111:2I COMMEND you, brothers, that you have remembered all my [instructions], and that you retain the traditions as I delivered them to you.11:3But I wish you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman, the man, and the head of Christ, God.11:4Every man praying or prophesying with his head covered disgraces his head.11:5But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head; for it is one and the same as if she was shaved.11:6For if a woman is not veiled then let her hair be cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off, or to be shaved, let her wear a veil.
211:7For a man ought not to cover his head, being an image and glory of God; but the woman is a glory of man.11:8For man is not of woman, but woman of man;11:9for man also was not created because of the woman, but woman because of the man.11:10For this reason ought the woman to have a power [veil] on her head because of the angels.11:11But neither is woman without man, nor man without woman in the Lord;11:12for as the woman is of the man, so also the man is through the woman, but all things are from God.11:13Judge of yourselves; is it becoming that a woman should pray to God unveiled?11:14Does not nature herself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace to him?11:15but if a woman wears long hair it is her glory; for the hair is given her for a covering.11:16But if any one is disposed to be contentious, we have no such custom neither have the churches of God.
311:17But I tell you this, not to praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse.11:18For first, when you come together in an assembly, I hear that there are divisions among you, and some part of it I believe.11:19For it is necessary that there should be heresies among you, that the approved may be manifest among you.11:20When you come together therefore, it is not to eat the Lord's supper,11:21for each one in eating takes his supper before the rest, and one is hungry and another drunk.11:22Have you not [food] to eat and drink at your houses? or do you despise the church of God, and shame those who have not [houses]? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you? In this I commend you not.
411:23For I received of the Lord, what I also delivered to you; that on the night in which he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread11:24and giving thanks broke, and said, This is my body, which is for you; this do in remembrance of me.11:25In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant [sealed] with my blood; this do, as often as you drink, in remembrance of me.11:26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you declare the Lord's death till he comes.11:27So that whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.11:28But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup;11:29for he eats and drinks judgment to himself, who eats and drinks not discerning the body.
511:30For this reason many are weak and sick among you and some sleep.11:31For if we judged ourselves we should not be judged;11:32but being judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.11:33Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait one for another.11:34If any one is hungry let him eat at home, that you come not together for judgment. The other things I will arrange when I come.
112:1AND I wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, of the spiritual gifts.12:2You know that when you were gentiles, you followed dumb idols as you were led.12:3I assure you, therefore, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus an accursed thing, and no one can call Jesus Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.
212:4And there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit;12:5and there are diversities of services and the same Lord;12:6and there are diversities of operations and the same God, who performs all things in all.12:7But a manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for a useful purpose.12:8For to one is given by the Spirit a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge by the same Spirit,12:9and to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of performing cures by the same Spirit,12:10and to another the performance of mighty works, and to another prophecy, and to another discrimination of spirits, and to another different tongues, and to another an interpretation of tongues;12:11but all these [works] performs one and the same Spirit, distributing to each in particular as it wills.
312:12For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body being many are one body, so also is Christ;12:13for we have all been baptized with one Spirit in one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether servants or freemen, and have all been made to drink one Spirit.12:14For the body also is not one member but many.12:15If the foot says, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body?12:16and if the ear says, Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body?12:17If the whole body was an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole was a hearing, where would be the smelling?12:18But now God has placed the members each one of them in the body, as he pleased.12:19But if all were one member, where would be the body?12:20But now there are many members, but one body.12:21The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, or again, the head to the feet, I have no need of you;12:22but much more those members of the body which seem to be weak are necessary,12:23and those which we esteem to be less honorable members of the body, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our uncomely members have more abundant comeliness,12:24for our comely ones have no need. But God has commingled the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which was lacking,12:25that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another.12:26And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; and if one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it.
412:27And you are a body of Christ, and members in particular.12:28And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then powers, then gifts of performing cures, aids, governments, different tongues.12:29Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all powers?12:30have all gifts of performing cures? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?12:31But desire earnestly the best gifts: and I will still more fully show you the way.
