2 Corinthians 2:12-7:16

New American Standard Bible 1995

¹² Now when I came to ^(A)Troas for the ^(B)gospel of Christ and when a ^(C)door was opened for me in the Lord, ¹³ I ^(D)had no rest for my spirit, not finding ^(E)Titus my brother; but ^(F)taking my leave of them, I went on to ^(G)Macedonia.

^14 (H)But thanks be to God, who always ^(I)leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the ^(J)sweet aroma of the ^(K)knowledge of Him in every place. ¹⁵ For we are a ^(L)fragrance of Christ to God among ^(M)those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; ^16 (N)to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is ^(O)adequate for these things? ¹⁷ For we are not like many, ^[a](P)peddling the word of God, but ^(Q)as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ ^(R)in the sight of God.

Ministers of a New Covenant

3 Are we beginning to ^(S)commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, ^(T)letters of commendation to you or from you? ^2 (U)You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; ³ being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, ^[b](V)cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of ^(W)the living God, not on ^(X)tablets of stone but on ^(Y)tablets of ^[c](Z)human hearts.

⁴ Such ^(AA)confidence we have through Christ toward God. ⁵ Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but ^(AB)our adequacy is from God, ⁶ who also made us adequate as ^(AC)servants of a ^(AD)new covenant, not of ^(AE)the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but ^(AF)the Spirit gives life.

⁷ But if the ^(AG)ministry of death, ^(AH)in letters engraved on stones, came ^[d]with glory, ^(AI)so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, ⁸ how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? ⁹ For if ^(AJ)the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ^(AK)ministry of righteousness abound in glory. ¹⁰ For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. ¹¹ For if that which fades away was ^[e]with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

^12 (AL)Therefore having such a hope, ^(AM)we use great boldness in our speech, ¹³ and are not like Moses, ^(AN)who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. ¹⁴ But their minds were ^(AO)hardened; for until this very day at the ^(AP)reading of ^(AQ)the old covenant the same veil ^[f]remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. ¹⁵ But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; ^16 (AR)but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where ^(AS)the Spirit of the Lord is, ^(AT)there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, ^(AU)beholding as in a mirror the ^(AV)glory of the Lord, are being ^(AW)transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from ^(AX)the Lord, the Spirit.

Paul’s Apostolic Ministry

4 Therefore, since we have this ^(AY)ministry, as we ^(AZ)received mercy, we ^(BA)do not lose heart, ² but we have renounced the ^(BB)things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or ^(BC)adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth ^(BD)commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ And even if our ^(BE)gospel is ^(BF)veiled, it is veiled ^[g]to ^(BG)those who are perishing, ⁴ in whose case ^(BH)the god of ^(BI)this ^[h]world has ^(BJ)blinded the minds of the unbelieving ^[i]so that they might not see the ^(BK)light of the gospel of the ^(BL)glory of Christ, who is the ^(BM)image of God. ⁵ For we ^(BN)do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants ^[j]for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “^(BO)Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has ^(BP)shone in our hearts to give the ^(BQ)Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in ^(BR)earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of ^(BS)the power will be of God and not from ourselves; ⁸ we are ^(BT)afflicted in every way, but not ^(BU)crushed; ^(BV)perplexed, but not despairing; ^9 (BW)persecuted, but not ^(BX)forsaken; ^(BY)struck down, but not destroyed; ^10 (BZ)always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that ^(CA)the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So death works in us, but life in you.

¹³ But having the same ^(CB)spirit of faith, according to what is written, “^(CC)I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, ¹⁴ knowing that He who ^(CD)raised the Lord Jesus ^(CE)will raise us also with Jesus and will ^(CF)present us with you. ¹⁵ For all things are ^(CG)for your sakes, so that the grace which is ^[k](CH)spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we ^(CI)do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our ^(CJ)inner man is ^(CK)being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For momentary, ^(CL)light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ while we ^(CM)look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The Temporal and Eternal

5 For we know that if ^[l]the ^(CN)earthly ^(CO)tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house ^(CP)not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For indeed in this house we ^(CQ)groan, longing to be ^(CR)clothed with our dwelling from heaven, ³ inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. ⁴ For indeed while we are in this tent, we ^(CS)groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be ^(CT)clothed, so that what is ^(CU)mortal will be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who ^(CV)gave to us the Spirit as a ^[m]pledge.

