Beginning
10 2 He showeth with what confidence, 4 with what weapons, 6 and with what revenge he is armed against the cavillations of the wicked, 7 and that, when he is present, his deeds have no less power, 11 than his words have force when he is absent.
1 Now [a]I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness, and [b]gentleness of Christ, which when I am present among you am base, but am bold toward you being absent:
2 And this I require you, that I need not to be bold when I am present, with that same confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which esteem us as though we walked [c]according to the flesh.
3 [d]Nevertheless, though we walk in the flesh, yet we do not war after the flesh.
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not [e]carnal, but mighty through [f]God, to cast down holds.)
5 Casting down the imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, [g]and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ,
6 And having ready the vengeance against all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
7 [h]Look ye on things after the [i]appearance? If any man trust in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again of [j]himself, that as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should have no shame.
9 This I say, that I may not seem as it were to fear you with letters.
10 For the letters, saith [k]he, are sore and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is of no value.
11 Let such one think this, that such as we are in word by letters, when we are absent, such will we be also in deed, when we are present.
12 [l]For we [m]dare not make ourselves of the number, or to compare ourselves to them, which praise themselves: but they understand not that they measure themselves with [n]themselves, and [o]compare themselves with themselves.
13 But we will not rejoice of things, which are not within our [p]measure, (A)but according to the measure of the line, whereof God hath distributed unto us a measure to attain even unto you.
14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we had not attained unto you: for even to you also have we come in preaching the Gospel of Christ.
15 Not boasting of things which are [q]without our measure: that is, of other men’s labors: and we hope, when your faith shall increase, to be magnified by you according to your line abundantly,
16 And to preach the Gospel in those regions which are beyond you: not to rejoice in [r]another man’s line: that is, in the things that are prepared already.
17 (B)[s]But let him that rejoiceth, rejoice in the Lord.
18 For he that praiseth himself, is not allowed, but he whom the Lord praiseth.
11 2 He testifieth that for the great loves sake he beareth to the Corinthians, he is compelled 5 to utter his own praises: 9 and that he bestowed his labor on them without any reward, 13 that the false apostles should not surpass him in anything, 22 whom he far excelled in those things which are praiseworthy indeed.
1 Would [t]to God, ye could suffer a little my foolishness, and indeed, ye suffer me.
2 For I am jealous over you, with [u]godly jealousy: for I have prepared you for one husband, to [v]present you as a pure virgin to Christ:
3 But I fear lest as the (C)serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be [w]corrupt from the simplicity that is in [x]Christ:
4 [y]For if he that cometh, preacheth [z]another Jesus whom we have not preached: or if ye receive another spirit whom ye have not received: either another Gospel which ye have not received, ye might well have suffered him.
5 Verily I suppose that I was not inferior to the very chief Apostles.
6 [aa]And though I be [ab]rude in speaking, yet I am not so in knowledge, but among you we have been made manifest to the uttermost, in all things.
7 [ac]Have I committed an offence, because I abased myself, that ye might be exalted, and because I preached to you the Gospel of God freely?
8 I robbed other Churches, and took wages of them to do you service.
9 And when I was present with you, and had need, (D)I was not slothful to the hindrance of any man: for that which was lacking unto me, the brethren which came from Macedonia, supplied, and in all things I kept, [ad]and will keep myself, that I should not be grievous unto you.
10 The [ae]truth of Christ is in me, that this rejoicing shall not be [af]shut up against me in the regions of Achaia.
11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
12 But what I do, that will I do, that I may cut away occasion from them which desire occasion, that they might be found like unto us in that wherein they [ag]rejoice.
13 [ah]For such false apostles are deceitful workers, and transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel: for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of [ai]light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing, though his ministers transform themselves, as though they were the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
16 [aj]I say again, Let no man think that I am foolish, or else take me even as a fool, that I also may boast myself a little.
17 That I speak, I speak it not after the Lord: but as it were foolishly, in this my great boasting.
18 Seeing that many rejoice after [the] flesh, I will rejoice also.
19 For ye suffer fools gladly, because that ye are wise.
20 [ak]For ye suffer, even if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take your goods, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
21 I speak as concerning the [al]reproach: as though that we had been [am]weak: but wherein any man is bold (I speak foolishly) I am bold also.
22 They are Hebrews, (E)so am I: they are Israelites, so am I: they are the seed of Abraham, so am I.
23 They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as a fool) I am [an]more: in labors more abundant: in stripes above measure: in prison more plenteously: in [ao]death oft.
