Beginning

5 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle is destroyed, we have a building given by God; that is, a house, made not with hands, but eternal, in the heavens.

² For therefore we sigh, desiring to be clothed with our house, which is from Heaven.

³ Because if we are clothed, we shall not be found naked.

⁴ For indeed, we who are in this tabernacle sigh and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed; so that mortality might be swallowed up in life.

⁵ And He Who has created us for this thing, is God; Who also has given us the earnest portion of the Spirit.

⁶ Therefore we are always bold; although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.

⁷ For we walk by faith, and not by sight.

⁸ Nevertheless, we are bold, and are well-pleased rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.

⁹ Therefore also, we desire eagerly, whether present or absent, to be acceptable to Him.

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that everyone may receive the things done through the body, according to what he has done, whether good or evil.

¹¹ Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade man and are made manifest to God. And I trust also that we are made manifest in your consciences.

¹² For we do not commend ourselves to you again but give you an occasion to exult on our behalf, so that you may have an answer toward those who rejoice in appearance, and not in the heart.

¹³ For if we are out of our wits, we are so to God: or if we are in our right minds, we are so to you.

¹⁴ For the love of Christ constrains us,

¹⁵ because we thus judge: that if One is dead for all, then were all dead. And He died for all, so that those who live, should henceforth no longer live for themselves, but for Him Who died for them and rose again.

¹⁶ Therefore, henceforth we consider no one according to the flesh. Yea, even though we had known Christ according to the flesh, we do so no more.

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

¹⁸ And all things are of God, Who has reconciled us unto Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.

¹⁹ For God was in Christ, and reconciled the world to Himself, not imputing their sins unto them; and has committed the Word of reconciliation to us.

²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God is exhorting you through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God!

²¹ For He has made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we should be made the righteousness of God in Him.

6 So we, therefore, as workers together, encourage you, that you do not receive the grace of God in vain.

² For He says, “I have heard you at an acceptable time, and on the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold now the accepted time. Behold now the day of salvation.

³ We cause no one to stumble in anything, that the ministry should not be blamed.

⁴ But in all things, we commend ourselves as the ministers of God: in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

⁵ in stripes, in prisons, in instability, in labors;

⁶ by sleeplessness, by fasting, by purity, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love without hypocrisy;

⁷ by the Word of Truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand, and on the left;

⁸ by honor and dishonor; by evil report and good report; as deceivers and yet true;

⁹ as unknown and yet known; as dying and behold, we live; as chastised and yet not killed;

¹⁰ as grieving and yet always rejoicing; as poor and yet making many rich; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

¹¹ O Corinthians, our mouth has been opened to you. Our heart has been made large!

¹² You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained your own inward parts.

¹³ Now, for the same reward, I speak as to my children. You, also, be enlarged.

¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked with the unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with unrighteousness? And what fellowship has light with darkness?

¹⁵ And what agreement has Christ with Belial? Or, what share has the believer with the unbeliever?

¹⁶ And what assent has the Temple of God with idols? For you are the Temple of the living God. As God has said, “I will dwell among them, and walk there. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

¹⁷ “Therefore, come out from among them, and separate yourselves”, says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing. And I will receive you.

¹⁸ “And I will be a Father to you. And you shall be my sons and daughters”, says the Lord Almighty.

7 Seeing then we have these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, and complete our sanctification in the fear of God.

² Receive us. We have wronged no one. We have corrupted no one. We have defrauded no one.

³ I speak it not to your condemnation. For I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die and live together.

⁴ I use great boldness of speech toward you. I rejoice greatly in you. I am filled with comfort and am exceedingly joyous in all our tribulation.

⁵ For when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest. But we were troubled on every side, fightings without, and terrors within.

⁶ But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us at the coming of Titus;

⁷ and only not by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted by you, when he told us your great desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me, so that I rejoiced much more.

⁸ For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent. Though, I did repent. For I perceive that the same letter made you sorry, though it were but for a season.

⁹ I now rejoice, not that you were sorry, but that you sorrowed unto repentance. For you sorrowed in a godly way, so that in nothing were you hurt by us.

¹⁰ For godly sorrow causes repentance unto salvation, not to be reconsidered. But the worldly sorrow causes death.

¹¹ For behold, this thing of which you have been godly sorry, what great care it has wrought in you; yea, what acquittal of yourselves; yea, what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, how great desire; yea, what a zeal; yea, what vengeance. In all things, you have shown yourselves to be pure in this matter.

