thesufferings of Christ abound unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeththrough Christ. {1:6} But whether we are afflicted, it is for yourcomfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for yourcomfort, which worketh in the patient enduring of the same sufferingswhich we also suffer: {1:7} and our hope for you is stedfast; knowingthat, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye of thecomfort. {1:8} For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerningour affliction which befell [us] in Asia, that we were weighed downexceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life:{1:9} yea, we ourselves have had the sentence of death withinourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God whoraiseth the dead: {1:10} who delivered us out of so great a death, andwill deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also stilldeliver us; {1:11} ye also helping together on our behalf by yoursupplication; that, for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many,thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf. {1:12} For ourglorifying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holinessand sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, webehaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. {1:13}For we write no other things unto you, than what ye read or evenacknowledge, and I hope ye will acknowledge unto the end: {1:14} asalso ye did acknowledge us in part, that we are your glorying, even asye also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus. {1:15} And in thisconfidence I was minded to come first unto you, that ye might have asecond benefit; {1:16} and by you to pass into Macedonia, and againfrom Macedonia to come unto you, and of you to be set forward on myjourney unto Judaea. {1:17} When I therefore was thus minded, did Ishow fickleness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose accordingto the flesh, that with me there should be the yea yea and the nay nay?{1:18} But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yea and nay.{1:19} For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you byus, [even] by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but inhim is yea. {1:20} For how many soever be the promises of God, in himis the yea: wherefore also through him is the Amen, unto the glory ofGod through us. {1:21} Now he that establisheth us with you in Christ,and anointed us, is God; {1:22} who also sealed us, and gave [us] theearnest of the Spirit in our hearts. {1:23} But I call God for awitness upon my soul, that to spare you I forbare to come unto Corinth.{1:24} Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are helpers ofyour joy: for in faith ye stand fast.

{2:1} But I determined this for myself, that I would not come againto you with sorrow. {2:2} For if I make you sorry, who then is he thatmaketh me glad but he that is made sorry by me? {2:3} And I wrote thisvery thing, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom Iought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is [thejoy] of you all. {2:4} For out of much affliction and anguish of heartI wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be made sorry, butthat ye might know the love that I have more abundantly unto you. {2:5}But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow, not to me, but inpart (that I press not too heavily) to you all. {2:6} Sufficient tosuch a one is this punishment which was [inflicted] by the many; {2:7}so that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and comfort him, lestby any means such a one should be swallowed up with his overmuchsorrow. {2:8} Wherefore I beseech you to confirm [your] love towardhim. {2:9} For to this end also did I write, that I might know theproof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things. {2:10} But to whomye forgive anything, I [forgive] also: for what I also have forgiven,if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes [have I forgiven it] in thepresence of Christ; {2:11} that no advantage may be gained over us bySatan: for we are not ignorant of his devices. {2:12} Now when I cameto Troas for the gospel of Christ, and when a door was opened unto mein the Lord, {2:13} I had no relief for my spirit, because I found notTitus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went forth intoMacedonia. {2:14} But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us intriumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of hisknowledge in every place. {2:15} For we are a sweet savor of Christunto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; {2:16} tothe one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from lifeunto life. And who is sufficient for these things? {2:17} For we arenot as the many, corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, butas of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.

{3:1} Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as dosome, epistles of commendation to you or from you? {3:2} Ye are ourepistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men; {3:3} beingmade manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us,written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not intables of stone, but in tables [that are] hearts of flesh. {3:4} Andsuch confidence have we through Christ to God-ward: {3:5} not that weare sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; butour sufficiency is from God; {3:6} who also made us sufficient asministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: forthe letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. {3:7} But if theministration of death, written, [and] engraven on stones, came withglory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly uponthe face of Moses for the glory of his face; which [glory] was passingaway: {3:8} how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be withglory? {3:9} For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, muchrather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. {3:10}For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been madeglorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth.{3:11} For if that which passeth away [was] with glory, much more thatwhich remaineth [is] in glory. {3:12} Having therefore such a hope, weuse great boldness of speech, {3:13} and [are] not as Moses, [who] puta veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not lookstedfastly on the end of that which was passing away: {3:14} but theirminds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the oldcovenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed [to them] thatit is done away in Christ. {3:15} But unto this day, whensoever Mosesis read, a veil lieth upon their heart. {3:16} But whensoever it shallturn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. {3:17} Now the Lord is theSpirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, [there] is liberty. {3:18}But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory ofthe Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, evenas from the Lord the Spirit.

