Worsley - 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, and all the saints that are in Achaia:

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

1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all consolation; who comforteth us in all our affliction,

1:4  that we may be able to comfort those, that are in any trouble, by the consolation wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God.

1:5  For as the sufferings for the sake of Christ abound on us, so our consolation by Christ doth also abound.

1:6  And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is wrought out by the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or if we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

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

1:8  For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befel us in Asia, that we were exceedingly pressed above our strength, so that we despaired even of life:

1:9  but we had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we might not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead:

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

1:11  you also assisting by prayer for us, that the favor obtained for us by the prayers of many might be thankfully acknowledged by many on our account.

1:12  For this is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and pious sincerity, not with carnal wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and especially towards you.

1:13  For we write no other things to you, but what ye own and acknowledge, and I hope ye will always acknowledge.

1:14  As ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, as ye also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1:15  And in this confidence I had a mind to come to you first, (that ye might have a second benefit,) and to pass by you into Macedonia;

1:16  and then to come to you again from Macedonia, and by you to be forwarded on my way to Judea.

1:17  Now when I intended this, was I chargeable with levity? or what I purpose, do I purpose from carnal motives, that with me there should be yea, yea, and then no, no?

1:18  But the faithful God, He knows, that our word to you was not yes and no.

1:19  For Jesus Christ the Son of God, who was preached among you by us, even by me, and Silvanus, and Timothy, was not yea and nay,

1:20  but was yea in Him, (for all the promises of God are in Him yea, and in Him amen,) to the glory of God by us:

1:21  but He that establisheth us as well as you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us,

1:22  and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

1:23  But I call God to witness on my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth:

1:24  not that we are lords over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

Chapter 2

2:1  But I determined with myself, not to come to you again in grief:

2:2  for if I grieve you, who is it that maketh me glad, but he that is grieved by me?

2:3  And I wrote this to you, that when I come I may not have grief from those of whom I ought to receive joy, being persuaded concerning all of you, that my joy is the joy of you all.

2:4  For through much affliction and distress of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not that ye might be grieved, but that ye might know the love with which I abound towards you.

2:5  And if any one hath caused grief, it hath grieved me only as to part of you, (that I may not overcharge you

2:6  all) though sufficient to such a one is the censure passed on him by many.

2:7  So that on the contrary, ye ought rather to forgive and comfort him, least such a one should be swallowed up with excessive sorrow.

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

2:9  For to this end also did I write, that I might have proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things.

2:10  And to whom ye forgive any thing, I also forgive it: for if I have forgiven any thing, I forgave it him, to whom I did forgive it, for your sakes, in the person of Christ; that we might not be foiled by Satan:

2:11  for we are not ignorant of his devices.

2:12  So that when I came to Troas on account of the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened to me in the Lord,

2:13  yet I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother there; but taking my leave of them, I went away into Macedonia.

2:14  But thanks be to God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and spreadeth the odor of his knowledge by us in every place.

2:15  For we are the sweet odor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, yea and in them that perish:

2:16  to these indeed we are an odor of death to death; to those an odor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

2:17  For we are not like many who adulterate the word of God: but as with sincerity, but as from God, and in the sight of God, we speak concerning Christ.

Chapter 3

3:1  Do we begin again to recommend ourselves? or do we need, as some do, recommendatory epistles to you, or letters of recommendation from you?

3:2  Ye are our epistle, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by all men:

3:3  being manifest that ye are the epistle of Christ, through our ministration, written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on tables of the heart of flesh.

3:4  And such confidence have we through Christ towards God:

3:5  not that we can of ourselves reckon upon any thing as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.

3:6  Who hath also fitted us to be ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.

3:7  Now if the ministration of death which was in writing, and engraven on stones, was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly on the face of Moses, because of the lustre of his countenance, which was to be taken away:

3:8  shall not the ministration of the Spirit be more glorious?

3:9  For if the ministration of condemnation was so glorious, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory:

3:10  since what was then made glorious was not in comparison glorious, because of the glory that surpasseth it.

3:11  For if that, which was to be taken away, came with glory, much more that which abideth is glorious.

3:12  Having therefore such hope, we use much freedom of speech:

3:13  and do not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, intimating that the children of Israel could not look to the end of that which was to be abolished; but their minds were blinded:

3:14  for unto this day the same veil remaineth unremoved in the reading of the old testament, which veil is taken away in Christ.

