MKJV - II Corinthians

Chapter 1

1:1  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 who are in all Achaia.

1:2  Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort,

1:4  He comforting us in all our trouble, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in every trouble, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

1:5  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ.

1:6  And if we are troubled, it is for your consolation and salvation, being worked out in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer; if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

1:7  And our hope of you is certain, knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the consolation.

1:8  For, brothers, we would not have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength; so much so that we despaired even of life.

1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;

1:10  who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us,

1:11  with you also helping together by prayer for us, so that the gracious gift by many persons be the cause of thanksgiving through many for us.

1:12  For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity; not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God; we have had our conduct in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

1:13  For we write no other things to you than what you read or recognize, and I trust you shall recognize them even to the end,

1:14  even as you have recognized us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1:15  And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, so that you might have a second benefit,

1:16  and to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia to you, and to be brought on my way toward Judea by you.

1:17  Then purposing this, did I indeed use lightness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose them according to the flesh, so that with me there should be yes, yes, and no, no?

1:18  But as God is true, our word toward you was not yes and no.

1:19  For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us; by me and Silas and Timothy; was not yes and no, but in Him was, yes!

1:20  For all the promises of God in Him are yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God by us.

1:21  But He confirming us and anointing us with you in Christ is God.

1:22  And He has sealed us and having given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

1:23  And I call God as witness to my soul that in order to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth.

1:24  Not that we have dominion over your faith, but we are helpers of your joy; for by faith you stand.

Chapter 2

2:1  But I determined this within myself, that I would not come to you again in grief.

2:2  For if I make you sorry, who then is he who makes me glad, but the same who has been made sorry by me?

2:3  And I wrote this to you, lest when I came I should have sorrow from the ones of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

2:4  For out of much trouble and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly to you.

2:5  But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, except in part; so that I not overbear all of you.

2:6  This punishment by the majority is enough for such a one;

2:7  so that, on the contrary, you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overwhelming sorrow.

2:8  So I beseech you to confirm your love toward him.

2:9  For to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things.

2:10  But to whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if I forgave anything, for your sakes I forgave it to him in the person of Christ;

2:11  so that we should not be overreached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his devices.

2:12  And, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,

2:13  I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find Titus my brother. But taking my leave of them, I went from there into Macedonia.

2:14  Now thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and He revealing through us the odor of the knowledge of Him in every place.

2:15  For we are to God a sweet savor of Christ, in those being saved, and in those being lost;

2:16  to the one we are the savor of death to death, and to the other we are the savor of life to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

2:17  For we are not as many, hawking the Word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God. We speak in Christ in the sight of God.

Chapter 3

3:1  Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, like some, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

3:2  You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men,

3:3  it having been made plain that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, not having been written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart.

3:4  And we have such trust through Christ toward God,

3:5  not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God;

3:6  who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

3:7  But if the ministry of death, having been engraved in letters in stone was with glory (so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses because of the glory of his face), which ministry was to be done away;

3:8  shall not the ministry of the Spirit be with more glory?

3:9  For if the ministry of condemnation is glorious, much more does the ministry of righteousness exceed in glory.

3:10  For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.

3:11  For if that which has been done away was glorious, much more that which remains is glorious.

3:12  Then since we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech.

3:13  And we are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of the thing being done away.

3:14  (But their thoughts were blinded; for until the present the same veil remains on the reading of the old covenant, not taken away.) But this veil has been done away in Christ.

3:15  But until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is on their heart.

3:16  But whenever it turns to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

3:17  And the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

3:18  But we all, with our face having been unveiled, having beheld the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord Spirit.

Chapter 4

4:1  Therefore since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not faint.

4:2  But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the Word of God, but by the revelation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

4:3  But also if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those being lost,

4:4  in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving ones, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (who is the image of God) should not dawn on them.

4:5  For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

4:6  For it is God who said, "Out of darkness Light shall shine;" who shone in our hearts to give the brightness of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us;

4:8  in every way having been troubled, but not having been hemmed in; having been perplexed, but not utterly at a loss;

4:9  having been persecuted, but not having been forsaken; having been thrown down, but not having been destroyed;

4:10  always bearing about the dying of the Lord Jesus in the body, so that the life of Jesus also might be revealed in our body.

4:11  For we who live are always being delivered to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus might also be revealed in our body.

4:12  So then death works in us, but life in you.

4:13  For we, having the same spirit of faith (according as it is written, "I believed, and therefore I have spoken"); we also believed and therefore speak,

4:14  knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus shall also raise us up by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

4:15  For all things are for your sake, so that the superabounding grace might be made to abound through the thanksgiving of the greater number, to the glory of God.

4:16  For this cause we do not faint; but though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

4:17  For the lightness of our present affliction works out for us a far more excellent eternal weight of glory,

4:18  we not considering the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are not lasting, but the things which are not seen are everlasting.

