Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness^(A)

4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit,^(B) left the Jordan^(C) and was led by the Spirit^(D) into the wilderness, ² where for forty days^(E) he was tempted^[a] by the devil.^(F) He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

³ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God,^(G) tell this stone to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’^[b]”^(H)

⁵ The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.^{(I) 6} And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me,^(J) and I can give it to anyone I want to. ⁷ If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

⁸ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’^[c]”^(K)

⁹ The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. ¹⁰ For it is written:

¹² Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[e]”^(M)

¹³ When the devil had finished all this tempting,^(N) he left him^(O) until an opportune time.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

¹⁴ Jesus returned to Galilee^(P) in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.^{(Q) 15} He was teaching in their synagogues,^(R) and everyone praised him.

¹⁶ He went to Nazareth,^(S) where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue,^(T) as was his custom. He stood up to read,^{(U) 17} and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

²⁰ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.^(Y) The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹ He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled^(Z) in your hearing.”

²² All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.^(AA)

²³ Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown^(AB) what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”^(AC)

²⁴ “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.^{(AD) 25} I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.^{(AE) 26} Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.^{(AF) 27} And there were many in Israel with leprosy^[g] in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”^(AG)

²⁸ All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. ²⁹ They got up, drove him out of the town,^(AH) and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. ³⁰ But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.^(AI)

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit^(AJ)

³¹ Then he went down to Capernaum,^(AK) a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. ³² They were amazed at his teaching,^(AL) because his words had authority.^(AM)

³³ In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, ³⁴ “Go away! What do you want with us,^(AN) Jesus of Nazareth?^(AO) Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are^(AP)—the Holy One of God!”^(AQ)

³⁵ “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly.^(AR) “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

³⁶ All the people were amazed^(AS) and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority^(AT) and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” ³⁷ And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.^(AU)

Jesus Heals Many^(AV)(AW)

³⁸ Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. ³⁹ So he bent over her and rebuked^(AX) the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

⁴⁰ At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one,^(AY) he healed them.^{(AZ) 41} Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!”^(BA) But he rebuked^(BB) them and would not allow them to speak,^(BC) because they knew he was the Messiah.

⁴² At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. ⁴³ But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God^(BD) to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” ⁴⁴ And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.^(BE)

7 Therefore, since we have these promises,^(A) dear friends,^(B) let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness^(C) out of reverence for God.

Paul’s Joy Over the Church’s Repentance

² Make room for us in your hearts.^(D) We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. ³ I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts^(E) that we would live or die with you. ⁴ I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you.^(F) I am greatly encouraged;^(G) in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.^(H)

⁵ For when we came into Macedonia,^(I) we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn^(J)—conflicts on the outside, fears within.^{(K) 6} But God, who comforts the downcast,^(L) comforted us by the coming of Titus,^{(M) 7} and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.

⁸ Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter,^(N) I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— ⁹ yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. ¹⁰ Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation^(O) and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. ¹¹ See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern,^(P) what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. ¹² So even though I wrote to you,^(Q) it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong^(R) nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. ¹³ By all this we are encouraged.

In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus^(S) was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. ¹⁴ I had boasted to him about you,^(T) and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus^(U) has proved to be true as well. ¹⁵ And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient,^(V) receiving him with fear and trembling.^{(W) 16} I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.^(X)

The Collection for the Lord’s People

8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian^(Y) churches. ² In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.^{(Z) 3} For I testify that they gave as much as they were able,^(AA) and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, ⁴ they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing^(AB) in this service^(AC) to the Lord’s people.^{(AD) 5} And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. ⁶ So we urged^(AE) Titus,^(AF) just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion^(AG) this act of grace on your part. ⁷ But since you excel in everything^(AH)—in faith, in speech, in knowledge,^(AI) in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you^[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

⁸ I am not commanding you,^(AJ) but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. ⁹ For you know the grace^(AK) of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(AL) that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,^(AM) so that you through his poverty might become rich.^(AN)

¹⁰ And here is my judgment^(AO) about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.^{(AP) 11} Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness^(AQ) to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. ¹² For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has,^(AR) not according to what one does not have.

¹³ Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. ¹⁴ At the present time your plenty will supply what they need,^(AS) so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, ¹⁵ as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”^[b](AT)

Titus Sent to Receive the Collection

¹⁶ Thanks be to God,^(AU) who put into the heart^(AV) of Titus^(AW) the same concern I have for you. ¹⁷ For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.^{(AX) 18} And we are sending along with him the brother^(AY) who is praised by all the churches^(AZ) for his service to the gospel.^{(BA) 19} What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us^(BB) as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.^{(BC) 20} We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. ²¹ For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.^(BD)

²² In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. ²³ As for Titus,^(BE) he is my partner^(BF) and co-worker^(BG) among you; as for our brothers,^(BH) they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. ²⁴ Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you,^(BI) so that the churches can see it.

9 There is no need^(BJ) for me to write to you about this service^(BK) to the Lord’s people.^{(BL) 2} For I know your eagerness to help,^(BM) and I have been boasting^(BN) about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year^(BO) you in Achaia^(BP) were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. ³ But I am sending the brothers^(BQ) in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.^{(BR) 4} For if any Macedonians^(BS) come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. ⁵ So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers^(BT) to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift,^(BU) not as one grudgingly given.^(BV)

Generosity Encouraged

⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.^{(BW) 7} Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,^(BX) not reluctantly or under compulsion,^(BY) for God loves a cheerful giver.^{(BZ) 8} And God is able^(CA) to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,^(CB) you will abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written:

¹⁰ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food^(CE) will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.^{(CF) 11} You will be enriched^(CG) in every way so that you can be generous^(CH) on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.^(CI)

¹² This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs^(CJ) of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.^{(CK) 13} Because of the service^(CL) by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God^(CM) for the obedience that accompanies your confession^(CN) of the gospel of Christ,^(CO) and for your generosity^(CP) in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴ And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God^(CQ) for his indescribable gift!^(CR)