Beginning
5 1 For we know that if our earthly house— our tent[a]— is torn-down[b], we have a building[c] from God, a house not-made-by-human-hands, eternal, in the heavens.
We Do Indeed Groan In This Body And Would Prefer To Get Home To The Lord
2 For indeed in this tent we are groaning, yearning to put-on-over[d] ourselves our dwelling from heaven— 3 inasmuch[e] as we, having taken-off [f] this tent, shall not be found naked[g]. 4 For indeed we, the ones being in the tent[h], are groaning, being burdened, because we do not want to take-off [i] our earthly tent, but to put on our heavenly dwelling over it, in order that the mortal may be swallowed-up by the life. 5 And the One having made us for this very thing is God, the One having given us His pledge: the Spirit. 6 So while always being confident[j], and knowing that while being-at-home in the body we are away-from-home, from the Lord 7 (for we walk by faith, not by appearance[k])— 8 yet we are confident[l] and prefer rather to get-away-from-home, out of the body, and to get-at-home with the Lord.
Therefore We Are Ambitious To Please Him By Persuading People
9 Therefore[m] we indeed are ambitious[n] to be pleasing to Him— whether being at-home or being away-from-home. 10 For we all must appear[o] before the judgment-seat of Christ in order that each one might receive-back[p] the things done in[q] the body, in-accordance-with the things which he practiced, whether good or bad. 11 Therefore knowing the fear[r] of the Lord, we are persuading[s] people.
Now Our Heart Has Been Made Known To God, And I Hope To You. Boast In Us
Now[t] we have been made known to God. And I hope that we also have been made known in your consciences. 12 We are not again commending ourselves to you, but are giving you an opportunity for a boast about us, in order that you may have an answer for the ones boasting in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we lost-our-senses, it is for God! If we are sound-minded, it is for you!
For The Love of Christ Controls Us As We Live a New Life For Him
14 For the love of [u] Christ controls[v] us, we having determined this— that One died for all, therefore all died. 15 And He died for all so that the ones living might no longer be living for themselves, but for the One having died and been raised for them. 16 So then from now on, we regard[w] no one based-on[x] the flesh[y]. Even though we have known Christ based on the flesh, nevertheless now we no longer are knowing Him thus. 17 So then if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation[z]. The old things passed-away; behold, new things have come-into-being[aa].
And God Gave Us This Ministry of Reconciliation As His Ambassadors
18 And all things are from God, the One having reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and having given us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 how that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself— not counting their trespasses against them, and[ab] having placed the message of reconciliation in us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, since[ac] God is appealing through us.
We Are Begging People To Be Reconciled To God...
We are begging[ad] on behalf of Christ: “Be reconciled to God! 21 He made the One not having known sin to be sin for us, in order that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”...
We Are Appealing To You Too!
6 And working-with Him, we also are appealing that you not receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says [in Isa 49:8], “I heard you at the acceptable time. And I helped you on the day of salvation”. Behold, now is the very-acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.
... In The Process Giving Them No Opportunity For Stumbling...
3 ... in[ae] nothing giving any opportunity-for-stumbling, in order that the ministry may not be faulted,
... But Commending Ourselves While Enduring The Bad And Persevering In The Good
4 ... but in everything, as God’s servants, commending ourselves in great endurance— in afflictions, in constraints, in distresses, 5 in beatings, in prisons, in disturbances, in labors, in watchings[af], in fastings; 6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in a holy[ag] spirit, in sincere love, 7 in the word[ah] of truth, in the power of God; through[ai] the weapons of [aj] righteousness for the right hand and[ak] the left; 8 through[al] glory and dishonor, through evil-report[am] and good-report; as deceivers and true ones, 9 as being not-known and being fully-known; as dying and behold we live, as being disciplined and not being put-to-death, 10 as being grieved but always rejoicing; as poor but enriching many, as having nothing and holding-on-to all things.