513:1If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love, I am a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.13:2And if I have prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.13:3And if I deal out all my property to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, and have not love, I shall not be profited.
613:4Love suffers long and is kind; love envies not; love is not boastful, is not puffed up,13:5does not behave unbecomingly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, devises not evil,13:6rejoices not in wickedness, but rejoices in the truth;13:7bears all things, believes all things, hopes for all things, and endures all things.
713:8Love never fails; but if there are prophecies, they shall pass away; if tongues, they shall cease; if knowledge, it shall pass away.13:9And we know in part and we prophesy in part;13:10when the perfect has come, that which is in part shall pass away.13:11When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; when I became a man I put away childish things.13:12For now we see by a mirror darkly, but then we shall see face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully as I also am known.13:13And now remain faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
814:1Cherish love, and be earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy.14:2For he that speaks with a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but in spirit he speaks mysteries;14:3but he that prophesies speaks to men to edification and exhortation and consolation.14:4He that speaks with a tongue edifies himself; but he that prophesies edifies an assembly.14:5I wish you all to speak with tongues, but rather that you should prophesy; and he that prophesies is greater than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, that the assembly may receive edification.
914:6But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you by a revelation, or by a knowledge, or by a prophecy, or by a doctrine?14:7So of irrational objects making a sound, whether a flute or harp; if it makes no distinction of sounds, how shall it be known what is played on the flute or harp?14:8For also if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for the battle?14:9So also you by a tongue if you utter a word not easily understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for you will speak to the air.14:10There are perhaps as many kinds of voices in the world, and no one is without significance;14:11if therefore I do not know the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaks a barbarian, and he that speaks will be a barbarian to me.14:12So also you, since you are earnestly desirous of spirits [spiritual gifts], seek to abound for the edification of the church.14:13Let him therefore that speaks with a tongue pray that he may interpret,14:14For if I pray with a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.14:15What then is [to be done]? I will pray with the spirit, I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the understanding;14:16since if you bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupies the place of the unlearned say, Amen, to your thanksgiving, since he knows not what you say?14:17For you indeed give thanks well; but the other is not edified.14:18I thank God I speak with a tongue more than you all;14:19but in an assembly I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may also teach others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
1014:20Brothers, be not children in understanding, but in malice be children, and in understanding be perfect men.14:21For it is written in the law, With other tongues, and with other lips will I speak to this people, and so they shall not understand me, says the Lord.14:22Tongues therefore are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers, but prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.14:23If, therefore, the whole church comes together, and all speak with tongues, and there come in the unlearned and unbelieving, will they not say that you are mad?14:24But if all prophesy, and there comes in an unbeliever or an unlearned man, he is convinced by all, he is examined by all,14:25and the secrets of his heart are made manifest, and so falling down on his face he worships God, declaring that God is really among you.
1114:26What then is [to be done] brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a revelation, has an interpretation; let all things be done for edification.14:27If any one speaks with a tongue, let it be by two or at most by three, and by turns, and let one interpret;14:28and if there is no interpreter, let him be silent in the assembly, and let him speak to himself and to God.14:29Let two or three prophets speak, and let the rest judge;14:30but if any thing is revealed to another sitting by, let the first be silent.14:31For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all be comforted.14:32And the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets;14:33for God is not [the friend] of disorder but of peace.
1214:34As in all the churches of the saints, let your women keep silence in the assemblies; for it is not permitted to them to speak, but to be in subjection, as the law also says.14:35But if they wish to learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in an assembly.14:36Did the word of God go out from you, or did it come to you alone?
1314:37If any one thinks he is a prophet, or a spiritual man, let him acknowledge the [things] which I write to you, that they are the Lord's;14:38but if any one is ignorant, let him be ignorant.14:39Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues;14:40but let all things be done becomingly and in order.