24 Of the Jews [ap]five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 I was [aq]thrice (F)beaten with rods: I was (G)once stoned: I suffered thrice (H)shipwreck: night and day have I been in the deep sea.
26 In journeying I was often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine own nation, in perils among the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren,
27 In weariness and [ar]painfulness, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and in nakedness.
28 [as]Beside the things which are outward, I am cumbered daily, and have the care of all the Churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?
30 [at]If I must needs rejoice, I will rejoice of mine infirmities.
31 The God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
32 In (I)Damascus the governor of the people under King Aretas, laid watch in the city of the Damascenes, and would have caught me.
33 But at a window was I let down in a basket through the wall, and escaped his hands.
12 1 He doth even unwillingly make rehearsal, 3 of the heavenly visions, 4 that were revealed unto him, 6 for which though he might indeed glory, yet he will not, 10 being privy of his own infirmities: 11 but they drive him to this kind of folly, 20 in that they give ear to certain vainglorious persons, who draw them from Christ.
1 It [au]is not expedient for me no doubt to rejoice: for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I know a man [av]in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether he were in the body, I cannot tell, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth) which was taken up into the [aw]third heaven.
3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth.)
4 How that he was taken up into [ax]Paradise, and heard words which [ay]cannot be spoken, which are not [az]possible for man to utter.
5 [ba]Of such a man will I rejoice: of myself will I not rejoice, except it be of mine infirmities.
6 For though I would rejoice, I should not be a fool, for I will say the truth: but I refrain, lest any man should think of me above that he seeth in me, or that he heareth of me.
7 [bb]And lest I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given unto me a [bc]prick in the flesh, the messenger of [bd]Satan to buffet me, because I should not be exalted out of measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord [be]thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect through weakness. [bf]Very gladly therefore will I rejoice rather in mine infirmities, that the power of Christ may [bg]dwell in me.
10 Therefore I take [bh]pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in anguish for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
11 I was a fool to boast myself: ye have compelled me: [bi]for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing was I inferior unto the very chief Apostles, though I be nothing.
12 The [bj]signs of an Apostle were wrought among you with all patience, with signs, and wonders and great works.
13 For what is it, wherein ye were inferiors unto other Churches, (J)except that I have not been [bk]slothful to your hindrance? forgive me this wrong.
14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come unto you, and yet will I not be slothful to your hindrance: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the fathers, but the fathers for the children.
15 And I will most gladly bestow, and will be bestowed for your souls: though the more I love you, the less I am loved.
16 [bl]But be it that I charged you not: yet for as much as I was crafty, I took you with guile.
17 Did I pill you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
18 I have desired Titus, and with him I have sent a brother: did Titus pill you of any things? walked we not in the selfsame spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
19 [bm]Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in [bn]Christ. But we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
20 [bo]For I fear lest when I come, I shall not find you such as I would: and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: and lest there be strife, envying, wrath, contentions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, and discord.
21 I fear lest when I come again, my God abase me among you, and I shall bewail many of them which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness which they have committed.
13 1 Coming the third time, 2 he denounceth the sharper vengeance toward them, 4 who have a perfect trial of the power of Christ in his Apostleship: 7 At length he prayeth for their repentance, 11 And wisheth them prosperity.
1 Lo this is the third time that I come unto you. (K)In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand.
2 I told you before, and tell you before: as though I had been present the second time, so write I now being absent to them, which heretofore have sinned, and to all others, that if I come again, I will not spare,
3 [bp]Seeing that ye seek experience of Christ, that speaketh in me, which toward you is not weak, but is [bq]mighty in you.
4 For though he was crucified concerning [br]his infirmity, yet liveth he through the power of God. And we no doubt are weak in him, but we shall live with him, through the power of God toward you.
5 (L)[bs]Prove yourselves whether ye are in the faith: examine yourselves: know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
6 [bt]But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
7 Now I pray unto God that ye do none evil, not that we should seem approved, but that ye should do that which is honest: though we be as [bu]reprobates.
8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but for the truth.
9 For we are glad when we are weak, and that ye are strong: this also we wish for, even your [bv]perfection.
10 Therefore write I these things being absent, lest when I am present, I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me, to edification, and not to destruction.
11 [bw]Finally brethren, fare ye well: be perfect: be of good comfort: be of one mind: live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
12 [bx]Greet one another with an (M)holy kiss. All the Saints salute you.
13 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all, Amen.
¶ The second Epistle to the Corinthians, written from Philippi, a city in Macedonia, and sent by Titus and Lucas.
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