Open Your Hearts To Us, Corinthians
11 Our mouth has opened to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened-wide. 12 You are not restrained[an] in us, but you are restrained in your own deep-feelings. 13 Now as[ao] the same return[ap]— I speak as to my children— you also open-wide.
Do Not Be Mis-Yoked To Unbelievers; Be Separated Out To God Your Father
14 Do not be ones being mis-yoked to unbelievers[aq]. For what partnership is there for righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship is there for light with darkness? 15 And what is the harmony[ar] of Christ with Beliar[as]? Or what share is there for a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement[at] is there for the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said [in Lev 26:12], that “I will dwell in them, and I will walk-among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people”. 17 Therefore, “Come out of their midst and be separated[au]”, says the Lord, “and do not touch an unclean thing[av]. And I will take you in 18 and be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me”, says the Lord Almighty. 7 1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every stain[aw] of flesh and spirit, perfecting[ax] holiness in the fear of God.
Make Room For Us In Your Hearts
2 Make-room-for us— we wronged no one, we corrupted[ay] no one, we exploited[az] no one. 3 I am not speaking for your condemnation. For I have said-before that you are in our hearts so as to die-together and to live-together. 4 There is great confidence in me toward you. There is much boasting by me about you.
When I Found Titus In Macedonia, I Was Comforted By His Report About You
I have been filled with comfort. I am super-abounding with joy in all our affliction. 5 For indeed we having come to Macedonia[ba], our flesh had no rest, but we were being afflicted in every way— battles[bb] outside, fears inside. 6 But the One comforting the downcast[bc], God, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted over you while reporting to us your yearning, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced more.
I Am Rejoicing At Your Repentance And Actions After You Received My Letter
8 Because even though I grieved you by the letter[bd], I do not regret it. Even though I was regretting it (for I see that that letter grieved you, even though for an hour), 9 now I am rejoicing— not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved into repentance. For you were grieved in-accordance-with God, in order that you might suffer-loss in nothing by us. 10 For the grief in accordance with God works unregretted repentance leading-to salvation. But the grief of the world produces death. 11 For behold this very thing— the being grieved in accordance with God— how much earnestness[be] it produced in you; even a defense[bf], even indignation[bg], even fear, even yearning, even zeal, even punishment[bh]. In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you [causing grief], it was not[bi] for the sake of the one having done wrong, nor for the sake of the one having been wronged, but for the sake of making your earnestness for us evident to you in the sight of God. 13 For this reason, we have been comforted.
I Rejoiced Even More At The Joy of Titus Over You
But in addition to our comfort, we rejoiced even more abundantly over the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 Because if I have boasted anything 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 Titus proved-to-be the truth. 15 And his deep-feelings are especially for you, while remembering the obedience of you all— how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I am rejoicing because in everything I am confident in you.
Macedonia Gave Sacrificially, So We Urged Titus To Go Complete Your Gracious Gift
8 Now we make known to you, brothers, the grace of God having been granted in the churches of Macedonia[bj]— 2 that in a great test of [bk] affliction their abundance of joy and their down deep poverty abounded into the riches of their generosity. 3 Because I testify that they gave in accordance with their ability and beyond their ability, of-their-own-accord, 4 with a great appeal begging from us the favor[bl] and the partnership[bm] in this ministry to the saints— 5 and not as we hoped[bn], but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God— 6 so that we urged[bo] Titus that just as he previously-began, so also he should complete this grace[bp] with reference to you also.
I Urge You To Abound In This Grace of Giving Because It Is Beneficial For You!
7 But just as you are abounding in everything— in faith and speech and knowledge and all earnestness, and in the love from us in you— I urge that you also be abounding in this grace. 8 I am not speaking by way of command, but am proving[bq] through the earnestness of others the genuineness of your love also. 9 For you know the grace[br] of our Lord Jesus Christ— that for your sakes He became-poor while being rich, in order that you might become-rich by the poverty of that One. 10 And I am giving an opinion in this matter, for this[bs] is beneficial for you, who began-beforehand from last year not only the doing, but the wanting to do. 11 But now indeed complete the doing, so that just as was the eagerness of the wanting, so also may be the completing out of what you have.
