Divers admonitions, II. CORINTHIANS. 8 But I will tarry at Ephefus until Pentecoft. 9 For a great door and e.ectual is opened unto me, and there are many adverfaries. 10 Now if Timotheus come, fee that he may be with you without fear; for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I alfo do. 1 Let no man therefore defpife him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for 1 look for him with the brethren. 12 As touching our brother Apollos, 1 greatly defired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he thall have convenient time. 13 Watch ye, itand faft in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 14 Let all your things be done with charity. 15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firft fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themfelves to the miniftry of the faints,) 16 That ye fubmit yourselves unto fuch, and to every one that helpeth with us, and Laboureth. and falutation. 17 I am glad of the coming of Stephan and Fortunatus and Achaicus; for that which was lacking on your part they have fupplied. 18 For they have refreshed my fpirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them the are fuch. 19 Thechurches of Afia falute you. Aquila and Prifcilla falute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their houfe. 20 All the brethren greet you. Greet y one another with an holy kifs. 21 The falutation of me Paul with min own hand. 22 If any man love not the Lord Jelus Chrift, let him be Anathema Maran-atha 23 The grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Chrit Jefus. Amen. The first epifle to the Corinthians wa written from Philippi by Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus and Time theus. The Second Epiftle of PAUL the Apoftle to the CORINTHIANS. CHAP. I. 1 The Apofile encourageth them against trou- to them. AUL an apoftle of Jefus Chrift by the P will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 Grace be to you and peace from God cur 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort, wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the fufferings of Chrift abound in us, fo our confolation alfo aboundeth by Chrift. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your confolation and falvation, which is electual in the enduring of the fame fufferings which we alfo futter: or whether we be comforted, it is for your confolation and falvation. 7 And our hope of you is ftedfaft, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the fuferings, fo fall ye be alfo of the confolation. 8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Afia, that we were prefed out of measure, above itrength, infomuch that we defpaired even of lite: 9 But we had the fentence of death in ourfelves, that we should not truft in ourselves, but in God which raifeth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from fo great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; 11 Ye alio helping together by prayer for us, that for the gut beflowed upon us by the means of many perfons thanks may be given by many on our behalf. 12 For our rejoicing is this, the teftimony of our confcience, that in fimplicity and god ly fincerity, not with fleshly wifdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our converfa. tion in the world, and more abundantly to you ward. 13 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end; 14 As alfo ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye alfo are our's in the day of the Lord Jefus. 15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a fecond benefit; 16 And to pafs by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea. 17 When I therefore was thus minded, did f ufe lightness? or the things that I purpofe, do I purpofe according to the fieth, that with me there thould be yea, yea, and nay, nay? 18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. 19 For the Son of God, Jefus Chrift, wha was preached among you by us, even by me and silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. 20 For all the promifes of God in him att yea, and in him "Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 21 Now he which ftablisheth us with youla Chrift, and hath anointed us, is God; 22 Who hath alfo fealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 23 Moreover, I call God for a record upos my foul, that to fpare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. 24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye fland. Of excommunicated perfons. CHAP. II. Chap. i, iil, iv. 1 The reafons of bis not coming unto them. 6 Of the excommunicated perfon. 14 The fuccefs of his preaching in every place. UT I determined this with myself, that I B wouldnot come again to you in heaviness. 2 For if I make you forry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the fame which is made forry by me! 3 And I wrote this fame unto you, left when I came I should have forrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice: having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affiction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye fhould be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 5 But if any have caufed grief he hath not grieved me, but in part: that, I may not Overcharge you all. 6 Sufficient to fuch a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many. 7 So that contrariwife ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, left perhaps fuch an one fhould be fwallowed up with over much forrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love towards him. 9 For to this end alfo did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. IC To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive alfo: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your fakes forgave I it, in the perion of Chrift: 11 Left Satan fhould get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices. 12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Chrift's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my fpirit, because 1 found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia. 14 Now thanks be unto God, which always caufeth us to triumph in Chrift, and maketh manifeft the favour of his knowledge by us in every place. 15 For we are unto God a fweet favour of Chrift in them that are faved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the favour of death unto death; and to the other the favour of life unto life. And who is fufficient for thefe things? 17 For we are not as many which corrupt the word of God: but as of fincerity, but as of God, in the fight of God fpeak we in Chrift. CHAP. IlI. A commendation of Paul's miniftry. 64 comparison between the minifiers of the law and the gospel. D% O we begin again to commend ourselves, or need we, as fome others, epittles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you! 2 Ye are our epiftle written in our hearts, known and read of all men : 3 Forafmuch as ye are manifeftly declared to be the epiftle of Chrift ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of ftone, but in fehly tables of the heart, Spirit and letter. 4 And fuch truft have we through Chrift to God ward: 5 Not that we are fufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our fufficiency is of God; 6 Who alfo hath made us able minifters of the new teftament; not of the letter, but of the fpirit; for the letter killeth, but the fpirit giveth life. 7 But if the miniftration of death, written and engraven in ftones, was glorious, so that the children of Ifrael could not stedfastly be hold the face c Mofes for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away; 8 How fhall not the ministration of the fpirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the miniftration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteoufnefs exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this refpect, by reafon of the glory that excelleth. as 11 For if that which is done away glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. 