115:1I DECLARE to you, brothers, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which also you stand,15:2by which also you are saved, if you adhere to the word we preached to you, unless indeed you believed in vain.15:3For I delivered to you at first, what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,15:4and that he was buried, and that he rose on the third day according to the Scriptures,15:5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.15:6Afterwards he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, of whom the most continue even to the present time, but some have fallen asleep.15:7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,15:8and last of all he appeared to me also, as one born out of due time.15:9For I am the least of the apostles, and am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God;15:10but by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, but not I but the grace of God with me.15:11Whether therefore it is I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.
215:12But if Christ is preached that he was raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?15:13But if there is not a resurrection of the dead, Christ has not been raised;15:14and if Christ has not been raised, then both our preaching is vain, and your faith also vain;15:15and we are found also false witnesses of God, because we testified in regard to God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up if indeed the dead are not raised.15:16For if the dead are not raised, Christ was not raised;15:17and if Christ was not raised, your faith is vain, you are yet in your sins,15:18and those then who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.15:19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
315:20But now Christ has been raised from the dead, a first fruit of those that have slept.15:21For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.15:22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ also shall all be made alive.15:23But each one in his own order; Christ a first fruit, then those who are Christ's at his coming;15:24then is the end, when he delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when he will destroy every principality and every authority and power.15:25For he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet.15:26The last enemy, death, shall be destroyed,15:27for he put all things under his feet. But when he says that all things are put under him, it is clear that he is excepted who puts all things under him;15:28and when all things have been put under him, then will the Son also himself be subject to him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
415:29Else what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? and why are they baptized for them?15:30Why also do we encounter danger every hour?15:31By the joy on account of you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.15:32If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, of what advantage is it to me? If the dead rise not, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.15:33Be not deceived; evil companionships corrupt good morals.15:34Awake to righteousness and sin not; for some have not a knowledge of God. I speak to your shame.
515:35But some one will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?15:36Foolish man, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies;15:37and what you sow, you sow not the body which shall be, but the naked grain, it may be of wheat, or some of the other grains;15:38but God gives it a body as he pleases, and to each of the grains its own body.15:39All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes.15:40And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and of the earthly another.15:41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.15:42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in destruction, it is raised in indestructibleness;15:43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;15:44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.15:45And thus it is written; The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam is a life-giving spirit.15:46But the spiritual was not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.15:47The first man was from the earth, earthly, the second man is from heaven.15:48Like the earthly, such also are the earthly; and like the heavenly, such also are the heavenly;15:49and as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
615:50But I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor shall destruction inherit indestructibleness.15:51Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,15:52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead be raised, indestructible, and we shall be changed.15:53For this destructible must put on indestructibleness, and this mortal must put on immortality.15:54And when this destructible has put on indestructibleness, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall the word be accomplished that is written; Death was swallowed up in victory.15:55Where, death, is your sting? where, death, is your victory?15:56And the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;15:57but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.15:58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
116:1CONCERNING the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so also do you.16:2On the first day of the week let each one of you lay aside by himself in store as God has prospered him, that there may be no collections made when I come.16:3And when I come, whom you shall approve, these will I send with letters to carry your charity to Jerusalem;16:4and if it seems best that I should go, they shall go with me.16:5And I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia; for I will pass through Macedonia16:6and perhaps remain and spend the winter, that you may send me forward wherever I go.16:7For I do not wish now to see you by the way; for I hope to continue some time with you, if the Lord permits.16:8But I will remain at Ephesus till Pentecost,16:9for a great and effectual door is opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
216:10If Timothy comes, see that he is with you without fear, for he performs the work of the Lord, as I also do;16:11let no one therefore despise him. But send him forward in peace, that he may come to me; for I look for him with the brothers.
316:12But concerning Apollos the brother, I have exhorted him much to come to you with the brothers; but he was entirely indisposed to come now, but he will come when he has a convenient time.
416:13Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, be manly, be strong,16:14let all your [works] be in love.
516:15And I exhort you, brothers, know the family of Stephanas, for it is a first fruit of Achaia, and they devoted themselves to serving the saints;16:16that you also be in subjection to such, and to every one that works and labors with us.16:17I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaiacus, for they supplied your lack,16:18and refreshed my spirit and yours. Know therefore such.