Chapter 5

5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

5:2  For indeed in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our dwelling-place out of Heaven;

5:3  if indeed in being clothed, we shall not be found naked.

5:4  For we who are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened; inasmuch as we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed, so that the mortal might be swallowed up by the life.

5:5  And He who has worked in us for this same thing is God, who also is giving to us the earnest of the Spirit.

5:6  Then being always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are away from home from the Lord;

5:7  for we walk by faith, not by sight;

5:8  then we are confident and we are pleased rather to go away from home out of the body, and to come home to the Lord.

5:9  Therefore we are also laboring to be well-pleasing to Him, whether at home or away from home.

5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive the things done in his body, according to that which he has done, whether good or bad.

5:11  Therefore, knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. But we are revealed to God, and I trust also that we are revealed in your consciences.

5:12  For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but are giving you occasion to glory on our behalf, so that you may have it to answer those boasting in appearance, and not in heart.

5:13  For if we are out of our mind, it is to God; or if we are in our senses, it is for you.

5:14  For the love of Christ constrains us, judging this, that if one died for all, then all died;

5:15  and He died for all, that the living ones may live no more to themselves, but to Him who died for them having been raised.

5:16  So as we now know no one according to flesh, but even if we have known Christ according to flesh, yet now we no longer know Him so.

5:17  So that if any one is in Christ, that one is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

5:18  And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

5:19  whereas God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and putting the word of reconciliation in us.

5:20  Then we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as God exhorting through us, we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

5:21  For He has made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Chapter 6

6:1  But working together, we also call on you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

6:2  (For He says, "In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation, I helped you;" Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.)

6:3  We are in nothing giving cause of stumbling, in no way, so that the ministry may not be blamed,

6:4  but in everything commending ourselves as God's servants, in much patience, in troubles, in emergencies, in distresses,

6:5  in stripes, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

6:6  in pureness, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,

6:7  in the word of truth, in the power of God, through the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

6:8  through glory and dishonor, through evil report and good report; as deceivers and yet true;

6:9  as unknown and yet well known; as dying and, behold, we live; as chastened and not killed;

6:10  as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.

6:11  O Corinthians, our mouth is opened to you, our heart has been enlarged.

6:12  You are not restrained in us, but you are restrained in your own affections.

6:13  But for the same reward, (I speak as to children), you also be enlarged.

6:14  Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship does righteousness have with lawlessness? And what partnership does light have with darkness?

6:15  And what agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever?

6:16  And what agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

6:17  Therefore come out from among them and be separated, says the Lord, and do not touch the unclean thing. And I will receive you

6:18  and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

Chapter 7

7:1  Then having these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilements of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

7:2  Make room for us. We wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we overreached no one.

7:3  I do not speak this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts for us to die together, and to live together.

7:4  My boldness of speech is great toward you; my glorying on your behalf is much. I have been filled with comfort, I am overflowing with joy on all our trouble.

7:5  For, indeed, coming into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but being troubled in every way, with fightings on the outside, and fears on the inside.

7:6  But He who comforts the lowly comforted us by the coming of Titus.

7:7  And not only by his coming, but by the comfort with which he was comforted over you, telling us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced the more.

7:8  For even if I grieved you in the letter, I do not regret; if indeed I did regret; for I see that that letter grieved you for an hour.

7:9  Now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to God, so that you might suffer loss by nothing in us.

7:10  For the grief according to God works repentance to salvation, not to be regretted, but the grief of the world works out death.

7:11  For behold this same thing (you being grieved according to God); how much it worked out earnestness in you; but also defense; but also indignation; but also fear; but also desire; but also zeal; but also vengeance! In everything you approved yourselves to be clear in the matter.

7:12  Then, though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, nor on account of the one who suffered wrong, but for the sake of revealing our earnestness on your behalf, for you before God.

7:13  Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort, and we rather rejoiced more abundantly over the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

7:14  For if I have boasted anything about you to him, I was not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting as to Titus became truth.

7:15  And his tender feelings are more abundant toward you, remembering the obedience of you all, as you received him with fear and trembling.

7:16  Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.

Chapter 8

8:1  And, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given among the churches of Macedonia;

8:2  that in much testing of trouble, the overflowing of their joy, and the depth of their poverty, abounded to the riches of their generosity.

8:3  For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability; they gave willingly;

8:4  with much beseeching, begging us that they might receive of us the grace and the fellowship of the ministry to the saints.

8:5  And not as we hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God,

8:6  for us to call on Titus, that even as he began before, so he would also complete this grace to you also.

8:7  But even as you abound in everything, in faith, and in word, and in knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love to us; you should abound in this grace also.