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

3:16  Though when it turneth unto the Lord, the veil is taken off:

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

3:18  But we all with unveiled face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, as proceeding from the Spirit of the Lord.

Chapter 4

4:1  Therefore having received this ministry, as we have obtained mercy, we are not disheartened:

4:2  but have rejected shameful disguises, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth, recommending ourselves to every man's conscience, in the sight of God.

4:3  And if our gospel also be veiled, it is to those that perish;

4:4  among whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, doth not shine unto them:

4:5  for we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for the sake of Jesus.

4:6  For God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to reflect the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

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

4:8  being afflicted on every side, but not oppressed; perplexed, but not in despair;

4:9  persecuted, but not forsaken;

4:10  cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our body.

4:11  For we, who are yet living, are always exposed to death for the sake of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

4:12  So that death is wrought in us, but life in you.

4:13  But having the same Spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed, and therefore have I spoken," we also believe, and therefore speak:

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

4:15  For all these things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the gratitude of many redound to the glory of God.

4:16  For which cause we are not disheartened: but though our outward man decayeth, yet the inward man is renewed daily.

4:17  For our short and light affliction is working out for us an infinite and eternal weight of glory, as we aim not at the things which are visible, but invisible:

4:18  for those, which are visible, are temporary, but the invisible are eternal.

Chapter 5

5:1  For we know that if our earthly house, which is but as a tent, were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

5:2  And therefore whilst we are in this tabernacle we groan, being very desirous to be covered with our house which is from heaven: since though unclothed of this body,

5:3  yet we shall not be found naked.

5:4  For we who are in this tabernacle do groan, being burthened; wherefore we desire, not to be wholly unclothed, but to put on immortality, that the mortal part may be swallowed up in life.

5:5  Now He, that hath wrought us hereunto, is God; who hath also given us the earnest of the Spirit.

5:6  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we dwell in the body, we are absent from the Lord,

5:7  (for we walk by faith, not by sight,) we are confident, I say,

5:8  and well-pleased rather to be absent from the body, and to dwell with the Lord.

5:9  Wherefore we are also ambitious, whether dwelling in the body, or out of it, to be well-pleasing to Him.

5:10  For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, that every one may receive for the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it were good or bad.

5:11  Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men: but if not, we are manifest unto God, and I hope we are also manifested to your consciences:

5:12  for we are not again recommending ourselves to you, but giving you an occasion of glorying on our account; that ye may have somewhat to answer those who glory in appearance, and not in heart.

5:13  For whether we be in extasies, it is to God: or if we be composed, it is for your benefit.

5:14  For the love of Christ constraineth us, being fully persuaded of this, that if One died for all, then were all dead.

5:15  And He died for all, that those who live might no longer live to themselves, but to Him who died for them and rose again.

5:16  Wherefore we henceforth know no one according to the flesh: and if we have known even Christ after the flesh, yet now we thus know Him no more.

5:17  And therefore if any one be in Christ, he is created anew: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.

5:18  But all these things are from God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and made us ministers of the reconciliation;

5:19  to declare, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing to them their trespasses, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

5:20  We are therefore ambassadors for Christ, and as God exhorteth you by us, we intreat you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

5:21  For He hath made Him, who knew no sin, to be a sin-offering for us, that in Him we might be made righteous before God.

Chapter 6

6:1  And we co-operating with Him do also exhort you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain:

6:2  for He saith, "I have heard thee in an acceptable time, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee." Behold now is the acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation.

6:3  We give no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:

6:4  but in every thing approving ourselves as the ministers of God; by much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in straits,

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

6:6  by purity, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the holy Spirit,

6:7  by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, with the armour of righteousness on the right and on the left; through honor and dishonor,

6:8  through evil report and good report;

6:9  as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, but not put to death;

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

6:11  O Corinthians, our mouth is opened unto you, our heart is enlarged:

6:12  ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

6:13  Now as a return of our love (I speak as to my children) be ye also enlarged towards us.

6:14  Be not unsuitably connected with infidels: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? or what communion hath light with darkness?

6:15  what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath a believer with an infidel?

