1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
2. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
1. But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
2. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that makes me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?
3. And I wrote this same to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
1. Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, letters of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2. You are our letter written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3. For as much as you are manifestly declared to be the letter of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
1. Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
1. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed on with our house which is from heaven:
3. If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
1. We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain.
2. (For he says, I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored you: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
3. Giving no offense in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
1. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2. Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
3. I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die and live with you.
1. Moreover, brothers, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2. How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality.
3. For to their power, I bear record, yes, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
1. For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
2. For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has provoked very many.
3. Yet have I sent the brothers, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, you may be ready:
1. Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
2. But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, with which I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
1. Would to God you could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
1. It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knows;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
3. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knows;)
1. This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
2. I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:
3. Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.