{4:1} Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtainedmercy, we faint not: {4:2} but we have renounced the hidden things ofshame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of Goddeceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselvesto every man’s conscience in the sight of God. {4:3} And even if ourgospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: {4:4} in whom thegod of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that thelight of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,should not dawn [upon them]. {4:5} For we preach not ourselves, butChrist Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.{4:6} 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 theglory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. {4:7} But we have thistreasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the powermay be of God, and not from ourselves; {4:8} [we are] pressed on everyside, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair; {4:9}pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed; {4:10}always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life alsoof Jesus may be manifested in our body. {4:11} For we who live arealways delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also ofJesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. {4:12} So then deathworketh in us, but life in you. {4:13} But having the same spirit offaith, according to that which is written, I believed, and thereforedid I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we speak; {4:14}knowing that he that raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us alsowith Jesus, and shall present us with you. {4:15} For all things [are]for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, maycause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God. {4:16}Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet ourinward man is renewed day by day. {4:17} For our light affliction,which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly aneternal weight of glory; {4:18} while we look not at the things whichare seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things whichare seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

{5:1} For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle bedissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands,eternal, in the heavens. {5:2} For verily in this we groan, longing tobe clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven: {5:3} if sobe that being clothed we shall not be found naked. {5:4} For indeed wethat are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that wewould be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what ismortal may be swallowed up of life. {5:5} Now he that wrought us forthis very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit.{5:6} Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilstwe are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord {5:7} (for wewalk by faith, not by sight); {5:8} we are of good courage, I say, andare willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home withthe Lord. {5:9} Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home orabsent, to be well-pleasing unto him. {5:10} For we must all be mademanifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receivethe things [done] in the body, according to what he hath done, whether[it be] good or bad. {5:11} Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, wepersuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we aremade manifest also in your consciences. {5:12} We are not againcommending ourselves unto you, but [speak] as giving you occasion ofglorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them thatglory in appearance, and not in heart. {5:13} For whether we are besideourselves, it is unto God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is untoyou. {5:14} For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thusjudge, that one died for all, therefore all died; {5:15} and he diedfor all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, butunto him who for their sakes died and rose again. {5:16} Wherefore wehenceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have knownChrist after the flesh, yet now we know [him so] no more. {5:17}Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creature: the oldthings are passed away; behold, they are become new. {5:18} But allthings are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, andgave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; {5:19} to wit, that Godwas in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning untothem their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word ofreconciliation. {5:20} We are ambassadors therefore on behalf ofChrist, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech [you] on behalfof Christ, be ye reconciled to God. {5:21} Him who knew no sin he made[to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness ofGod in him.

{6:1} And working together [with him] we entreat also that yereceive not the grace of God in vain {6:2} (for he saith,At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee,And in a day of salvation did I succor thee:

behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day ofsalvation): {6:3} giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that ourministration be not blamed; {6:4} but in everything commendingourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, innecessities, in distresses, {6:5} in stripes, in imprisonments, intumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; {6:6} in pureness, inknowledge, in long suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in loveunfeigned, {6:7} in the word of truth, in the power of God; by thearmor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, {6:8} byglory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and[yet] true; {6:9} as unknown, and [yet] well known; as dying, andbehold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; {6:10} as sorrowful, yetalways rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and[yet] possessing all things. {6:11} Our mouth is open unto you, OCorinthians, our heart is enlarged. {6:12} Ye are not straitened in us,but ye are straitened in your own affections. {6:13} Now for arecompense in like kind (I speak as unto [my] children), be ye alsoenlarged. {6:14} Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for whatfellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hathlight with darkness? {6:15} And what concord hath Christ with Belial?or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? {6:16} And whatagreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of theliving God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them;and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. {6:17} WhereforeCome ye out from among them, and be ye separate,

saith the Lord,
And touch no unclean thing;
And I will receive you,
{6:18} And will be to you a Father,
And ye shall be to me sons and daughters,

saith the Lord Almighty.

