2 Corinthians 8-12

New American Standard Bible

Great Generosity

8 Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been ^(A)given in the churches of ^(B)Macedonia, ² that in a ^[a]great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the ^(C)wealth of their liberality. ³ For I testify that ^(D)according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, ⁴ begging us with much urging for the ^(E)favor ^[b]of participation in the ^[c](F)support of the ^[d]saints, ⁵ and this, not as we had ^[e]expected, but they first ^(G)gave themselves to the Lord and to us by ^(H)the will of God. ⁶ So we ^(I)urged ^(J)Titus that as he had previously ^(K)made a beginning, so he would also complete in you ^(L)this gracious work as well.

⁷ But just as you ^(M)excel ^(N)in everything, in faith, speaking, knowledge, and in all earnestness and in the ^[f]love we inspired in you, see that you also ^(O)excel in this gracious work. ⁸ I ^(P)am not saying this as a command, but as proving, through the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love as well. ⁹ For you know ^(Q)the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ^(R)though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. ¹⁰ I ^(S)give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin ^(T)a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. ¹¹ But now finish ^[g]doing it also, so that just as there was the ^(U)willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. ¹² For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable ^(V)according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. ¹³ For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality— ¹⁴ at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for ^(W)their need, so that their abundance also may ^[h]serve as assistance for ^(X)your need, so that there may be equality; ¹⁵ as it is written: “^(Y)The one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little.”

¹⁶ But ^(Z)thanks be to God who ^(AA)puts the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of ^(AB)Titus. ¹⁷ For he not only accepted our ^(AC)appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. ¹⁸ We have sent along with him ^(AD)the brother whose fame in the things of the ^(AE)gospel has spread through ^(AF)all the churches; ^19 (AG)and not only that, but he has also been ^(AH)appointed by the churches to travel with us in ^(AI)this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our ^(AJ)readiness, ^20 [i]taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; ²¹ for we ^(AK)have regard for what is honorable, not only in ^(AL)the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of other people. ²² We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. ²³ As for ^(AM)Titus, he is my ^(AN)partner and fellow worker ^[j]among you; as for our ^(AO)brothers, they are ^[k](AP)messengers of the churches, ^(AQ)a glory to Christ. ²⁴ Therefore, ^[l]openly before the churches, ^[m]show them the proof of your love and of our ^(AR)reason for boasting about you.

God Gives Most

9 For ^(AS)it is superfluous for me to write to you about this ^(AT)ministry to the ^[n]saints; ² for I know your willingness, of which I ^(AU)boast about you to the ^(AV)Macedonians, namely, that ^(AW)Achaia has been prepared since ^(AX)last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them. ³ But I have sent the brothers, in order that our ^(AY)boasting about you may not prove empty in this case, so that, ^(AZ)as I was saying, you will be prepared; ⁴ otherwise, if any ^(BA)Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to mention you—would be put to shame by this confidence. ⁵ So I considered it necessary to urge the ^(BB)brothers that they go on ahead to you and arrange in advance your previously promised ^[o](BC)generous gift, that the same would be ready as a ^[p](BD)generous gift, and not as one grudgingly given due to greediness.

⁶ Now I say this: ^(BE)the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows ^[q]generously will also reap ^[r]generously. ⁷ Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not ^(BF)reluctantly or under compulsion, for ^(BG)God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And ^(BH)God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; ⁹ as it is written:

¹⁰ Now He who supplies ^(BJ)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and ^(BK)increase the harvest of your righteousness; ¹¹ you will be ^(BL)enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing ^(BM)thanksgiving to God. ¹² For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying ^(BN)the needs of the ^[t]saints, but is also overflowing ^(BO)through many thanksgivings to God. ¹³ Because of the proof given by this ^(BP)ministry, they will ^(BQ)glorify God for your obedience to your ^(BR)confession of the ^(BS)gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your ^[u]contribution to them and to all, ¹⁴ while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. ^15 (BT)Thanks be to God for His indescribable ^(BU)gift!