A Gift Proportionate To Your Abundance Is Acceptable For Their Need
12 For if the eagerness is there, it [bt] is acceptable to whatever degree a person may have, not to-the-degree he does not have. 13 For it is not in order that there may be rest[bu] for others, affliction[bv] for you, but out of equality[bw]— 14 at the present time your abundance[bx] being for the need of those ones, in order that the abundance of those ones also may come-to-be for your need, so that there may be equality. 15 Just as it has been written [in Ex 16:18], “The one gathering much did not increase[by], and the one gathering little did not have-less”.
Titus Was Eager To Go To You. So Demonstrate Your Love For All To See
16 Now thanks be to God, the One having given the same[bz] earnestness[ca] for you in the heart of Titus. 17 Because he welcomed the urging[cb]— but being more[cc] earnest, went-out[cd] to you of-his-own-accord! 18 And we sent with him the brother[ce] whose praise in[cf] the good-news is through all the churches, 19 and not only this, but who was also appointed[cg] by the churches to be our fellow-traveler with this grace-gift being ministered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our eagerness[ch]— 20 avoiding this: that anyone should fault[ci] us in this abundance being ministered by us. 21 For we are providing-for[cj] good things not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of people. 22 And we sent with them our brother whom we often proved in many things as being diligent, but now is much more diligent with great confidence in you. 23 If any ask[ck] about Titus— he is my partner and fellow-worker for you; if as to our brothers[cl]— they are delegates[cm] of the churches, a glory of [cn] Christ. 24 Therefore, be demonstrating[co] to them, to the face[cp] of the churches, the demonstration of your love and our boasting about you.
For I Have Boasted of Your Eagerness To Others, So I Want You Ready When I Come
9 For indeed, it is superfluous for me to write to you concerning the ministry[cq] to the saints. 2 For I know your eagerness, which I am boasting about you to the Macedonians— that “Achaia has been prepared [to give] since last year”. And your zeal stirred-up the majority. 3 But I sent the brothers in order that our boast about you might not be made-empty in this respect: in order that, just as I was saying, you may be prepared, 4 that we should not somehow be put-to-shame (that I not say you) in this confidence[cr] if Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared. 5 Therefore I regarded it necessary to urge the brothers that they go-ahead to you and prepare-beforehand your previously-promised blessing[cs], that this may be ready thus as a blessing and not as greediness[ct].
Sow For Blessings, As You Freely Choose In Your Hearts: God Loves a Cheerful Giver
6 Now this[cu] I say: the one sowing sparingly will also reap sparingly. And the one sowing for[cv] blessings will also reap for blessings. 7 Each should give just as he has chosen-beforehand[cw] in his heart— not out of grief [cx] or out of compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to cause all grace to abound to you in order that in everything, always having all sufficiency, you may be abounding for every good work. 9 Just as it has been written [in Ps 112:9], “He scattered, he gave to the needy ones, his righteousness remains forever”.
God Will Multiply Your Seed And Fruit, And Your Gift Will Abound To His Glory
10 And the One supplying seed to the one sowing[cy], and bread for eating, will supply and multiply your seed, and will grow the fruits of [cz] your righteousness. 11 In everything you will be enriched for all generosity, which through[da] us is going to produce thanksgiving to God, 12 because the ministry of [db] this service[dc] is not only going to be filling-up the needs of the saints, but also abounding through many thanksgivings to God! 13 Through the approvedness of this ministry, they will be glorifying God for the obedience of [dd] your confession to[de] the good-news of Christ, and the generosity[df] of the contribution for them and for all, 14 while they also are yearning-for you in prayer for you because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift[dg].
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing