Beginning

5 We know that if our earthly house, this tent, were to be destroyed, we have an eternal building of God in the heavens, a house not made with hands. ² In this one we groan, earnestly desiring to be sheltered with our house which is from heaven. ³ Thus being sheltered, we shall not be found unsheltered. ⁴ For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we wish to be unclothed, but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal might be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now He who has created us for this very thing is God, who also has given to us the guarantee of the Spirit.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. ⁷ For we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Instead, I say that we are confident and willing to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. ⁹ So whether present or absent, we labor that we may be accepted by Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his recompense in the body, according to what he has done, whether it was good or bad.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹¹ Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men. But we are revealed to God, and I trust we are also revealed in your consciences. ¹² For we are not commending ourselves again to you. Instead, we give you occasion to boast on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance and not in heart. ¹³ If we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love of Christ constrains us, because we thus judge: that if one died for all, then all have died. ¹⁵ And He died for all, that those who live should not from now on live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

¹⁶ So from now on we do not regard anyone according to the flesh. Yes, though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet we do not regard Him as such from now on. ¹⁷ Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Look, all things have become new. ¹⁸ All this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you in Christ’s stead: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

6 As workers together with God, we ask you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ² For He says:

Look, now is the accepted time; look, now is the day of salvation.

³ We give no offense in anything, that our service may not be blamed. ⁴ But in all things we commend ourselves as servants of God: in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distress, ⁵ in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, and in hunger; ⁶ by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by genuine love, 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 well known; as dying, and look, we live; as punished, but not killed; ¹⁰ as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; and as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

¹¹ O Corinthians, we have spoken frankly to you; our heart is opened wide. ¹² You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. ¹³ In return (I speak as to my children) you also be open.

The Temple of the Living God

¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion has light with darkness? ¹⁵ What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what part has he who believes with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

¹⁷ Therefore,

7 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Paul’s Joy at the Church’s Repentance

² Accept us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, and we have defrauded no one. ³ I do not say this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts, so that we would die or live with you. ⁴ Great is my boldness of speech toward you; great is my boasting of you. I am filled with comfort, and I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

⁵ For when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, and we were troubled on every side. On the outside were conflicts; on the inside were fears. ⁶ Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us through the coming of Titus, ⁷ and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, when he told us about your sincere desire, your mourning, and your zeal toward me, so that I rejoiced even more.

⁸ Though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I perceive that this same letter has caused you sorrow, though only for a while. ⁹ Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorrowful in a godly way, that you might not suffer loss in any way through us. ¹⁰ Godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but the sorrow of the world produces death. ¹¹ For observe this very thing, which you sorrowed in a godly way: What carefulness it produced in you, what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what intense desire, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In all things you have proven yourselves to be innocent in this matter. ¹² So though I wrote to you, I did it not because of him who had done the wrong, nor because of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might be evident to you. ¹³ Therefore we were comforted in your comfort.

Yes, and we were exceedingly the more joyful for the sake of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all. ¹⁴ So I am not ashamed if I have boasted of anything to him regarding you. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even our boasting in the presence of Titus is found to be true. ¹⁵ Now his affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. ¹⁶ Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.

Liberal Giving

8 Moreover, brothers, we want you to experience the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, ² how in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty overflowed toward the riches of their generous giving. ³ For I bear record that according to their means, and beyond their means, they freely gave, ⁴ begging us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of ministering to the saints. ⁵ This they did, not as we expected. First, they gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. ⁶ So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this gracious deed for you. ⁷ But as you abound in everything—in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love to us—see that you abound in this grace also.

⁸ I say this not as a command, but to prove through the authenticity of others, the sincerity also of your love. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that through His poverty you might be rich.

¹⁰ And in this matter I give my advice. It is appropriate for you, who began last year not only to give, but also to willingly give. ¹¹ Now therefore complete the task, so that, as there was a willingness to do so, there may be a performance of it according to your means. ¹² For if there is a willing mind first, the gift is accepted according to what a man possesses and not according to what he does not possess.

¹³ I do not mean that other men have relief, and you be burdened, ¹⁴ but for equality, that your abundance now at this time may supply their need, and their abundance may supply your need—that there may be equality. ¹⁵ As it is written, “He who gathered much had no excess. And he who gathered little had no lack.”^[e]

¹⁶ But thanks be to God, who placed the same sincere care in the heart of Titus for you. ¹⁷ For indeed he accepted the exhortation. But being more zealous, he went to you of his own accord. ¹⁸ And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches. ¹⁹ And not only that, but he was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which we administer to the glory of the same Lord, and to declare your willing mind, ²⁰ to prevent any man from blaming us in administering this abundant gift, ²¹ providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men.

²² Furthermore, we have sent with them our brother whom we have frequently proved diligent in many things, but now is much more diligent, due to the great confidence which he has in you. ²³ If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you. Or if our brothers are inquired about, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. ²⁴ Therefore show to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.

The Offering for the Saints

9 It is redundant for me to write to you concerning the ministry to the saints. ² I know your willingness, for which I boast of you to those in Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal has stirred up most of them. ³ Yet I have sent the brothers, lest our boasting of you might be in vain in this case, that, as I said, you may be ready; ⁴ and lest if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you) should be ashamed of this confident boasting. ⁵ Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brothers to go ahead to you and arrange beforehand your bountiful gift you previously promised, that it might be prepared as a gift, not as a matter of greed.

⁶ But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Let every man give according to the purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you, always having enough of everything, may abound to every good work. ⁹ As it is written:

¹⁰ Now He who supplies seed to the sower and supplies bread for your food will also multiply your seed sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness. ¹¹ So you will be enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which makes us give thanks to God.

¹² For the administration of this service not only supplies the need of the saints, but is abundant also through many thanksgivings to God. ¹³ Meanwhile, through the performance of this ministry, they glorify God for the profession of your faith in the gospel of Christ and for your liberal sharing with them and with all others. ¹⁴ And in their prayer for you, they long for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.