{7:1} Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanseourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holinessin the fear of God. {7:2} Open your hearts to us: we wronged no man, wecorrupted no man, we took advantage of no man. {7:3} I say it not tocondemn [you]: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to dietogether and live together. {7:4} Great is my boldness of speech towardyou, great is my glorying on your behalf: I am filled with comfort, Ioverflow with joy in all our affliction. {7:5} For even when we werecome into Macedonia our flesh had no relief, but [we were] afflicted onevery side; without [were] fightings, within [were] fears. {7:6}Nevertheless he that comforteth the lowly, [even] God, comforted us bythe coming of Titus; {7:7} and not by his coming only, but also by thecomfort wherewith he was comforted in you, while he told us yourlonging, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced yet more.{7:8} 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), {7:9} I now rejoice, not that ye were madesorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were madesorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing.{7:10} For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, [arepentance] which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the worldworketh death. {7:11} For behold, this selfsame thing, that ye weremade sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, yeawhat clearing of yourselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, yeawhat longing, yea what zeal, yea what avenging! In everything yeapproved yourselves to be pure in the matter. {7:12} So although Iwrote unto you, I [wrote] not for his cause that did the wrong, nor forhis cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for usmight be made manifest unto you in the sight of God. {7:13} Thereforewe have been comforted: And in our comfort we joyed the moreexceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit hath beenrefreshed by you all. {7:14} For if in anything I have gloried to himon your behalf, I was not put to shame; but as we spake all things toyou in truth, so our glorying also which I made before Titus was foundto be truth. {7:15} And his affection is more abundantly toward you,while he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear andtrembling ye received him. {7:16} I rejoice that in everything I am ofgood courage concerning you.

{8:1} Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of Godwhich hath been given in the churches of Macedonia; {8:2} how that inmuch proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deeppoverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. {8:3} Foraccording to their power, I bear witness, yea and beyond their power,[they gave] of their own accord, {8:4} beseeching us with much entreatyin regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to thesaints: {8:5} and [this], not as we had hoped, but first they gavetheir own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. {8:6}Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he made a beginning before, sohe would also complete in you this grace also. {8:7} But as ye aboundin everything, [in] faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and [in] allearnestness, and [in] your love to us, [see] that ye abound in thisgrace also. {8:8} I speak not by way of commandment, but as provingthrough the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.{8:9} For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though hewas rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through hispoverty might become rich. {8:10} And herein I give [my] judgment: forthis is expedient for you, who were the first to make a beginning ayear ago, not only to do, but also to will. {8:11} But now complete thedoing also; that as [there was] the readiness to will, so [there maybe] the completion also out of your ability. {8:12} For if thereadiness is there, [it is] acceptable according as [a man] hath, notaccording as [he] hath not. {8:13} For [I say] not [this] that othersmay be eased [and] ye distressed; {8:14} but by equality: yourabundance [being a supply] at this present time for their want, thattheir abundance also may become [a supply] for your want; that theremay be equality: {8:15} as it is written, He that [gathered] much hadnothing over; and he that [gathered] little had no lack. {8:16} Butthanks be to God, who putteth the same earnest care for you into theheart of Titus. {8:17} For he accepted indeed our exhortation; butbeing himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own accord.{8:18} And we have sent together with him the brother whose praise inthe gospel [is spread] through all the churches; {8:19} and not onlyso, 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 ofthe Lord, and [to show] our readiness: {8:20} Avoiding this, that anyman should blame us in [the matter of] this bounty which is ministeredby us: {8:21} for we take thought for things honorable, not only in thesight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. {8:22} and we havesent with them our brother, whom we have many times proved earnest inmany things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the greatconfidence which [he hath] in you. {8:23} Whether [any inquire] aboutTitus, [he is] my partner and [my] fellow-worker to you-ward, or ourbrethren, [they are] the messengers of the churches, [they are] theglory of Christ. {8:24} Show ye therefore unto them in the face of thechurches the proof of your love, and of our glorying on your behalf.