6:16  and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, and I will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

6:17  Wherefore, "come out from the midst of them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing," and I will receive you:

6:18  and I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be to me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Chapter 7

7:1  Having therefore, my beloved, these promises, let us purify ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

7:2  Receive us---we have injured no man, we have corrupted no one, we have over-reached no one.

7:3  I speak not this to condemn you: for I said before that ye are so much in our hearts that we could live and die with you.

7:4  I use much freedom of speech to you, and I boast much of you: I am filled with comfort, and superabound in joy above all our affliction.

7:5  For when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

7:6  But God, who comforteth those that are brought low, comforted us by the coming of Titus:

7:7  and not only by his coming, but especially by the consolation wherewith he was comforted on your account, acquainting us with your earnest desire towards us, your grief, and your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced greatly.

7:8  For though I grieved you by my letter, I do not repent, though I did repent; for I perceive that that epistle grieved you, though it was but for a little while.

7:9  However, now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance; for ye were grieved after a godly manner, so that ye received no damage from us.

7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

7:11  For behold this very thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly manner, what diligence it wrought in you! yea, what apology, what indignation, what fear, what earnest desire, what zeal, what revenge! by all which ye have shewn yourselves to be clear in the affair.

7:12  Wherefore if I wrote in such a manner to you, it was not merely on his account who had done the wrong, nor for his sake who had been injured; but that our care for you in the sight of God might be manifested among you.

7:13  We were therefore comforted by your consolation; and rejoiced the more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all;

7:14  and because if I boasted of any thing to him concerning you, I was not ashamed; but as we have spoken all things to you in truth, so likewise our boasting of you to Titus was truth.

7:15  And his bowels are exceedingly moved towards you, when he calls to mind the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.

7:16  I rejoice therefore that in every thing I have confidence in you.

Chapter 8

8:1  Now we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God conferred on the churches of Macedonia:

8:2  how in a great trial of affliction, their abundant chearfulness and their deep poverty, hath munificently shewn the riches of their bounty.

8:3  For to their power, I bear them witness, yea and beyond their power, they contributed of their own accord:

8:4  intreating us with much importunity, that we would convey the gift, and so take upon us a part of the ministration to the saints.

8:5  And this they did not merely as we hoped, but first gave themselves unto the Lord, and to us by the will of God.

8:6  Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had already begun, so he would also complete this grace among you.

8:7  And as ye abound in every other grace, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, that ye may abound in this grace also.

8:8  I speak not by way of command, but to prove the sincerity of your love also, by means of the forwardness of others.

8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye by his poverty might be rich.

8:10  And herein I give my opinion: for this is to your advantage, who not only began to act, but also to be forward to it above a year ago.

8:11  Now therefore perfect also the doing it; that as there was a readiness of will, so there may be also a performance according to your ability.

8:12  For if there be first a willing mind, any me is accepted according to what he hath, not according to what he hath not.

8:13  For I do not mean that others should have relief, and you be burdened:

8:14  but by an equality, that your abundance may at this time be a supply to their want; and their abundance may be the like to your want, if need be: that there may be an equality:

8:15  as it is written, "He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack."

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

8:17  for he not only complied with the exhortation, but being more forward he went to you of his own accord.

8:18  And we have sent along with him the brother, whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the churches:

8:19  (and not only so, but he was also chosen by the churches to accompany us with this grace, which is administered by us for the glory of the same Lord, and to shew your readiness of mind:)

8:20  hereby taking care that no one might blame us in the disposal of this large sum which is administered by us:

8:21  looking to things that are right not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

8:22  And we have sent with them another brother of ours, whom we have often proved diligent in many things, and now I doubt not much more on account of his great confidence in you.

8:23  If then there be any inquiry about Titus, he is my collegue and fellow-laborer among you: and if our brethren be inquired after, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

8:24  Therefore shew to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and the justness of our boasting concerning you.

Chapter 9

9:1  Now concerning the relief intended for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

9:2  for I know your readiness of mind, which I boast of concerning you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath excited many.

9:3  But I have sent the brethren, that our boasting of you might not become vain in this respect, but that ye might be ready, as I had said:

9:4  least if the Macedonians should come with me, and find you unprepared, we should be ashamed (not to say you also) in this confident boasting.

9:5  Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go first to you, and before our coming to collect your bounty beforementioned, that it may be ready, as of munificence, and not of force.

9:6  But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall also reap bountifully.