616:19The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the assembly [church] at their house.16:20All the brothers salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss.
716:21The salutation with my hand, Paul's.16:22If any one is not a friend to the Lord, let him be accursed. The Lord comes.16:23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.16:24My love be with you all in Christ Jesus.
11:1PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy the brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia.1:2Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
21:3Blessed be the God and lather of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,1:4who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those in every affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God,1:5because as Christ's sufferings abound in us, so also through Christ does our comfort abound.1:6And if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, wrought by a patient endurance the same sufferings which we also suffer, and our hope for you is strong; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort and salvation,1:7knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort.
31:8For we wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, of our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were exceedingly oppressed beyond our power, so that we despaired even of life;1:9but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we might not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,1:10who delivered us from so great a death and will deliver, in whom we hope that he will also still deliver,1:11you also striving together for us in prayer, that thanks may be rendered for us by many persons for the gift bestowed on us by many.
41:12For this is our rejoicing; the testimony of our conscience that in purity and godly sincerity, not with a carnal wisdom, but with a divine grace, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and most abundantly towards you.1:13For we do not write to you of other things, but of what you read and acknowledge; and I hope you will also acknowledge to the end,1:14as you have also acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
51:15And in this confidence I wished to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit,1:16and to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again from Macedonia to you, and by you to be sent forward to Judea.1:17Wishing this therefore, did I use lightness? or what I wish do I wish according to the flesh, that with me there may be the yes, yes, and the no, no?1:18But as God is faithful, our word to you was not yes and no.1:19For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yes and no, but was yes in him;1:20for all the promises of God, the yes in him, and the Amen in him, are for glory to God by us.1:21And he that establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God,1:22who has also sealed us and given us the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.
61:23But I call God to witness on my soul, that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth.1:24Not that we are lords of your faith, but co-laborers of your joy; for you stand firm by the faith.2:1But I determined this with myself, not to come again to you in sorrow;2:2for if I grieve you, who is he that gladdens me, but he that is grieved by me?2:3And I wrote the same to you that coming I might not have sorrow for those in whom I ought to have joy, having trusted in you all that my joy is the joy of you all.2:4For I wrote to you in much affliction and distress of mind with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have abundantly for you.
72:5But if any one has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but in part, that I may not be hard upon you, [has grieved you] all,2:6Sufficient for such a one is this rebuke by many;2:7so that on the other hand you ought to forgive and comfort him, that he may not be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow.2:8I exhort you, therefore, to confirm your love to him;2:9for I wrote for this purpose, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things.2:10But whom you favor I also will favor; for what favor I have shown, if I have shown any favor, has been for your sakes, in the presence of Christ,2:11that we may not be circumvented by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
82:12But when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,2:13I had no rest in my spirit from not finding Titus my brother; but leaving them I went to Macedonia.2:14But thanks be to God, who always triumphs over us in Christ and reveals the odor of his knowledge by us in every place;2:15for we are a sweet odor of Christ to God, in the saved and in the lost,2:16in one an odor of death to death, and in the other an odor of life to life. And who is sufficient for these things?2:17For we are not as many, who adulterate the word of God, [for gain]; but as of sincerity, but as of God, we speak before God in Christ.
93:1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some, commendatory epistles to you or from you?3:2You are our epistle, written by our hearts, known and read by all men,3:3for you are manifestly an epistle of Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of hearts of flesh.3:4And we have such confidence through Jesus Christ in God;3:5not that we are sufficient of ourselves to reason out any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God,3:6who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant, not of the writing but of the spirit; for the writing kills, but the spirit makes alive.
103:7But if the ministry of death engraved in a writing on stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses on account of the brightness of his face, which passed away,3:8how shall not the ministry of the spirit be glorious?3:9For if the ministry of condemnation was a glory, much more will the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.3:10For that which was made glorious was not glorious in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.3:11For if that which has passed away was with glory, much more will that which continues be in glory.