{9:1} For as touching the ministering to the saints, it issuperfluous for me to write to you: {9:2} for I know your readiness, ofwhich I glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia hathbeen prepared for a year past; and your zeal hath stirred up very manyof them. {9:3} But I have sent the brethren, that our glorying on yourbehalf may not be made void in this respect; that, even as I said, yemay be prepared: {9:4} lest by any means, if there come with me any ofMacedonia and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should beput to shame in this confidence. {9:5} I thought it necessary thereforeto entreat the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and makeup beforehand your aforepromised bounty, that the same might be readyas a matter of bounty, and not of extortion. {9:6} But this [I say,] Hethat soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that sowethbountifully shall reap also bountifully. {9:7} [Let] each man [do]according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or ofnecessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. {9:8} And God is able tomake all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiencyin everything, may abound unto every good work: {9:9} as it is written,He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor;His righteousness abideth for ever.

{9:10} And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food,shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruitsof your righteousness: {9:11} ye being enriched in everything unto allliberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God. {9:12} Forthe ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of thewants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings untoGod; {9:13} seeing that through the proving [of you] by thisministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession untothe gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of [your] contributionunto them and unto all; {9:14} while they themselves also, withsupplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceedinggrace of God in you. {9:15} Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

{10:1} Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentlenessof Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absentam of good courage toward you: {10:2} yea, I beseech you, that I maynot when present show courage with the confidence wherewith I count tobe bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to theflesh. {10:3} For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war accordingto the flesh {10:4} (for the weapons of our warfare are not of theflesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds),{10:5} casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exaltedagainst the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivityto the obedience of Christ; {10:6} and being in readiness to avenge alldisobedience, when your obedience shall be made full. {10:7} Ye look atthe things that are before your face. If any man trusteth in himselfthat he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that,even as he is Christ’s, so also are we. {10:8} For though I shouldglory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gavefor building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be putto shame: {10:9} that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by myletters. {10:10} For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong;but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account. {10:11}Let such a one reckon this, that, what we are in word by letters whenwe are absent, such [are we] also in deed when we are present. {10:12}For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of themthat commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves bythemselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are withoutunderstanding. {10:13} But we will not glory beyond [our] measure, butaccording to the measure of the province which God apportioned to us asa measure, to reach even unto you. {10:14} For we stretch not ourselvesovermuch, as though we reached not unto you: for we came even as far asunto you in the gospel of Christ: {10:15} not glorying beyond [our]measure, [that is,] in other men’s labors; but having hope that, asyour faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to ourprovince unto [further] abundance, {10:16} so as to preach the gospeleven unto the parts beyond you, [and] not to glory in another’sprovince in regard of things ready to our hand. {10:17} But he thatglorieth, let him glory in the Lord. {10:18} For not he that commendethhimself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

{11:1} Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness: butindeed ye do bear with me. {11:2} For I am jealous over you with agodly jealousy: for I espoused you to one husband, that I might presentyou [as] a pure virgin to Christ. {11:3} But I fear, lest by any means,as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should becorrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ.{11:4} For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did notpreach, or [if] ye receive a different spirit, which ye did notreceive, or a different gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well tobear with [him]. {11:5} For I reckon that I am not a whit behind thevery chiefest apostles. {11:6} But though [I be] rude in speech, yet[am I] not in knowledge; nay, in every way have we made [this] manifestunto you in all things. {11:7} Or did I commit a sin in abasing myselfthat ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of Godfor nought? {11:8} I robbed other churches, taking wages [of them] thatI might minister unto you; {11:9} and when I was present with you andwas in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when theycame from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everythingI kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and [so] will I keep[myself]. {11:10} As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop meof this glorying in the regions of Achaia. {11:11} Wherefore? because Ilove you not? God knoweth. {11:12} But what I do, that I will do, thatI may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion; that whereinthey glory, they may be found even as we. {11:13} For such men arefalse apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostlesof Christ. {11:14} And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himselfinto an angel of light. {11:15} It is no great thing therefore if hisministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whoseend shall be according to their works. {11:16} I say again, let no manthink me foolish; but if [ye do], yet as foolish receive me, that Ialso may glory a little. {11:17} That which I speak, I speak not afterthe Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorying.{11:18} Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.{11:19} For ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise [yourselves].{11:20} For ye bear with a man, if he bringeth you into bondage, if hedevoureth you, if he taketh you [captive], if he exalteth himself, ifhe smiteth you on the face. {11:21} I speak by way of disparagement, asthough we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any is bold (I speak infoolishness), I am bold also. {11:22} Are they Hebrews? so am I. Arethey Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.{11:23} Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) Imore; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripesabove measure, in deaths oft. {11:24} Of the Jews five times received Iforty [stripes] save one. {11:25} Thrice was I beaten with rods, oncewas I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have Ibeen in the deep; {11:26} [in] journeyings often, [in] perils ofrivers, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils from [my] countrymen, [in]perils from the Gentiles, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in thewilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren;{11:27} [in] labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger andthirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. {11:28} Besides thosethings that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily,anxiety for all the churches. {11:29} Who is weak, and I am not weak?who is caused to stumble, and I burn not? {11:30} If I must needsglory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness. {11:31} TheGod and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for evermoreknoweth that I lie not. {11:32} In Damascus the governor under Aretasthe king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to take me:{11:33} and through a window was I let down in a basket by the wall,and escaped his hands.