9:7  Let every one give as he chuses in his own heart; not with reluctance, or constraint: for God loveth a chearful giver.

9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound towards you; that having always all sufficiency in every thing, ye may abound in every good work:

9:9  (as it is written, "He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness continueth for ever."

9:10  And may He, who supplieth seed to the sower, and giveth bread for food, furnish and multiply your sowing, and increase the fruits of your bounty:)

9:11  being in every thing enriched to all liberality, which produceth through us thanksgiving to God.

9:12  For the ministration of this service not only supplieth the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also, through many thanksgivings, to the glory of God.

9:13  (While from the experience of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection to the gospel of Christ, and the liberality of your communication to them, and to all men.)

9:14  And in their prayer for you, who long after you because of the transcendent grace of God towards you.

9:15  Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Chapter 10

10:1  Now I Paul myself exhort you, by the meekness and lenity of Christ, who in presence am lowly among you,

10:2  but being absent am bold towards you, yea I intreat you, that I may not be bold, when I am present, with that confidence, wherewith I think to proceed against some, who censure us as walking after the flesh.

10:3  For though we are in the flesh, we do not carry on our war according to the flesh:

10:4  (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the demolishing of bulwarks:)

10:5  destroying false reasonings, and every height that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and captivating every thought to the obedience of Christ.

10:6  And being prepared to avenge all disobedience, since your obedience is fulfilled.

10:7  Do ye look at things according to the outward appearance? If any one is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again of himself, that as he is Christ's, so we also are Christ's.

10:8  For though I should boast yet more of our authority, (which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction) I should not be ashamed:

10:9  that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters;

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

10:11  But let such a one know this, that as we are in word by letters, when absent, such also shall we be in fact when present.

10:12  For we presume not to number, or compare ourselves with some who recommend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are void of understanding.

10:13  But we will not glory of things beyond our bounds, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath given to us, a measure to come even unto you.

10:14  For we do not stretch ourselves beyond measure, as though we were not commissioned to come unto you; for we have reached even to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ.

10:15  Not boasting of things beyond our limits in other men's labors; but having hope that, when your faith is increased, we shall be abundantly enlarged by you according to our line,

10:16  to preach the gospel in places beyond you; and not to boast in another's province of things ready prepared for us.

10:17  But let him, that glorieth, glory in the Lord.

10:18  For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth.

Chapter 11

11:1  I wish ye would bear with me a little in my folly; and indeed bear with me.

11:2  For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, having espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

11:3  But I fear least as the serpent seduced Eve by his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the purity that is in Christ.

11:4  For if he, that cometh to you, preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached; or if ye receive another Spirit which ye have not received, or another gospel which ye have not embraced, ye might indeed bear with him.

11:5  For I think I was not inferior to the very chiefest apostles: and if I am unskilled in speech,

11:6  yet not in knowledge ---but we have been fully manifested among you in all things.

11:7  Have I committed an offence in humbling myself that ye might be exalted? and in that I have preached the gospel of God to you gratis?

11:8  I trespassed on other churches, receiving maintenance from them for your service.

11:9  And when I was present among you, and in want, I was chargeable to no one. For the brethren that came from Macedonia supplied my want: and in every thing I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.

11:10  As the truth of Christ is in me, this boast shall not be taken from me in the regions of Achaia.

11:11  Wherefore? because I love you not?

11:12  God knoweth. But what I do, I will do, that I may cut off occasion from those that desire an occasion of boasting or censure, that in what they boast of they may be found to do even as we do.

11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transformed into apostles of Christ.

11:14  And no wonder: for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

11:15  It is therefore no great thing, if his ministers also be transformed into ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

11:16  I say again, let no one think me foolish herein; but if they do, yet bear with my weakness, that I also may boast a little.

11:17  What I speak I speak not as from the Lord, but as in weakness, in this confidence of boasting.

11:18  Since many boast in the flesh, I will boast also.

11:19  For ye bear with fools willingly, being yourselves so wise:

11:20  ye bear it, even if any one enslave you, if any devour you, if any take your substance, if any be lifted up, yea if any one smite you on the face.

11:21  I speak of their reproaches, as if we were weak: but whereinsoever any one may be confident (though I speak foolishly) I may be confident too.

11:22  Are they Hebrews? so am I: are they Israelites? so am I: are they the seed of Abraham?