113:12Having therefore this hope we use great boldness,3:13and not as Moses put a vail on his face, that the children of Israel might not see to the end of that which has passed away;3:14but their minds were blinded. For to this day in reading the old covenant the same vail remains, not taken away because it is taken away in Christ;3:15but to this day when Moses is read a vail lies upon their minds;3:16but when they turn to the Lord the vail is taken away.3:17And the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.3:18And we all with unvailed face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same likeness, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.
124:1Therefore, having this ministry, as we have obtained mercy we faint not,4:2but have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but commending ourselves by the manifestation of the truth to every conscience of men before God.4:3But if our gospel is vailed it is vailed among the lost,4:4in whom the god of this life has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God, may not shine.4:5For we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.4:6For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
134:7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us,4:8being afflicted in every thing but not distressed, being perplexed but not in despair,4:9being persecuted but not deserted, being cast down but not destroyed,4:10always carrying about the death of Jesus in the body, that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.4:11For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh.4:12So that death works in us, but life in you.4:13And having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak,4:14knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and present us with you.4:15For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace may abound through the thanksgiving of many to the glory of God.
144:16Wherefore we faint not, but if our outward man is destroyed our inward man is renewed day by day.4:17For the light affliction which is for a moment, works out for us more abundantly an eternal weight of glory,4:18while we look not on the things which are seen but on the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are for a time, but those which are unseen are eternal.
155:1For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle was destroyed, we have an edifice from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.5:2For in this we also groan, earnestly desiring to put on our dwelling which is from heaven,5:3if indeed also having put it on we may not be found naked.5:4For being in this tabernacle we groan, being burdened, because we do not wish to put it off, but to put on [the other], that the mortal may be swallowed up by life.5:5And he that has made us for this is God, who has given us the pledge of the Spirit.5:6Being always confident therefore, and knowing that while we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord,—5:7we walk by faith, not by sight;—5:8but we are confident, and are pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.5:9Wherefore also we strive, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to him.5:10For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, that each one may receive through the body for what he has done, whether it is good or evil.
165:11Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord we persuade men, but are made manifest to God; and I hope also to be made manifest in your consciences.5:12For we do not again commend ourselves to you, but give you occasion to glory on our account, that you may have something for those that glory in appearance and not in heart.5:13For if we are beside ourselves it is for God; and if we are sober it is for you.5:14For the love of Christ constrains us, judging this, that if one died for all then were all dead;5:15and he died for all, that those who live should no more live for themselves but for him that died for them and rose again.5:16So that from henceforth we know no man after the flesh; and if we have known Christ after the flesh, we now know him no more.5:17So that if any one is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new.5:18And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and given us the ministry of the reconciliation,5:19to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their offenses, and has given to us the word of reconciliation.5:20We are embassadors therefore for Christ, as though God besought you by us; we pray you, for Christ, be reconciled to God.5:21For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become God's righteousness in him.
176:1And being also co-laborers we exhort you not to receive the grace of God in vain,—6:2for he says, In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you; behold, now is an acceptable time, behold, now is a day of salvation,—6:3giving no offense in any thing, that the ministry may not be blamed,6:4but in every thing commending ourselves as ministers of God, in great patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,6:5in stripes, in imprisonments, in dissensions, in labors, in watchings, in fastings,6:6in purity, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,6:7in the word of truth, in the power of God; with the arms of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,6:8with honor and dishonor, with evil report and good report; as deceivers and true,6:9as unknown and well-known, as dying and behold we live, as chastened and not killed,6:10as grieving but always rejoicing, as poor but making many rich, as having nothing and possessing all things.
186:11Our mouth is opened to you, Corinthians, our heart is enlarged;6:12you are not straitened in us, but you are straitened in your own souls;6:13and now as a return of benefits, I speak as to children, do you also be enlarged.
