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2 Corinthians 8-11
New King James Version

Excel in Giving

8 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and (A)their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency [a]that we would receive the gift and (B)the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first (C)gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the (D)will of God. 6 So (E)we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7 But as (F)you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see (G)that you abound in this grace also.

Christ Our Pattern

8 (H)I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, (I)that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become (J)rich.

10 And in this (K)I give advice: (L)It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and (M)were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. 12 For (N)if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, (O)“He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

Collection for the Judean Saints

16 But thanks be to God who [b]puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 17 For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord. 18 And we have sent with him (P)the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, 19 and not only that, but who was also (Q)chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us (R)to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind, 20 avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us— 21 (S)providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

22 And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which we have in you. 23 If anyone inquires about (T)Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are (U)messengers[c] of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 Therefore show to them, [d]and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our (V)boasting on your behalf.

Administering the Gift

9 Now concerning (W)the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; 2 for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a (X)year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. 3 (Y)Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; 4 lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this [e]confident boasting. 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to [f]exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a [g]grudging obligation.

The Cheerful Giver

6 (Z)But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [h]bountifully will also reap [i]bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, (AA)not grudgingly or of [j]necessity; for (AB)God loves a cheerful giver. 8 (AC)And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written:

(AD)“He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”

10 Now [k]may He who (AE)supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, [l]supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your (AF)righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, (AG)which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only (AH)supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they (AI)glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal (AJ)sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding (AK)grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God (AL)for His indescribable gift!

The Spiritual War

10 Now (AM)I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—(AN)who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. 2 But I beg you (AO)that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 (AP)For the weapons (AQ)of our warfare are not [m]carnal but (AR)mighty in God (AS)for pulling down strongholds, 5 (AT)casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 (AU)and being ready to punish all disobedience when (AV)your obedience is fulfilled.

Reality of Paul’s Authority

7 (AW)Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? (AX)If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even [n]so (AY)we are Christ’s. 8 For even if I should boast somewhat more (AZ)about our authority, which the Lord gave [o]us for [p]edification and not for your destruction, (BA)I shall not be ashamed— 9 lest I seem to terrify you by letters. 10 “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but (BB)his bodily presence is weak, and his (BC)speech contemptible.” 11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present.

Limits of Paul’s Authority

12 (BD)For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 (BE)We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), (BF)for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; 15 not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, (BG)in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, 16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment.

17 But (BH)“he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 18 For (BI)not he who commends himself is approved, but (BJ)whom the Lord commends.

Concern for Their Faithfulness

11 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little (BK)folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am (BL)jealous for you with godly jealousy. For (BM)I have betrothed you to one husband, (BN)that I may present you (BO)as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as (BP)the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds (BQ)may be corrupted from the [q]simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a (BR)different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

Paul and False Apostles

5 For I consider that (BS)I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6 Even though (BT)I am untrained in speech, yet I am not (BU)in knowledge. But (BV)we have [r]been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

7 Did I commit sin in [s]humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you (BW)free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. 9 And when I was present with you, and in need, (BX)I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked (BY)the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. 10 (BZ)As the truth of Christ is in me, (CA)no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? (CB)Because I do not love you? God knows!

12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, (CC)that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13 For such (CD)are false apostles, (CE)deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into (CF)an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, (CG)whose end will be according to their works.

Reluctant Boasting

16 I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. 17 What I speak, (CH)I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. 19 For you put up with fools gladly, (CI)since you yourselves are wise! 20 For you put up with it (CJ)if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. 21 To our shame (CK)I say that we were too weak for that! But (CL)in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.

Suffering for Christ

22 Are they (CM)Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: (CN)in labors more abundant, (CO)in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, (CP)in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received (CQ)forty (CR)stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was (CS)beaten with rods; (CT)once I was stoned; three times I (CU)was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, (CV)in perils of my own countrymen, (CW)in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, (CX)in sleeplessness often, (CY)in hunger and thirst, in (CZ)fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: (DA)my deep concern for all the churches. 29 (DB)Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

30 If I must boast, (DC)I will boast in the things which concern my [t]infirmity. 31 (DD)The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (DE)who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 (DF)In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 8:4 NU, M omit that we would receive, thus changing text to urgency for the favor and fellowship
  2. 2 Corinthians 8:16 NU has put
  3. 2 Corinthians 8:23 Lit. apostles, “sent ones”
  4. 2 Corinthians 8:24 NU, M omit and
  5. 2 Corinthians 9:4 NU confidence.
  6. 2 Corinthians 9:5 encourage
  7. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit. covetousness
  8. 2 Corinthians 9:6 with blessings
  9. 2 Corinthians 9:6 with blessings
  10. 2 Corinthians 9:7 compulsion
  11. 2 Corinthians 9:10 NU omits may
  12. 2 Corinthians 9:10 NU will supply
  13. 2 Corinthians 10:4 of the flesh
  14. 2 Corinthians 10:7 NU as we are.
  15. 2 Corinthians 10:8 NU omits us
  16. 2 Corinthians 10:8 building up
  17. 2 Corinthians 11:3 NU adds and purity
  18. 2 Corinthians 11:6 NU omits been
  19. 2 Corinthians 11:7 putting myself down
  20. 2 Corinthians 11:30 weakness
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2 Corinthians 8-11
New International Version

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(A) churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.(B) 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able,(C) and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing(D) in this service(E) to the Lord’s people.(F) 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(G) Titus,(H) just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion(I) this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything(J)—in faith, in speech, in knowledge,(K) 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,(L) but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace(M) of our Lord Jesus Christ,(N) that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,(O) so that you through his poverty might become rich.(P)

10 And here is my judgment(Q) 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.(R) 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness(S) 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,(T) 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,(U) 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](V)

Titus Sent to Receive the Collection

16 Thanks be to God,(W) who put into the heart(X) of Titus(Y) 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.(Z) 18 And we are sending along with him the brother(AA) who is praised by all the churches(AB) for his service to the gospel.(AC) 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us(AD) as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.(AE) 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.(AF)

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,(AG) he is my partner(AH) and co-worker(AI) among you; as for our brothers,(AJ) 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,(AK) so that the churches can see it.

9 There is no need(AL) for me to write to you about this service(AM) to the Lord’s people.(AN) 2 For I know your eagerness to help,(AO) and I have been boasting(AP) about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year(AQ) you in Achaia(AR) were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers(AS) 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.(AT) 4 For if any Macedonians(AU) 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(AV) 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,(AW) not as one grudgingly given.(AX)

Generosity Encouraged

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

“They have freely scattered their gifts(BE) to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”[c](BF)

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food(BG) will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.(BH) 11 You will be enriched(BI) in every way so that you can be generous(BJ) on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.(BK)

12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs(BL) of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.(BM) 13 Because of the service(BN) by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God(BO) for the obedience that accompanies your confession(BP) of the gospel of Christ,(BQ) and for your generosity(BR) 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(BS) for his indescribable gift!(BT)

Paul’s Defense of His Ministry

10 By the humility and gentleness(BU) of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul,(BV) who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! 2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold(BW) as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.(BX) 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.(BY) 4 The weapons we fight with(BZ) are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power(CA) to demolish strongholds.(CB) 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,(CC) and we take captive every thought to make it obedient(CD) to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.(CE)

7 You are judging by appearances.[d](CF) If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ,(CG) they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.(CH) 8 So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us(CI) for building you up rather than tearing you down,(CJ) I will not be ashamed of it. 9 I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive(CK) and his speaking amounts to nothing.”(CL) 11 Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.(CM) When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13 We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us,(CN) a sphere that also includes you. 14 We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you(CO) with the gospel of Christ.(CP) 15 Neither do we go beyond our limits(CQ) by boasting of work done by others.(CR) Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow,(CS) our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel(CT) in the regions beyond you.(CU) For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. 17 But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[e](CV) 18 For it is not the one who commends himself(CW) who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.(CX)

Paul and the False Apostles

11 I hope you will put up with(CY) me in a little foolishness.(CZ) Yes, please put up with me! 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband,(DA) to Christ, so that I might present you(DB) as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,(DC) your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,(DD) or if you receive a different spirit(DE) from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel(DF) from the one you accepted, you put up with it(DG) easily enough.

5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”[f](DH) 6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,(DI) but I do have knowledge.(DJ) We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. 7 Was it a sin(DK) for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God(DL) to you free of charge?(DM) 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them(DN) so as to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.(DO) I have kept myself from being a burden to you(DP) in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me,(DQ) nobody in the regions of Achaia(DR) will stop this boasting(DS) of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows(DT) I do!(DU)

12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles,(DV) deceitful(DW) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.(DX) 14 And no wonder, for Satan(DY) himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.(DZ)

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.(EA) But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,(EB) but as a fool.(EC) 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does,(ED) I too will boast.(EE) 19 You gladly put up with(EF) fools since you are so wise!(EG) 20 In fact, you even put up with(EH) anyone who enslaves you(EI) or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak(EJ) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.(EK) 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I.(EL) Are they Israelites? So am I.(EM) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.(EN) 23 Are they servants of Christ?(EO) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,(EP) been in prison more frequently,(EQ) been flogged more severely,(ER) and been exposed to death again and again.(ES) 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes(ET) minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods,(EU) once I was pelted with stones,(EV) three times I was shipwrecked,(EW) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,(EX) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,(EY) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.(EZ) 27 I have labored and toiled(FA) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;(FB) I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.(FC) 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?(FD) Who is led into sin,(FE) and I do not inwardly burn?

30 If I must boast, I will boast(FF) of the things that show my weakness.(FG) 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,(FH) knows(FI) that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.(FJ) 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.(FK)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 8:7 Some manuscripts and in your love for us
  2. 2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9
  4. 2 Corinthians 10:7 Or Look at the obvious facts
  5. 2 Corinthians 10:17 Jer. 9:24
  6. 2 Corinthians 11:5 Or to the most eminent apostles
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