Description
Years after Paul wrote the first letter, the church in Corinth had been turned away from Paul by false preachers, and told that Paul was proud, unimpressive and not of Jesus Christ. Paul sent Titus to turn them back, and was rejoiced to hear that they had changed their hearts, Here he writes a thank you to them, and defends his character. This is Chapters 8-13.
2 Corinthians
8
1
Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia,
2
that during a severe ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth of their generosity.
3
For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily,
4
begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping the saints.
5
And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
6
Thus we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you.
7
But as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you - make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too.
8
I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others.
9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.
10
So here is my opinion on this matter: It is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give,
11
to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, you can also complete it according to your means.
12
For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have.
13
For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality.
14
At the present time, your abundance will meet their need, so that one day their abundance may also meet your need, and thus there may be equality,
15
as it is written: "The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little."
16
But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you,
17
because he not only accepted our request, but since he was very eager, he is coming to you of his own accord.
18
And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel.
19
In addition, this brother has also been chosen by the churches as our traveling companion as we administer this generous gift to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our readiness to help.
20
We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering.
21
For we are concerned about what is right not only before the Lord but also before men.
22
And we are sending with them our brother whom we have tested many times and found eager in many matters, but who now is much more eager than ever because of the great confidence he has in you.
23
If there is any question about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; if there is any question about our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.
24
Therefore show them openly before the churches the proof of your love and of our pride in you.
9
1
For it is not necessary for me to write you about this service to the saints,
2
because I know your eagerness to help. I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal to participate has stirred up most of them.
3
But I am sending these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready just as I kept telling them.
4
For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.
5
Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift and not as something you feel forced to do.
6
My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.
7
Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.
8
And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.
9
Just as it is written, "He has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever."
10
Now God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow.
11
You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous on every occasion, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God,
12
because the service of this ministry is not only providing for the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God.
13
Through the evidence of this service they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing with them and with everyone.
14
And in their prayers on your behalf they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you.
15
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
10
1
Now I, Paul, appeal to you personally by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (I who am meek when present among you, but am full of courage toward you when away!) -
2
now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that (I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving according to human standards.
3
For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards,
4
for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments
5
and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.
6
We are also ready to punish every act of disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.
7
You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: Just as he himself belongs to Christ, so too do we.
8
For if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave us for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of doing so.
9
I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters,
10
because some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak and his speech is of no account."
11
Let such a person consider this: What we say by letters when we are absent, we also are in actions when we are present.
12
For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.
13
But we will not boast beyond certain limits, but will confine our boasting according to the limits of the work to which God has appointed us, that reaches even as far as you.
14
For we were not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach as far as you, because we were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel about Christ.
15
Nor do we boast beyond certain limits in the work done by others, but we hope that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded among you according to our limits,
16
so that we may preach the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, and not boast of work already done in another person's area.
17
But the one who boasts must boast in the Lord.
18
For it is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person the Lord commends.
11
1
I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me!
2
For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
3
But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his treachery, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
4
For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough!
5
For I consider myself not at all inferior to those "super-apostles."
6
And even if I am unskilled in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way.
7
Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you free of charge?
8
I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you!
9
When I was with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia fully supplied my needs. I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
10
As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.
11
Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
12
And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals in the things they boast about.
13
For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15
Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.
16
I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.
17
What I am saying with this boastful confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness.
18
Since many are boasting according to human standards, I too will boast.
19
For since you are so wise, you put up with fools gladly.
20
For you put up with it if someone makes slaves of you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone behaves arrogantly toward you, if someone strikes you in the face.
21
(To my disgrace I must say that we were too weak for that!) But whatever anyone else dares to boast about (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing.
22
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
23
Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times.
24
Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes less one.
25
Three times I was beaten with a rod. Once I received a stoning. Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent adrift in the open sea.
26
I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers,
27
in hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing.
28
Apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxious concern for all the churches.
29
Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with indignation?
30
If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show my weakness.
31
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying.
32
In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to arrest me,
33
but I was let down in a rope-basket through a window in the city wall, and escaped his hands.
12
1
It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
2
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven.
3
And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows)
4
was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak.
5
On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.
6
For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me,
7
even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me - so that I would not become arrogant.
8
I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me.
9
But he said to me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.
10
Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
11
I have become a fool. You yourselves forced me to do it, for I should have been commended by you. For I lack nothing in comparison to those "super-apostles," even though I am nothing.
12
Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance by signs and wonders and powerful deeds.
13
For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!
14
Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
15
Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
16
But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit!
17
I have not taken advantage of you through anyone I have sent to you, have I?
18
I urged Titus to visit you and I sent our brother along with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Did we not behave in the same way?
19
Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build you up.
20
For I am afraid that somehow when I come I will not find you what I wish, and you will find me not what you wish. I am afraid that somehow there may be quarreling, jealousy, intense anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
21
I am afraid that when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve for many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced.
13
1
This is the third time I am coming to visit you. By the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter will be established.
2
I said before when I was present the second time and now, though absent, I say again to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare anyone,
3
since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak toward you but is powerful among you.
4
For indeed he was crucified by reason of weakness, but he lives because of God's power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him, because of God's power toward you.
5
Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you - unless, indeed, you fail the test!
6
And I hope that you will realize that we have not failed the test!
7
Now we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong, not so that we may appear to have passed the test, but so that you may do what is right even if we may appear to have failed the test.
8
For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the sake of the truth.
9
For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified.
10
Because of this I am writing these things while absent, so that when I arrive I may not have to deal harshly with you by using my authority - the Lord gave it to me for building up, not for tearing down!
11
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice, set things right, be encouraged, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
12
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
13
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Text used with permission – http://bible.org/
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Put together by NewTestamentMemorizer.
Created on May 24, 2018.
Created on May 24, 2018.
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