196:14Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers; for what participation has righteousness with wickedness? or what communion has light with darkness?6:15and what agreement has Christ with Beliar, or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?6:16and what agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God; as God said, I will dwell in them, and I will walk in them, and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people.6:17Go out therefore from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, and touch not the impure; and I will receive you,6:18and will be to you a father, and you shall be to me sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.7:1Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us purify ourselves from every defilement of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
207:2Receive us; we have injured no one, we have destroyed no one, we have defrauded no one.7:3I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts both to die and live together.7:4I have great boldness towards you, and great glorying on your account; I am full of comfort, I have a super-abounding joy in all our afflictions.7:5For when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were distressed on every hand; without were conflicts, within fears;7:6but God who comforts the humble comforted us by the coming of Titus;7:7and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted on your account, telling us of your great desire, your deep sorrow, your zeal for me, so that I rather rejoiced.7:8For if I even grieved you by the epistle, I do not repent, though I did repent; for because I see that the epistle grieved you but for a time,7:9now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you grieved to a change of mind; for you were grieved in a godly manner, to suffer injury from us in nothing.7:10For godly sorrow produces a change of mind to salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world produces death.7:11For behold, this same thing, that you grieved in a godly manner, how great diligence it produced in you, what a defense, what indignation, what fear, what desire, what zeal, what a punishment! In every thing you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
217:12If therefore I wrote to you, it was not on account of him that did the wrong, nor on account of him that suffered wrong, but that our diligence in your behalf might be manifest before God.7:13On this account we were comforted. And in addition to our comfort, we rejoiced more abundantly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all;7:14for if I had boasted of you to him I was not ashamed, but as we said all things to you in truth, so also the boasting of you to Titus was truth.7:15And his affection is more abundant for you, remembering the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him.7:16I rejoice that I have confidence in you in every thing.
18:1AND I make known to you, brothers, the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia,8:2that in much trying affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality.8:3For according to their ability, I testify, and beyond their ability, of their own accord,8:4with much entreaty they desired of us the favor of a participation in the service to the saints;8:5and not as we hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God,8:6so that we requested Titus, as he before began, that he would complete also this charity with you.8:7But as you abound in every thing, in faith, and speech, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love for us, [we desire] that you may abound in this grace also.
28:8I do not speak by command, but on account of the diligence of others, and to prove the genuineness of your love;8:9for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sakes he became poor, though rich, that you by his poverty might be rich.8:10And in this case I give an opinion; for this is expedient for you, who began before to act in this matter and to act willingly a year ago.8:11And now, therefore, perform the doing also, that as there was a readiness to will, so also there may be a performance from what you have.8:12For if there is a willing mind, a man is acceptable according to what he has, and not according to what he has not.8:13Not that others may be relieved and you burdened,8:14but that there may be an equality; that at the present time your abundance may supply their deficiency, and that their abundance may supply your deficiency, that there may be an equality,8:15as it is written; He that [gathered] much had nothing over, and he that [gathered] little had no deficiency.
38:16But thanks be to God, who put this care for you into the heart of Titus,8:17for he received the exhortation, and being extremely diligent went to you of his own accord.8:18And we sent with him the brother, whose praise in the gospel is in all the churches,8:19and not only so, but he has also been chosen by the churches as our travelling companion in this charity ministered by us for the glory of the same Lord and our promptitude,8:20guarding against this, that no one may blame us in this abundance administered by us;8:21for we provide things honorable not only before the Lord, but also before men.8:22And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often proved in many services to be diligent, and who is now much more diligent from the great confidence in you.8:23If [any one inquires] respecting Titus, he is my companion and co-laborer for you; if our brothers, they are apostles of churches and the glory of Christ.8:24Show them therefore the proof of your love, and of our boasting of you before the churches.
49:1For concerning the service for the saints it is superfluous for me to write to you;9:2for I know your readiness, of which I boasted in your behalf to the Macedonians that Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal has excited many.9:3But I sent the brothers, that our boasting of you may not be in vain in this respect, as I said you were prepared,9:4lest if the Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to say you, should be ashamed of this confidence.9:5I thought it necessary, therefore, to exhort the brothers to go to you before, and to make ready your free gift before announced, that it may be ready as a free gift and not as an exaction.