Paul Confronts the Corinthians

10 Now ^(BV)I, Paul, myself ^(BW)urge you by the ^(BX)meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who ^(BY)am ^[v]meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! ² I ask that ^(BZ)when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I intend to be courageous against ^(CA)some, who regard us as if we walked ^(CB)according to the flesh. ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle ^(CC)according to the flesh, ⁴ for the ^(CD)weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but ^[w]divinely powerful ^(CE)for the destruction of fortresses. ⁵ We are destroying arguments and all ^(CF)arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the ^(CG)obedience of Christ, ⁶ and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever ^(CH)your obedience is complete.

^7 [x](CI)You are looking at ^[y]things as they are outwardly. ^(CJ)If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, have him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, ^(CK)so too are we. ⁸ For if ^(CL)I boast somewhat ^[z]more about our ^(CM)authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, ^9 [aa]for I do not want to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. ¹⁰ For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his ^[ab]personal presence is ^(CN)unimpressive and ^(CO)his speech contemptible.” ¹¹ Have such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.

¹² For we do not presume to rank or compare ourselves with ^[ac]some of those who ^(CP)commend themselves; but when they ^[ad]measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they have no understanding. ¹³ But we will not boast ^(CQ)beyond our measure, but ^[ae](CR)within the measure of the ^[af]domain which God assigned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. ¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for ^(CS)we were the first to come even as far as you in the ^(CT)gospel of Christ; ¹⁵ not boasting ^(CU)beyond our measure, that is, in ^(CV)other people’s labors, but with the hope that as ^(CW)your faith grows, we will be, ^[ag]within our ^[ah]domain, ^(CX)enlarged even more by you, ¹⁶ so as to ^(CY)preach the gospel even to ^(CZ)the regions beyond you, and not to boast ^[ai](DA)in what has been accomplished in the domain of another. ¹⁷ But ^(DB)the one who boasts is to boast in the Lord. ¹⁸ For it is not the one who ^(DC)commends himself that is approved, but the one ^(DD)whom the Lord commends.

Paul Defends His Apostleship

11 I wish that you would ^(DE)bear with me in a little ^(DF)foolishness; but ^[aj]indeed you are bearing with me. ² For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I ^(DG)betrothed you to one husband, to ^(DH)present you as a pure virgin to Christ. ³ But I am afraid that, as the ^(DI)serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if ^[ak]one comes and preaches ^(DJ)another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a ^(DK)different spirit which you have not received, or a ^(DL)different gospel which you have not accepted, this you ^(DM)tolerate ^(DN)very well! ⁵ For I consider myself ^(DO)not in the least inferior to the ^[al]most eminent apostles. ⁶ But even if I am ^(DP)unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in ^(DQ)knowledge; in fact, in every way we have ^(DR)made this evident to you in all things.

⁷ Or ^(DS)did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the ^(DT)gospel of God to you ^(DU)without charge? ⁸ I robbed other churches by ^(DV)taking wages from them to serve you; ⁹ and when I was present with you and was in need, I was ^(DW)not a burden to anyone; for when ^(DX)the brothers came from ^(DY)Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from ^(DZ)being a burden to you, ^[am]and will continue to do so. ^10 (EA)As the truth of Christ is in me, ^(EB)this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of ^(EC)Achaia. ¹¹ Why? ^(ED)Because I do not love you? ^(EE)God knows that I do!

¹² But what I am doing I will also continue to do, ^(EF)so that I may eliminate the opportunity from those who want an opportunity to be ^[an]regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. ¹³ For such men are ^(EG)false apostles, ^(EH)deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ No wonder, for even ^(EI)Satan disguises himself as an ^(EJ)angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, ^(EK)whose end will be according to their deeds.

^16 (EL)Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little. ¹⁷ What I am saying, I am not saying ^[ao](EM)as the Lord would, but as ^(EN)in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. ¹⁸ Since ^(EO)many boast ^(EP)according to the flesh, I will boast also. ¹⁹ For you, ^(EQ)being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly. ²⁰ For you tolerate it if anyone ^(ER)enslaves you, if anyone ^(ES)devours you, if anyone ^(ET)takes advantage of you, if anyone ^(EU)exalts himself, if anyone ^(EV)hits you in the face. ²¹ To my ^(EW)shame I must say that we have been ^(EX)weak by comparison.