8:8  I do not speak according to command, but through the eagerness of others, and testing the trueness of your love.

8:9  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, for your sakes He became poor, in order that you might be made rich through His poverty.

8:10  And in this I give my judgment; for this is profitable for you, who began before, not only to do, but also to be willing a year ago.

8:11  But now also finish the doing of it, so that, as there was a readiness to will, so also the finishing, giving out of what you have.

8:12  For if the eagerness is present, it is acceptable according to what one has, and not according to what one does not have.

8:13  For it is not that others may have ease, but you trouble;

8:14  but by equality in the present time; your abundance for their need, that their abundance also may be for your need; so that there may be equality;

8:15  as it is written, "He gathering much, he had nothing left over; and he gathering little did not have less."

8:16  But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

8:17  For indeed he accepted the entreaty. But being more earnest, of his own accord he went to you.

8:18  And we have sent with him the brothers whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

8:19  and not only so, but also he having been chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself, and as a witness of your eager mind;

8:20  avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us;

8:21  providing for honest things, not only before the Lord, but also before men.

8:22  And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest by the great confidence which I have in you.

8:23  If anyone inquires of Titus, he is my partner and fellow-worker for you, or of our brothers, they are the messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

8:24  Therefore show them a proof of your love and of our boasting toward you in the presence of the churches.

Chapter 9

9:1  For indeed regarding the ministry to the saints, it is not necessary for me to write to you.

9:2  For I know your eagerness, of which I boast to Macedonia on your behalf, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has aroused the greater number.

9:3  Yet I sent the brothers, lest our boasting (which is on your behalf) should not be in vain, that, as I said, you may be ready.

9:4  I say this lest perhaps Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared. We (not to say you) would then be put to shame in this confident boasting.

9:5  Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brothers that they would go forward to you, and make up beforehand your blessing, it having been promised that this would be ready, thus as a matter of blessing, and not as of covetousness.

9:6  But I say this, He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.

9:7  Each one, as he purposes in his heart, let him give; not of grief, or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.

9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that in everything, always having all self-sufficiency, you may abound to every good work;

9:9  As it is written, "He scattered; he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever."

9:10  Now He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for eating, may He supply and multiply your seed, and increase the fruits of your righteousness

9:11  you being enriched in everything to all generosity, which works out thanksgiving to God through us.

9:12  For the ministry of this service not only supplies the things lacking of the saints, but also multiplying through many thanksgivings to God,

9:13  through the proof of this ministry they glorify God for your freely expressed submission to the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of the fellowship toward them and toward all,

9:14  and in their prayer for you, who long after you, because of the exceeding grace of God on you.

9:15  Thanks be to God for His unspeakable free gift.

Chapter 10

10:1  And I myself, Paul, beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ; I, who indeed to look upon am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

10:2  But I ask, not being present, that I may be bold with the confidence which I think to be daring against some, who thought of us as walking according to flesh.

10:3  For though walking about in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.

10:4  For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds,

10:5  pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ;

10:6  and having readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

10:7  Do you look at things according to appearance? If anyone has persuaded himself that he is Christ's, let him think this again as to himself, that as he is Christ's, even so we are Christ's.

10:8  For even if I also should boast somewhat more fully of our authority (which the Lord has given us for building up, and not for pulling you down) I will not be put to shame;

10:9  so that I might not seem to terrify you by letters.

10:10  For indeed they say, the letters are weighty and powerful, but the bodily presence is weak, and his speech is contemptible.

10:11  Let such a one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters, being absent, such we will be also in deed when we are present.

10:12  For we do not dare to rank or compare ourselves with some of the ones commending themselves. But they, measuring themselves among themselves, and comparing themselves to themselves, are not perceptive.

10:13  But we will not boast beyond measure, but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure distributed to us, to reach even to you.

10:14  For we do not overstretch ourselves as though not reaching to you. For we also came to you in the gospel of Christ;

10:15  not boasting beyond measure in the labors of others, but having hope that the growing faith among you will be increased according to our rule, to overflowing;

10:16  to preach the gospel in that beyond you, and not to boast in another's rule in things made ready.

10:17  But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.

10:18  For not he who commends himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.

Chapter 11

11:1  I would that you were bearing with me a little in foolishness; but indeed bear with me.

11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one Man, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

11:3  But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your thoughts should be corrupted from the simplicity due to Christ.

11:4  For if, indeed, the one coming proclaims another Jesus, whom we have not proclaimed, or if you receive another spirit, which you did not receive, or another gospel, which you never accepted, you might well endure these.

11:5  For I judge myself to have come behind the highest apostles in nothing.

11:6  But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in every way I have been clearly revealed to you in all things.

11:7  Or did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?

11:8  I stripped other churches, taking wages for the serving of you.