⁶ Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that ^(CW)while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— ⁷ for ^(CX)we walk by faith, not by ^[n]sight— ⁸ we are of good courage, I say, and ^(CY)prefer rather to be absent from the body and ^(CZ)to be at home with the Lord. ⁹ Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be ^(DA)pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before ^(DB)the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for ^[o]his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

¹¹ Therefore, knowing the ^(DC)fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are ^(DD)made manifest also in your consciences. ¹² We are not ^(DE)again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an ^(DF)occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. ¹³ For if we ^[p]are ^(DG)beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ ^(DH)controls us, having concluded this, that ^(DI)one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer ^(DJ)live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

¹⁶ Therefore from now on we recognize no one ^[q](DK)according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ ^[r]according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is ^(DL)in Christ, ^[s]he is ^(DM)a new creature; ^(DN)the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. ¹⁸ Now ^(DO)all these things are from God, ^(DP)who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ^(DQ)ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ namely, that ^(DR)God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, ^(DS)not counting their trespasses against them, and ^[t]He has ^[u]committed to us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Therefore, we are ^(DT)ambassadors for Christ, ^(DU)as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be ^(DV)reconciled to God. ²¹ He made Him who ^(DW)knew no sin to be ^(DX)sin on our behalf, so that we might become the ^(DY)righteousness of God in Him.

Their Ministry Commended

6 And ^(DZ)working together with Him, ^(EA)we also urge you not to receive ^(EB)the grace of God in vain— ² for He says,

Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— ^3 (ED)giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, ⁴ but in everything ^(EE)commending ourselves as ^[v](EF)servants of God, ^(EG)in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, ⁵ in ^(EH)beatings, in imprisonments, in ^(EI)tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in ^(EJ)hunger, ⁶ in purity, in ^(EK)knowledge, in ^(EL)patience, in kindness, in the ^(EM)Holy Spirit, in ^(EN)genuine love, ⁷ in ^(EO)the word of truth, in ^(EP)the power of God; by ^(EQ)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, ⁸ by glory and ^(ER)dishonor, by ^(ES)evil report and good report; regarded as ^(ET)deceivers and yet ^(EU)true; ⁹ as unknown ^[w]yet well-known, as ^(EV)dying ^[x]yet behold, ^(EW)we live; as ^[y]punished ^[z]yet not put to death, ¹⁰ as ^(EX)sorrowful yet always ^(EY)rejoicing, as ^(EZ)poor yet making many rich, as ^(FA)having nothing ^[aa]yet possessing ^(FB)all things.

^11 (FC)Our mouth ^[ab]has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our ^(FD)heart is opened wide. ¹² You are not restrained ^[ac]by us, but ^(FE)you are restrained in your own ^[ad]affections. ¹³ Now in a like ^(FF)exchange—I speak as to ^(FG)children—open wide to us also.

^14 (FH)Do not be ^[ae]bound together with ^(FI)unbelievers; for what ^(FJ)partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? ¹⁵ Or what ^(FK)harmony has Christ with ^[af]Belial, or ^[ag]what has a ^(FL)believer in common with an ^(FM)unbeliever? ¹⁶ Or ^(FN)what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are ^(FO)the temple of ^(FP)the living God; just as God said,

Paul Reveals His Heart

7 Therefore, having these promises, ^(FX)beloved, ^(FY)let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

^2 (FZ)Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one. ³ I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said ^(GA)before that you are ^(GB)in our hearts to die together and to live together. ⁴ Great is my ^(GC)confidence ^[ah]in you; great is my ^(GD)boasting on your behalf. I am filled with ^(GE)comfort; I am overflowing with ^(GF)joy in all our affliction.

⁵ For even when we came into ^(GG)Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were ^(GH)afflicted on every side: ^(GI)conflicts without, fears within. ⁶ But ^(GJ)God, who comforts the ^[ai]depressed, ^(GK)comforted us by the coming of ^(GL)Titus; ⁷ and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. ⁸ For though I ^(GM)caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— ⁹ I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything ^[aj]through us. ¹⁰ For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a ^(GN)repentance ^[ak]without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. ¹¹ For behold what earnestness this very thing, this ^[al]godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what ^(GO)longing, what zeal, what ^(GP)avenging of wrong! In everything you ^(GQ)demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. ¹² So although ^(GR)I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of ^(GS)the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. ¹³ For this reason we have been ^(GT)comforted.

And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of ^(GU)Titus, because his ^(GV)spirit has been refreshed by you all. ¹⁴ For if in anything I have ^(GW)boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before ^(GX)Titus proved to be the truth. ¹⁵ His ^[am]affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the ^(GY)obedience of you all, how you received him with ^(GZ)fear and trembling. ¹⁶ I rejoice that in everything ^(HA)I have confidence in you.