¹² Therefore, though I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of the one who had done the wrong, nor the sake of the one who had the injury, but that our care toward you in the sight of God might appear to you.

¹³ Therefore we were comforted, because you were comforted. But we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

¹⁴ For if I have boasted anything to him of you, I have not been ashamed. But as I have spoken to you all things in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was true.

¹⁵ And his inward affection is more abundant toward you when he remembers the obedience of you all, and how you received him with fear and trembling.

¹⁶ I rejoice that I may put my confidence in you in all things.

8 We also make known to you, brothers, the grace of God bestowed upon the Churches of Macedonia.

² Because, in great trial of affliction, their joy abounded, and their most extreme poverty abounded unto their rich generosity.

³ For to their power I bear record. Yea, and beyond their power they were willing.

⁴ And asked us with great instance to receive the grace and fellowship of the ministry which is toward the Saints.

⁵ And this they did, not as we expected; but gave themselves, first to the Lord, and afterwards to us, by the will of God;

⁶ that we should exhort Titus to accomplish the same grace among you which he had begun.

⁷ Therefore, as you abound in everything - in faith and Word and knowledge and in all diligence and in your love towards us - see that you also abound in this grace.

⁸ This I say not by Commandment, but because of the diligence of others. Therefore, I prove the sincerity of your love.

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: that He, being rich, became poor for your sakes. So that you, through his poverty, might be made rich.

¹⁰ And in this I give my counsel. For it is profitable for those of you who a year ago began not only to do, but also to will.

¹¹ Now therefore, complete the doing of it also. So that as there was a readiness of will, you may also complete it out of that which you have.

¹² For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted, according to what one has, and not according to what he has not.

¹³ Nor should others be eased, and you grieved. But out of equality, your abundance supplies their lack at this time.

¹⁴ And also their abundance may be for your lack, that there may be equality.

¹⁵ As it is written, “He who gathered much, did not abound, and he who gathered little, did not lack.

¹⁶ And thanks be to God, Who had put in the heart of Titus the same care for you.

¹⁷ Because he accepted the exhortation. Yea, he was so careful, that of his own accord he went to you.

¹⁸ And we have also sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the Churches.

¹⁹ And not only so but was also chosen by the churches to be a fellow traveler concerning this grace that is ministered by us, to the glory of the same Lord, and the declaration of your eager mind.

²⁰ And so avoiding this: that no one should blame us in this abundance that is ministered by us,

²¹ providing for honest things, not only before the Lord, but also before man.

²² And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often proved to be diligent in many things, but who is now much more diligent because of the great confidence in you.

²³ And if anyone asks about Titus, he is my partner and helper concerning you; or of our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

²⁴ Therefore, show toward them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of the rejoicing that we have on your behalf.

9 Now, as far as the ministry to the Saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you.

² For I know your readiness of mind, of which I boast to the Macedonians myself, saying that Achaia was prepared a year ago. And your zeal has incited many.

³ Now, I have sent the brothers (lest our boasting over you should be in vain in this matter), that you (as I have said) be ready.

⁴ Or else perhaps the Macedonians might come with me and find you unprepared, so that we (and not you) should be ashamed by my constant boasting.

⁵ Therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brothers to come to you beforehand, and to finish your previously-promised blessing, that it might be ready and be received as a blessing (not with greed).

⁶ But remember this: whoever sows sparingly, shall also reap sparingly. And whoever sows liberally, shall also reap liberally.

⁷ As everyone purposes in his heart, so let him give (not grudgingly or of necessity). For God loves a cheerful giver.

⁸ And God is able to make all grace to abound toward you. So that you always - having all sufficiency in all things - may abound in every good work,

⁹ As it is written, “He has scattered abroad and has given to the poor. His benevolence remains forever.”

¹⁰ Also, He Who supplies seed to the sower will likewise provide bread for food and multiply your seed and increase the fruits of your righteousness,

¹¹ that you may be enriched in every way unto all simplicity, which causes thanksgiving to God through us.

¹² For the ministry of this service not only supplies the necessities of the Saints, but also abundantly causes many to give thanks to God,

¹³ who, by the trials of this ministry, praise God for your voluntary submission to the Gospel of Christ and for your liberal sharing with them and to all.

¹⁴ And in their prayer for you, they long after you greatly, for the abundant grace of God in you.

¹⁵ Therefore, thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.