11:23  so am I: are they ministers of Christ? (if I may speak as a fool) I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes far exceeding, in prisons more frequently, and often even in deaths.

11:24  From the Jews I have five times received forty stripes save one.

11:25  Thrice I have been beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I have been shipwrecked, and was a night and a day on the deep:

11:26  in journies often, in perils from rivers, in perils from robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the desert, in perils on the sea, in perils among false brethren:

11:27  in labor and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness: and beside these outward troubles,

11:28  that which besets me daily, the care of all the churches.

11:29  Who is infirm, and I am not infirm also? who is offended, and I am not inflamed?

11:30  If I must boast, I will boast of the things which relate to my infirmity.

11:31  And the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever, knoweth that I lye not.

11:32  In Damascus the governor under king Aretas, placed guards about the city to seize me:

11:33  and I was let down by the wall through a window in a basket, and so escaped his hands.

Chapter 12

12:1  To boast indeed does not become me: but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

12:2  I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not, God knoweth) such a one caught up to the third heaven.

12:3  And I know such a man (whether then in the body, or out of the body,

12:4  I know not, God knoweth) that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unutterable words, which it is not permitted unto man to speak.

12:5  Of such a one I will boast; but of myself I will not boast, unless in my infirmities.

12:6  For though I should incline to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I should speak truth. But I forbear least any one should think of me above what he seeth me to be, or heareth from me.

12:7  And least I should be too much lifted up with the abundance of the revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, least I should be too much elevated.

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

12:9  And He said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is manifested in thy weakness." With the greatest pleasure therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

12:10  And therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, and in straits for the sake of Christ: for when I am thus weak, then am I made strong.

12:11  Am I become vain in boasting? ye have forced me to it: for I ought to have been recommended by you, as I have in nothing fallen short of the very chiefest of the apostles, though in myself I am nothing.

12:12  The marks indeed of an apostle have been shewn among you with all patience, by signs, and wonders, and miracles.

12:13  For what is it that ye were inferior in to the rest of the churches, unless it be that I myself was not burdensome to you?--- Forgive me this injury.

12:14  Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your substance, but your selves. For children are not expected to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

12:15  And I will with the greatest pleasure spend and be spent for your souls; even though the more I love you, the less I should be loved.

12:16  Be it so, that I did not burden you myself, yet, may some say, being crafty I over-reached you by subtilty.

12:17  But did I make a gain of you by any of those whom I sent to you?

12:18  I desired Titus to come to you, and with him I sent a brother: did Titus make a gain of you? did we not walk in the same spirit? did we not tread in the same steps?

12:19  Do ye then think that we are making apologies to you? No, we speak before God in Christ: and all, my beloved, for your edification.

12:20  For I am afraid least when I come, I should not find you such as I could wish, and I should be found to you such as ye would not: least there should be contentions, emulations, animosities, strifes, thwartings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: and least,

12:21  when I come again, my God should humble me among you, and I should be grieved for many of those who have sinned heretofore, and have not repented of the impurity, and fornication, and lewdness which they have practised.

Chapter 13

13:1  This, I say, is the third time I am coming to you: and at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

13:2  I said before, and I again tell you beforehand, as if I were present the second time; and being absent I now write to those who have sinned heretofore, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare:

13:3  since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but is powerful among you.

13:4  For if He was crucified as from weakness, yet He now liveth by the power of God: for we also are weak in Him, but shall live with Him by the power of God manifested to you.

13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove yourselves: do ye not know yourselves to be such that Jesus Christ is in you? unless ye are reprovable.

13:6  But I hope ye will soon know that we are not disapproved.

13:7  I pray to God that ye may do no evil: and not that we may appear to be approved by your punishment, but that ye may do that which is good, though we should seem to be disapproved.

13:8  For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

13:9  For we rejoice when we exert not our power, and when ye are strong: as this is what we wish, even your perfection.

13:10  Therefore I write these things while absent, that when present I may not use severity, according to the power which the Lord hath given me for edification, and not for destruction.

13:11  Finally, my brethren, farewel: be reformed, be exhorted, be of one mind, live in peace: and the God of love and peace will be with you.

13:12  Salute one another with an holy kiss.

13:13  All the saints salute you. May the favor of the Lord Jesus Christ,

13:14  and the love of God, and the communication of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.