59:6And [consider] this, He that sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he that sows liberally shall reap also liberally.9:7Let each one contribute as he chooses in his heart, not with regret or from necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.9:8And God is able to make every favor abound to you, that having always every sufficiency in every thing you may abound in every good work;9:9as it is written, He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, his righteousness continues forever.9:10And may he that supplies seed to the sower and bread for eating multiply your grain, and increase the products of your righteousness;9:11that you may be enriched in every thing for all liberality, which produces through us thanksgiving to God.9:12For the performance of this service not only supplies the need of the saints, but also abounds with the thanksgivings of many to God;9:13[they] glorifying God on account of the proof of this ministry for your professed subjection to the gospel of Christ and the liberality of the contribution to them and to all,9:14and by their prayer for you, greatly longing for you on account of the abounding grace of God upon you.9:15Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.
110:1I PAUL also exhort you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in appearance am humble among you, but being absent am bold towards you;10:2and I desire that I may not be bold when present, with that confidence which I design to use against some who speak of us as if we walked according to the flesh.10:3For though we walk in the flesh we do not war according to the flesh,10:4for the arms of our warfare are not of flesh, but mighty with God to the pulling down of strongholds,10:5destroying [false] reasonings and every height which is exalted against the knowledge of God, and subjecting every thought to the obedience of Christ,10:6and being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is completed.
210:7You see things according to appearances. If any one trusts in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider again with himself that as he is Christ's so also are we.10:8For if I should even boast some of our authority which the Lord gave for your edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed.10:9[But I forbear,] that I may not seem as though I would terrify you by epistles.10:10For the epistles, say they, are weighty and powerful, but the bodily presence is weak and speech contemptible.10:11Let such a one think, that such as we are in word by epistles when absent, such also will we be in work when present.10:12For we dare not judge or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves; but they, measuring themselves with themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise.10:13But we will not boast of things not measured, but according to the measure of the rule which God has given us, to come even to you.10:14For we do not stretch ourselves out too far, as if we had not come to you, for we came even to you with the gospel of Christ;10:15not boasting of things unmeasured in the labors of others, but having a hope, your faith being increased, that we shall be magnified among you according to our rule abundantly,10:16to preach the gospel in the parts beyond you, not to boast of things prepared by another's rule.10:17But let him that glories glory in the Lord;10:18for not he that commends himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.
311:1I wish you would bear a little with my folly; and indeed do bear with me.11:2For I am zealous for you with a godly zeal, for I joined you, a chaste virgin, to one husband, to present to Christ;11:3but I fear lest as the serpent deceived Eve with his craftiness, so also your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ.11:4For if he that comes preaches another Jesus whom we did not preach, or you receive another spirit which you did not receive, or another gospel which you did not receive, you might well bear it;11:5for I judge that I am not behind the chief of the apostles.11:6And even if I am rude in speech, I certainly am not in knowledge, but we have been made fully manifest to you in all things.11:7Have I done wrong to humble myself that you might be exalted, that I preached the gospel of God to you gratuitously?11:8I robbed other churches taking wages to serve you;11:9and when I was with you and was in want, I was burdensome to no one; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied beforehand my need; and in every thing I kept myself without being burdensome to you, and will keep myself so.
411:10As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting in respect to myself shall not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.11:11Why? Because I love you not? God knows.11:12But what I do I also will do, that I may take away an occasion from those who wish an occasion, that wherein they boast they may be found even as we are.11:13For such false apostles, deceitful laborers, transform themselves into apostles of Christ.11:14And no wonder; for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.11:15It is no great thing, therefore, if his ministers transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
511:16Again, I say let no one think me to be foolish; but if otherwise, even as a foolish man bear with me that I may boast a little.11:17What I say, I do not say according to the Lord, but as it were in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.11:18Since many boast of the flesh, I also will boast.11:19You endure fools patiently being wise;11:20for you endure it if any one reduces you to servitude, if any one devours you, if any one takes from you, if any one exalts himself against you, if any one beats you in the face.