11:9  And being present with you, and in need, I was not a burden to anyone. For the brothers from Macedonia made up completely my need. And in every way I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will keep myself.

11:10  The truth of Christ is in me that this boasting shall not be silenced in me in the regions of Achaia.

11:11  Why? Because I do not love you? God knows.

11:12  But what I do, that I will do, so that I may cut off occasion from those who desire occasion; so that in the thing in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

11:13  For such ones are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

11:14  Did not even Satan marvelously transform himself into an angel of light?

11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.

11:16  Again I say, Let no one think me foolish. If otherwise, yet receive me as foolish, so that I may also boast a little.

11:17  What I speak, I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this boldness of boasting.

11:18  Since many glory according to the flesh, I also will boast.

11:19  For you gladly bear with fools, being wise.

11:20  For you endure if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours, if anyone takes from you, if anyone exalts himself, if anyone strikes you in the face.

11:21  I speak according to dishonor, as though we have been weak. But in whatever anyone dares (I speak foolishly), I also dare.

11:22  Are they Hebrews? I also! Are they Israelites? I also! Are they the seed of Abraham? I also!

11:23  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as beside myself,) I am more! I have been in labors more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in prisons more, in deaths many times.

11:24  Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one.

11:25  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the deep.

11:26  I have been in travels often; in dangers from waters; in dangers from robbers; in dangers from my race; in dangers from the heathen; in dangers in the city; in dangers in the wilderness; in dangers on the sea; in dangers among false brothers.

11:27  I have been in hardship and toil; often in watchings; in hunger and thirst; often in fastings; in cold and nakedness;

11:28  besides the things outside conspiring against me daily, the care of all the churches.

11:29  Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I do not burn?

11:30  If it is right to boast, I will boast, I will boast of the things of my weakness.

11:31  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I do not lie.

11:32  In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, desiring to lay hold of me.

11:33  And I was let down in a basket through a window through the wall, and escaped their hands.

Chapter 12

12:1  Indeed, it is not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

12:2  I know a man in Christ fourteen years before (whether in the body, I do not know; or outside of the body, I do not know; God knows) such a one was caught up to the third Heaven.

12:3  And I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I do not know; God knows),

12:4  that he was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not allowed for a man to utter.

12:5  I will glory of such a one, yet I will not boast on my behalf, except in my weaknesses.

12:6  For if I desire to boast, I shall not be foolish. For I will speak the truth. But I spare, lest anyone should think of me as being beyond what he sees me, or hears of me;

12:7  and by the surpassing revelations, lest I not be made haughty, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be made haughty.

12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord three times, that it might depart from me.

12:9  And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may overshadow me.

12:10  Therefore I am pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am powerful.

12:11  I have become foolish boasting. You compelled me. For I ought to be commended by you. For I lacked nothing of the highest apostles, though I am nothing.

12:12  Truly the signs of the apostles were worked out among you in all patience, in miracles and in wonders, and by works of power.

12:13  For what is it in which you were inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong.

12:14  Behold, a third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not burden you, for I do not seek your things, but you. For the children ought not to lay up treasure for the parents, but the parents for the children.

12:15  And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls, even if loving you more and more, I am loved the less.

12:16  But let it be so, I did not burden you. But being crafty, I caught you with bait.

12:17  By any whom I have sent to you, did I overreach you by him?

12:18  I begged Titus and sent with him the brother. Did Titus overreach you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

12:19  Again, do you think we are defending to you? We speak before God in Christ, but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your building up.

12:20  For I fear, lest somehow coming I might not find you as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you might not wish; lest somehow there be strifes, envyings, angers, contentions, backbitings, whisperings, proud thoughts, tumults;

12:21  lest in my coming again my God will humble me with you; and I shall mourn many who have already sinned, and not repenting over the uncleanness, and fornication, and lustfulness which they have practiced.

Chapter 13

13:1  I am coming to you this third time. In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.

13:2  I told you before, and I say beforehand, as being present the second time and being absent now. I write to those who sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare.

13:3  Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me (who is not weak toward you, but is powerful in you;

13:4  for even if He was crucified out of weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For indeed even we are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you),

13:5  examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith, prove your own selves. Do you not know your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are reprobates?

13:6  But I trust that you will know that we are not reprobates.

13:7  But I pray to God for you not to do evil, none. And not that we may appear approved, but that you should do the good things, though we are deemed to be reprobates.

13:8  For we have no power against the truth, but for the truth.

13:9  For we are glad when we are weak, and you are powerful. But we pray also for this, your perfection.

13:10  Therefore I write these things while absent, lest being present I may not deal sharply with you according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for pulling down.

13:11  Finally, brothers, rejoice. Perfect yourselves; encourage yourselves; mind the same thing; be at peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

13:12  Greet one another with a holy kiss.

13:13  All the saints greet you.

13:14  May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.