Part 26 (1/2)
(18)For they have refreshed my spirit and yours; respect therefore such men.
(19)The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church which is in their house. (20)All the brethren salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss.
(21)The salutation of Paul with mine own hand. (22)If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Maranatha.
(23)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (24)My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
The first epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi by Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus, and Timothy.
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.
CHAP. I.
PAUL an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of G.o.d, and Timothy a brother, to the church of G.o.d which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: (2)grace unto you, and peace from G.o.d our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
(3)Blessed be the G.o.d and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and G.o.d of all consolation; (4)who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we might be able to comfort those who are in all tribulation, by the consolation with which we ourselves are comforted of G.o.d. (5)Because as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so through Christ aboundeth also our consolation. (6)But whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectually wrought by patient endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer; or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. (7)And our hope of you is sure, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the consolation.
(8)For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, of the tribulation which came to us in Asia, that above measure we have been burdened beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life: (9)for we ourselves, in ourselves have received the sentence of death, that we should have no confidence in ourselves, but in G.o.d who raiseth the dead. (10)Who from so imminent a prospect of death hath delivered us, and still delivers: in whom we trust also that he will yet deliver us: (11)ye also labouring together for us in prayer, that from many persons thanks may be given on our behalf for the gifts bestowed on us by many.
(12)For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and G.o.dly sincerity, not with carnal wisdom, but by the grace of G.o.d, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and peculiarly towards you. (13)For we write no other things to you than those which you know and acknowledge; and I trust also ye will acknowledge them even to the end. (14)As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your glory, as also ye are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
(15)And in this confidence I was intending to come unto you a second time, that ye might receive a second blessing; (16)and through you to pa.s.s into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia return unto you, and by you to be forwarded on my journey towards Judea. (17)Such then being my intention, did I indeed change it with levity? or the things which I purpose, do I purpose after the flesh, that with me there should be yea, yea, and nay, nay? (18)But as sure as G.o.d is true, our word to you was not yea and nay. (19)For the Son of G.o.d, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us--by me and Silva.n.u.s and Timotheus--was not yea and nay, but there was yea in him; (20)for all the promises of G.o.d in him are yea, and in him Amen, to the glory of G.o.d by us.
(21)Now he that confirmeth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is G.o.d; (22)who also hath put his seal upon us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
(23)But I appeal to G.o.d as a witness unto my soul, that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth: (24)not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow-helpers of your joy; for by faith ye stand.
CHAP. II.
BUT I prescribed to myself this rule, not to come again to you with sorrow. (2)For if I make you sorry, who is he that maketh me glad, but he that is made sorrowful by me? (3)And I have written unto you for this very purpose, that I might not, when I come to you, have sorrow from those in whom I ought to rejoice, having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. (4)For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears, not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly towards you.
(5)Now if any person hath given cause for grief, he hath not grieved me _merely_, but partly all of you; that I may add no farther burden.
(6)Sufficient for such person is that chastis.e.m.e.nt which hath been inflicted by the majority of you. (7)Wherefore, on the contrary, ye rather ought to forgive and comfort him, lest such a one be swallowed up with excess of sorrow. (8)Wherefore I exhort you to confirm your love towards him. (9)For to this end also have I written, that I may know by this proof of you if ye are obedient in all things. (10)But to whomsoever ye forgive any thing, so do I; and if I forgive any thing, to whom I forgive, for your sakes I do it, in the person of Jesus Christ, (11)that no advantage be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
(12)But when I came to Troas to preach the Gospel of Christ, though a door was opened unto me by the Lord, (13)I had no test in my spirit on my not finding there t.i.tus my brother: so taking my leave of them I went forth unto Macedonia. (14)But thanks be to G.o.d, who causeth us always to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. (15)For we are a sweet odour of Christ to G.o.d in those who are saved, and in those who perish. (16)To the one we are the odour of death unto death, to the other the odour of life unto life: and who is sufficient for these things? (17)For we are not as the many, adulterating the word of G.o.d; but as of sincerity, but as of G.o.d, in the sight of G.o.d, speak we in Christ.
CHAP. III.
DO we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some, commendatory letters to you, or commendatory letters from you? (2)Ye are our letter written in our hearts, acknowledged and read of all men: (3)because ye are manifestly seen to be the letter of Christ, of which we have been the secretaries, written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living G.o.d, not on tables of stone, but on the fleshly tables of the heart. (4)And such confidence have we through Christ towards G.o.d: (5)not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account any thing of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of G.o.d. (6)Who hath made us also able ministers of the new testament, not of the letter but of the spirit; for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
(7)For if the ministry of death in letters graven on stone, was attended with glory, so that the children of Israel could not keep their eyes fixed upon the countenance of Moses, because of the glory of his countenance, though _soon_ evanescent; (8)how much more will not the ministry of the Spirit be attended with glory? (9)For if the ministry of condemnation is glory, much more doth the ministry of righteousness excel in glory. (10)For that which was glorious hath no glory, comparatively, because of the glory which excelleth. (11)For if that which was abolished came in a glorious manner, much more is that which remaineth glorious.
(12)Having therefore such a hope, we use much freedom of speech.
(13)And _act_ not as Moses who spread a veil over his face, in order that the children of Israel might not look stedfastly to the end of that which should be abolished. (14)But their understandings were darkened: for unto this day the same veil in their reading the old testament abideth unremoved; which veil is taken away by Christ.
(15)For unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is spread over their hearts. (16)Nevertheless, when Israel shall turn unto the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
(17)Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (18)And we all with face unveiled, beholding the glory of the Lord _reflected_ as in a mirror, according to the same image, receive a transformation from glory into glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.
CHAP. IV.
THEREFORE having this ministry, as we have obtained mercy, we faint not; (2)but have renounced all shameful secret practices, not conducting ourselves with artifice, nor deceitfully disguising the word of G.o.d, but by clear manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience as in the presence of G.o.d. (3)And if now our gospel be hid, it is hid from those who are lost: (4)among whom the G.o.d of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of G.o.d, should not dart its bright beams upon them. (5)For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.