But in whatever respect anyone else ^(EY)is bold—I am ^(EZ)speaking in foolishness—I too am bold. ²² Are they ^(FA)Hebrews? ^(FB)So am I. Are they ^(FC)Israelites? ^(FD)So am I. Are they ^[ap](FE)descendants of Abraham? ^(FF)So am I. ²³ Are they ^(FG)servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if insane—I more so; in ^(FH)far more labors, in ^(FI)far more imprisonments, ^[aq](FJ)beaten times without number, often in danger of ^(FK)death. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews ^(FL)thirty-nine lashes. ²⁵ Three times I was ^(FM)beaten with rods, once I was ^(FN)stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift at sea. ²⁶ I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my ^(FO)countrymen, dangers from the ^(FP)Gentiles, dangers in the ^(FQ)city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among ^(FR)false brothers; ²⁷ I have been in ^(FS)labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in ^(FT)hunger and thirst, often ^(FU)without food, in cold and ^[ar](FV)exposure. ²⁸ Apart from such ^[as]external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for ^(FW)all the churches. ²⁹ Who is ^(FX)weak without my being weak? Who is ^[at]led into sin ^[au]without my intense concern?

³⁰ If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my ^(FY)weakness. ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, ^(FZ)He who is blessed forever, ^(GA)knows that I am not lying. ³² In ^(GB)Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was ^(GC)guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, ³³ and I was let down in a basket ^(GD)through a window ^[av]in the wall, and so escaped his hands.

Paul’s Vision

12 ^(GE)Boasting is necessary, though it is not beneficial; but I will go on to visions and ^(GF)revelations ^[aw]of the Lord. ² I know a man ^(GG)in Christ, who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, ^(GH)God knows—such a man was ^(GI)caught up to the ^(GJ)third heaven. ³ And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, ^(GK)God knows— ⁴ was ^(GL)caught up into ^(GM)Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. ^5 (GN)In behalf of such a man I will boast; but in my own behalf I will not boast, except regarding my ^(GO)weaknesses. ⁶ For if I do wish to boast I will not be ^(GP)foolish, ^(GQ)for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.

A Thorn in the Flesh

⁷ Because of the extraordinary greatness of the ^(GR)revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a ^(GS)thorn in the flesh, a ^(GT)messenger of Satan to ^[ax]torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! ⁸ Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord ^(GU)three times that it might leave me. ⁹ And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for ^(GV)power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather ^(GW)boast ^[ay]about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ¹⁰ Therefore ^(GX)I delight in weaknesses, in ^[az]insults, in ^(GY)distresses, in ^(GZ)persecutions, in ^(HA)difficulties, ^(HB)in behalf of Christ; for ^(HC)when I am weak, then I am strong.

¹¹ I have become ^(HD)foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, since I was ^(HE)in no respect inferior to the ^[ba]most eminent apostles, even though ^(HF)I am a nobody. ¹² The ^(HG)distinguishing marks ^[bb]of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by ^[bc]signs, wonders, and ^[bd]miracles. ¹³ For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that ^(HH)I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me ^(HI)this wrong!

¹⁴ Here ^(HJ)for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I ^(HK)will not be a burden to you; for I ^(HL)do not seek what is yours, but ^(HM)you; for ^(HN)children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but ^(HO)parents for their children. ¹⁵ I will ^(HP)most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If ^(HQ)I love you more, am I to be loved less? ¹⁶ But be that as it may, I ^(HR)did not burden you myself; nevertheless, devious person that I am, I ^(HS)took you in by deceit. ^17 (HT)Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? ¹⁸ I ^(HU)urged ^(HV)Titus to go, and I sent ^(HW)the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not ^[be]conduct ourselves ^[bf]in the same ^(HX)spirit and walk ^(HY)in the same steps?

¹⁹ All this time ^[bg]you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, ^(HZ)it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and ^(IA)all for building you up, ^(IB)beloved. ²⁰ For I am afraid that perhaps ^(IC)when I come I may find you to be not what I wish, and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be ^(ID)strife, jealousy, ^(IE)angry tempers, ^(IF)selfishness, ^(IG)slanders, ^(IH)gossip, ^(II)arrogance, ^(IJ)disturbances; ²¹ I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have ^(IK)sinned in the past and not repented of the ^(IL)impurity, sexual immorality, and indecent behavior which they have practiced.