12 Seeing then that we have fuch hope, we ufe great plainnefs of speech: 13 And not as Mofes, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Ifrael could not stedtattly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the fame veil untaken away in the reading of the old teftament; which veil is done away in Christ. 15 But even unto this day, when Mofes is read, the veil is upon their hearts. 16 Nevertheless, when it fhall turn to the Lord, the veil fhall be taken away. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. CHAP IV. 1 Paul's fincerity and diligence in preaching, 7 and his troubles for the fame. THEREFORE feeing we have this minif try, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dithonefty, not walking in craftinefs, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifeftation of the truth commending ourfelves to every man's confcience in the fight of God. 3 But if our gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loft: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, left the light of the glorious gofpel of Chrift, who is the image of God, should fhine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Chrift Jefus the Lord; and ourselves your fervants for Jefus's fake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to fhine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrift. 7 But we have thireafure in earthen veffels, that the excelley of the power may be of God, and not of us. Paul's comfort in affliction. II. CORINTHIANS. 8 We are troubled on every fide, yet not diftreffed; we are perplexed, but not in defpair; 9 Perfecuted, but not for faken; caft down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jefus, that the life alfo of Jefus might be made manifeft in our body. 11 For we which live are always delivered into death for Jefus's fake, that the life alfo of Jefus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 13 We having the fame spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and ti crefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore fpeak; 14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jefus thall raise up us alfo by Jefus, and hall prefent us with you. 15 For all things are for your fakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God, 16 For which caufe we faint not; but though our outward man perith, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceed ing and eternal weight of glory : 18 While we look not at the things which are feen, but at the things which are not feen for the things which are feen are temporal; but the things which are not feen are eternal. CHAP. V. In hope of immortal glory, 2 and in ex. peliance of it, and of the general judg Mient, be laboureth to keep a good confcience. OR we know that if our earthly house of were we have a building of God, an houfe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, carneftly defiring to be clothed upon with our houfe which is from heaven: 3. If fo be that being clothed we shall not De found naked. 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be fwallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the felf-fame thing is God, who alfo hath given unto us the earneft of the Spirit. 6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilft we are at home in the body, we are abfent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by fight:) } We are confident, fay, and willing rather to be abfent from the body, and to be prefent with the Lord. 9¶ Wherefore we labour, that, whether prefent or abfent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment feat of Chrift; that every one may re. ceive the things done in bis body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we perfuade pen; but we are made manifest unto God; and I truft alfo are made manifeft in your confciences, Pauls faithfulne 12 Fer we commend not ourselves agat unto you, but give you occafion to glory a our behalf, that ye may have somewhat anfwer them which glory in appearance, an not in heart. 13 For whether we be befide ourselves, is to God: or whether we be fober, it is t your caufe. 14 For the love of Chrift conftraineth ; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live thould not henceforth live unt themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we m man after the flesh; yea, though we have known Chritt after the fleth, yet now hence. forth know we bim no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Chrift, be it a new creature: old things are pafled away: behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jefus Chrift and hath given to us the ministry of recuai. liation; 19 To wit, that God was in Chrift, re conciling the world unto himself, not im puting their trefpafies unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconci liation. 20 Now then we are ambaffadors for Christ, as though God did befeech you by us: we pray you in Chrift's ftead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be fin for us, who knew no fin; that we might be matt the righteoufnefs of God in him. CHAP. VI. 1 Of Raul's faithfulness in the minifty. 14 Exhortation to avoid idolaters. WE then, as workers together with bin, befeech you alfo that ye receive not the grace God in vain. 2 (For he faith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of falvation have I fuccoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of falvation.) 3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the miniftry be not blamed: 4 But in all things approving ourselves 2 the minifters of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in receffices, in diftrees, 5 In ftripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in tailings; 6 By purenefs, by knowledge, by long. fuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteouinefs on the right hand and on the left, 8 By honour and dishonour, by evil repon and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9 As unknown, and yet well known; dying, and, behold, we live; as chaftened, and not killed; 10 As forrowful, yet alway rejoicing; a poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet poffetfing all things. 11 Oye Corinthians, our mouth is spen unto you, our heart is enlarged. 12 Ye are not traitened in us, but ye are ftraitened in your own bowels. 13 Now for a recompence in the fame, Exhortations to purity, Chap. vii, viil. (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged. 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Chrift with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols! for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath faid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, faith the Lord, and touch Not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye 1 He exhorteth to purity, 3 and fheweth 2 Receive us: we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. 3fpeak not this to condemn you: for I have faid before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you. 4 Great is my boldness of fpeech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. 5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our neth had no reft, but we were troubled on every fide; without were fightings, with in were fears. 