611:21I speak of reproach as if we were weak; wherein any one is bold, I speak foolishly, I am bold also.11:22Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the posterity of Abraham? so am I.11:23Are they ministers of Christ? I speak foolishly, I am more; in labors most abundant, in stripes above measure, in imprisonments most abundant, in deaths often;11:24five times I received of the Jews forty [stripes] lacking one,11:25thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice have I been shipwrecked, a night and a day have I spent in the deep;11:26often on journeys, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from [my own] race, in dangers from gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers on the sea, in dangers among false brothers,11:27in labor and weariness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.11:28Besides things without, that which comes upon me daily, the care of all the churches.11:29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I am not displeased?11:30If it is necessary to boast, I will boast of my infirmities.11:31The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I lie not.11:32In Damascus, the ethnarch, when Aretas was king, guarded the city of the Damascenes, desiring to take me,11:33and I was let down in a rope-basket, by a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.
712:1It is not expedient therefore for me to boast [of these things]; for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.12:2I know a man, in Christ above fourteen years, whether in the body I know not, or out of the body I know not, God knows,—such a one caught up to the third heaven.12:3I know even such a man,—whether in the body or out of the body I know not, God knows,—12:4that he was caught up to paradise, and heard unutterable words, which it is not lawful for man to speak.12:5Of such a one will I boast, but of myself I will not boast except of my infirmities.12:6For if I shall wish to boast I shall not be foolish, for I will tell the truth. But I forbear, lest any one should think of me beyond what he sees or hears of me.
812:7And that I might not be elated with my extraordinary revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me, that I should not be too much exalted.12:8For this I besought the Lord thrice that it might leave me.12:9And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you; for power is perfected in weakness.12:10Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I am well pleased with infirmities, with injuries, with necessities, with persecutions, with distresses for Christ; for when I am weak, then am I strong.
912:11I have become foolish; you compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing am I behind the chief of the apostles, though I also am nothing.12:12The signs of an apostle were performed among you with all patience, in miracles, and prodigies, and mighty works.12:13For what is there in which you were inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong.
1012:14Behold, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be burdensome to you; for I seek not yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up treasure for the parents, but the parents for the children.12:15And I most gladly will spend and will be spent for your souls, even if the more abundantly I love you the less I am loved.12:16Be it so, I was not burdensome to you; but being crafty I caught you with deceit.12:17Did I make any thing out of you by any of those I sent to you?12:18I requested Titus, and sent the brother with him; did Titus make any thing out of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit, in the same steps?
112:19Do you again think that we are defending ourselves? We speak in Christ before God; all these things, beloved, are for your edification.12:20For I fear lest when I come I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found such as you wish not; lest there shall be strife, envy, anger, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, pride, dissensions;12:21lest when I come again my God shall humble me before you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned, and not changed their minds, in respect to impurity and fornication and lewdness which they have committed.
213:1This third time I am coming to you; by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.13:2I have said before, and I now foretell as if present a second time, although absent, to those who have already sinned and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare;13:3since you seek a proof in me of Christ speaking, who is not weak to you but powerful in you;13:4for though he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by the power of God; and we also are weak in him, but live with him by the power of God in you.
313:5Try yourselves, whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves; or know you not yourselves that Christ is in you unless you are reprobates?13:6But I hope you will know that we are not reprobates.13:7We wish to God that you may do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do good though we should be as reprobates.13:8For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.13:9For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong; and we desire this, your perfection.13:10For this reason, being absent, I write these things, that I may not use sharpness when present, with the power which the Lord has given me for building up, and not for pulling down.
413:11Finally, brothers, rejoice, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you.13:12Salute one another with a holy kiss.13:13All the saints salute you.13:14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.