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For we know that, if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.(A) For in this tent we groan, longing to be further clothed with our heavenly dwelling, for surely when we have been clothed in it[a] we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan under our burden because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.(B) The one who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a down payment.(C)

So we are always confident, even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight.(D) Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him. 10 For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive due recompense for actions done in the body, whether good or evil.(E)

The Ministry of Reconciliation

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences.(F) 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart.(G) 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.(H) 14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.(I) 15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for the one who for their sake died and was raised.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;[b] even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view,[c] we no longer know him in that way.(J) 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there[d] is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being![e](K) 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation;(L) 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,[f] not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.(M) 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God.(N) 21 For our sake God made the one who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(O)

As we work together with him,[g] we entreat you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.(P) For he says,

“At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
    and on a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation!(Q) We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,(R) but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: in great endurance, afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;(S) in purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;(T) in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors and yet are true, as unknown and yet are well known, as dying and look—we are alive, as punished and yet not killed,(U) 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing everything.

11 We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. 12 There is no restriction in our affections but only in yours. 13 In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.(V)

The Temple of the Living God

14 Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and lawlessness have in common? Or what partnership is there between light and darkness?(W) 15 What agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we[h] are the temple of the living God, as God said,

“I will live in them[i] and walk among them,
    and I will be their God,
    and they shall be my people.(X)
17 Therefore come out from them,
    and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch nothing unclean;
    then I will welcome you,(Y)
18 and I will be your father,
    and you shall be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”(Z)

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God.(AA)

Paul’s Joy at the Church’s Repentance

Make room in your hearts[j] for us; we have wronged no one; we have corrupted no one; we have taken advantage of no one.(AB) I do not say this to condemn you, for I have already said that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.(AC) I am being completely frank with you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with consolation; I am overjoyed in all our affliction.(AD)

For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way—disputes without and fears within.(AE) But God, who consoles the downcast, consoled us by the arrival of Titus,(AF) and not only by his arrival but also by the consolation with which he was consoled about you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. For although I grieved you with my letter, I do not regret it. Although I did regret it (for[k] I see that that letter caused you grief, though only briefly), now I rejoice, not because you were grieved but because your grief led to repentance, for you felt a godly grief, so that you were not harmed in any way by us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death.(AG) 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves guiltless in the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the one who suffered the wrong but in order that your zeal for us might be made known to you before God.(AH) 13 In this we have found consolation.

In addition to our own consolation, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his mind has been set at rest by all of you.(AI) 14 For if I have been somewhat boastful about you to him, I was not put to shame, but just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus has proved true as well.(AJ) 15 And his heart goes out all the more to you, as he remembers the obedience of all of you and how you welcomed him with fear and trembling.(AK) 16 I rejoice because I have complete confidence in you.(AL)

Encouragement to Be Generous

We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia, for during a severe ordeal of affliction their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the favor[l] of partnering in this ministry to the saints,(AM) and not as we expected. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking[m] among you.(AN) Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you[n]—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.[o](AO)

I do not say this as a command, but I am, by mentioning the eagerness of others, testing the genuineness of your love.(AP) For you know the generous act[p] of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.(AQ) 10 And in this matter I am giving my opinion: it is beneficial for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something.(AR) 11 Now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means.(AS) 12 For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.(AT) 13 For I do not mean that there should be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality between 14 your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may also supply your need, in order that there may be equality. 15 As it is written,

“The one who had much did not have too much,
    and the one who had little did not have too little.”(AU)

Commendation of Titus

16 But thanks be to God, who put in the heart of Titus the same eagerness for you that I myself have. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but since he is more eager than ever, he is going to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending the brother who is praised among all the churches for his work for the gospel,(AV) 19 and not only that, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us while we are administering this generous undertaking[q] for the glory of the Lord himself[r] and to show our goodwill.(AW) 20 We are making this arrangement lest anyone blame us about this generous gift that we are administering, 21 for we are setting our minds on what is right not only before the Lord but also before the people.(AX) 22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found eager in many matters but who is now more eager than ever because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and coworker in your service; as for our brothers, they are messengers[s] of the churches, the glory of Christ.(AY) 24 Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you to them.(AZ)

The Collection for Christians at Jerusalem

Now it is not necessary for me to write you about the ministry to the saints, for I know your eagerness, which is the subject of my boasting about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them.(BA) But I am sending[t] the brothers in order that our boasting about you may not prove to have been empty in this case, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be;(BB) otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be put to shame—to say nothing of you—in this undertaking.[u] So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for this bountiful gift that you have promised, so that it may be ready as a bountiful gift and not as an extortion.

The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.(BC) Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.(BD) And God is able to provide you with every blessing[v] in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.(BE) As it is written,

“He scatters abroad; he gives to the poor;
    his righteousness[w] endures forever.”(BF)

10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.[x] 11 You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us, 12 for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. 13 Through the testing of this ministry you[y] glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your partnership with them and with all others,(BG) 14 while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!(BH)

Footnotes

  1. 5.3 Other ancient authorities read taken it off
  2. 5.16 Gk according to the flesh
  3. 5.16 Gk according to the flesh
  4. 5.17 Or that person
  5. 5.17 Other ancient authorities read everything has become new
  6. 5.19 Or God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself
  7. 6.1 Gk As we work together
  8. 6.16 Other ancient authorities read you
  9. 6.16 Or in their midst
  10. 7.2 Gk lacks in your hearts
  11. 7.8 Other ancient witnesses lack for
  12. 8.4 Gk grace or gift
  13. 8.6 Gk this grace or gift
  14. 8.7 Other ancient authorities read your love for us
  15. 8.7 Gk this grace or gift
  16. 8.9 Gk the grace or gift
  17. 8.19 Gk this grace or gift
  18. 8.19 Other ancient authorities lack himself
  19. 8.23 Gk apostles
  20. 9.3 Or I have sent
  21. 9.4 Other ancient authorities add of boasting
  22. 9.8 Gk gift or grace
  23. 9.9 Or benevolence
  24. 9.10 Or benevolence
  25. 9.13 Or they