{12:1} I must needs glory, though it is not expedient; but I willcome to visions and revelations of the Lord. {12:2} I know a man inChrist, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whetherout of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up even tothe third heaven. {12:3} And I know such a man (whether in the body, orapart from the body, I know not; God knoweth), {12:4} how that he wascaught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is notlawful for a man to utter. {12:5} On behalf of such a one will I glory:but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in [my] weaknesses.{12:6} For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for Ishall speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any man should account of meabove that which he seeth me [to be], or heareth from me. {12:7} And byreason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should notbe exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, amessenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch.{12:8} Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it mightdepart from me. {12:9} And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficientfor thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladlytherefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power ofChrist may rest upon me. {12:10} Wherefore I take pleasure inweaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, indistresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.{12:11} I am become foolish: ye compelled me; for I ought to have beencommended of you: for in nothing was I behind the very chiefestapostles, though I am nothing. {12:12} Truly the signs of an apostlewere wrought among you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mightyworks. {12:13} For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to therest of the churches, except [it be] that I myself was not a burden toyou? forgive me this wrong. {12:14} Behold, this is the third time I amready to come to you; and I will not be a burden to you: for I seek notyours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents,but the parents for the children. {12:15} And I will most gladly spendand be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I lovedthe less? {12:16} But be it so, I did not myself burden you; but, beingcrafty, I caught you with guile. {12:17} Did I take advantage of you byany one of them whom I have sent unto you? {12:18} 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?{12:19} 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. {12:20} For I fear, lest by any means, when I come,I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found ofyou such as ye would not; lest by any means [there should be] strife,jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings,tumults; {12:21} lest again when I come my God should humble me beforeyou, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore,and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousnesswhich they committed.

{13:1} This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth oftwo witnesses or three shall every word established. {13:2} I have saidbeforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the secondtime, so now, being absent, to them that have sinned heretofore, and toall the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare; {13:3} seeingthat ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me; who to you-ward isnot weak, but is powerful in you: {13:4} for he was crucified throughweakness, yet he liveth through the power of God. For we also are weakin him, but we shall live with him through the power of God toward you.{13:5} Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your ownselves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is inyou? unless indeed ye be reprobate. {13:6} But I hope that ye shallknow that we are not reprobate. {13:7} Now we pray to God that ye do noevil; not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do that which ishonorable, though we be as reprobate. {13:8} For we can do nothingagainst the truth, but for the truth. {13:9} For we rejoice, when weare weak, and ye are strong: this we also pray for, even yourperfecting. {13:10} For this cause I write these things while absent,that I may not when present deal sharply, according to the authoritywhich the Lord gave me for building up, and not for casting down.{13:11} Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfected; be comforted; be ofthe same mind; live in peace: and the God of love and peace shall bewith you. {13:12} Salute one another with a holy kiss. {13:13} All thesaints salute you. {13:14} The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thelove of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

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