6 Nevertheless, God, that comforteth thofe that are caft down, comforted us by the coning of Titus; And not by his coming only, but by the confolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest defire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; fo that I rejoiced the more. 8 For though I made you forry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the fame epiftle hath made you forry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made forry, but that ye forrowed to repentance: for ye were made forry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly forrow worketh repentance to falvation not to be repented of: but the forrow of the world worketh death. 11 For behold this felf fame thing, that ye forrowed after a godly fort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement defire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 12. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his caufe that had done the wrong, nor for his caufe that futtered wrong, but that our care for you in the fight of God might appear unto you. and to liberality. 13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joy. ed we for the joy of Titus, because his fpirit was refreshed by you all. 14 For if I have boafted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even fo our boast ing, which I made betore Titus, is found a truth. 15 And his inward affection is more abun. dant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trem. bling ye received him. 16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things. CHAP. VIII. 1 He firreth them up to contribute to the faints: 16 be commendeth Titus and others. MOREOVER, brethren beltowed on the wit of the grace of God churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4 Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the miniftering to the faints. 5 And this they did, not & we hoped, but firit gave their own felves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God, 6 Infomuch that we defired Titus, that as he had begun, fo he would alfo finlih in you the fame grace alfo. 7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing. in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, fee that ye abound in this grace alfo. 8 I fpeak not by commandment, but by occafion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the fincerity of your love. 9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jefus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your fakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. Io And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. 11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, fo there may be a performance alfo out of that which ye have. 12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: 14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance alfo may be a fupply for your want: that there may be equality: 15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that bad ga. thered little had no lack. 16 But thanks be to God, which put the faine earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. 17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord be went unto you. Paul commendeth II. CORINTHIANS, Titus and other. 18 And we have fent with him the brother, but is abundant alfo by many thanksgiving! whofe praife is in the gospel throughout all unto God; the churches; 19 And not that only, but who was alfo chofen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is adminiftered by us to the glory of the fame Lord, and declaration of your ready mind: 20 Avoiding this, that no man fhould blame us in this abundance which is adminiftered by us: 21 Providing for honeft things, not only in the fight of the Lord, but alfo in the fight of men. 22 And we have fent with them our bro ther, whom we have oftentimes proved dili- 23 Whether any do enquire of Titus he is 24 Wheretore fhew ye to them, and before He beeth why be fent Titus, 6 and flirreth them up to be bountiful in alms. FOR as touching the ministering to the faints, it is fuperduous for me to write to you: 2 For 1 know the forwardness of your mind, for which 1 boaft of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. Yet have I fent the brethren, left our bcafting of you fhould be in vain in this behalf; that, as I faid, ye may be ready: 4 Len haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we fay not, ye) should be ashamed in this fame confident boafting. 5 Therefore I thought it neceffary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the fame might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetoufnefs. 6 But this I fay, He which foweth fparingly hall reap alfo fparingly; and he which foweth bountifully fhall reap alfo bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purpofeth in his heart, Jo let him give; not grudgingly, or of neceffity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all futficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath difperfed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteoufnefs remaineth for ever. 10 Now he that miniftereth feed to the fower, both minifter bread for your food, and multiply your feed fown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) 11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which caufeth through us thanksgiving to God. 12 For the adminiftration of this fervice not only fupplieth the want of the faints, 13 Whites by the experiment of this mini ftration, they glority God for your profeffed fubjection unto the gospel of Chrift, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be unto God for his unfpeak able gift. СНАР. Х. Paul's Spiritual might and authority. Now 'Paul myself beseech you by the meeknefs and gentleness of Chrift, whe in prefence am base among you, but being ab fent am bold toward you: 2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bald when I am prefent with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold againt fome, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the fieth, we do not war after the flesh. 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pal. ling down of ftrong holds;) 5 Cafting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itfelt against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiv ty every thought to the obedience of Christ; all 6 And having in a readiness to revenge difobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance; it any man truft to himself that he is Chrift's, let him of himfelf think this again, that, as he is Chrift's, even fo art we Chrift's. 8 For though I fhould boaft fomewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath gives us for edification, and not for your deftruction, Ifhould not be afhamed: 9 That I may not feem as if I would terri fy you by letters. To For bis letters, fay they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily prefence is weak, and bis fpeech contemptible. 11 Let fuch an one think this, that, fuch as we are in word by letters when we are ab fent, fuch will we be alfo in deed when we are present. 12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with fome that commend themfelves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wife. 13 But we will not boaft of things with out our measure, but according to the mea fure of the rule which God hath diftributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 14 For we ftretch not ourfelves beyond sat measure, as though we reached not unto your for we are come as far as to you alfo in preac ing the gospel of Chrift: 15 Not boafting of things without our mes fure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we fhall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly. 16 To preach the gofpel in the regions be yond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our handı |
