3 Blessed is God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and the God of all consolation, 4 consoling us in all our sufferings, so that we might be able to console those who are in whatever suffering, by the consolation with which God consoles us. 5 For thus abound the sufferings of Christ in us, that also our own consolation may abound through Christ. 6 But whether we shall suffer for your consolation or salvation, which work in the endurance of the same suffering which we also suffer, 7 whether we receive consolation for your consolation or salvation, our hope itself is firm for you, knowing as we do, that just as you are partakers of the suffering, so shall you be also of the consolation. 8 For we do not want you unaware, brothers, of our suffering which happened in Asia, that we were weighed down beyond measure, such that we even feared for our lives. 9 Yes, we have taken upon ourselves the sentence of death, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, who brings the dead to live, 10 who saved us from such a death, and saves us still, on whom we have fixed our hope that he will continue to save us— 11 you also likewise helping us by your own requests for us, that for the gift which we gathered from many people, thanks may be given by many for us. 12 For our glorying is this, the witness of our conscience, that with the simplicity and sincerity of God, not fleshly knowledge, but by the grace of God, we carried ourselves in the world, but the more abundantly toward you. 13 For we write to you no other thing than you have already read, or that you have acknowledged. 14 But I hope that you will continue to acknowledge until the end, as you somewhat have acknowledged us, that we are your glory, as you are also of us, in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 And in this confidence I wanted to come to you beforehand, that you might have a second benefit, 16 and then pass by you into Macedonia, and then come back to you from Macedonia, and then you would send me on my way into Judaea. 17 Therefore when I mulled over these things in my mind, was I in any way fickle? Or anything I think up, do I do it according to the flesh, that toward me what is “yes” may be “yes” and what is “no” “no”? 18 But God is faithful that our word toward you was not “yes” and “no”. 19 For the son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we were proclaiming among you, was not “yes” and “no”; but through him he was “yes”. 20 For as numerous as the promises of God are, by him they are “yes”, and by him “Amen”, to the glory of God through us.
21 Now the one who confirms us together with you in Christ, and who has anointed us, is God, 22 who has also sealed us up, and given and given the deposit of the spirit in our hearts. 23 But I call upon God as a witness in my soul, that to spare you, I did not come to Corinth, 24 not that we lord it over you in the name, but are helpers of your joy. For in faith you stand firm.
12 Now, when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened to me for the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, not finding my brother Titus; but I said good-bye to them, and left for Macedonia. 14 But thanks to God, who always triumphs for us in Christ Jesus, and reveals the scent of his knowledge through us in every place; 15 for we are the good fragrance of Christ to God, in those who are becoming saved, and in those who are perishing; 16 to this one the scent of death to death, but to this one the scent of life to life. And who is sufficient to these things? 17 For we are not like the many, trafficking in the word of God; but as from sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God, through Christ we speak.
7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, that the eminence of power may be of God, and not from us. 8 For in all things we are pressed down, but not made anxious; we toil, but are not destituted; 9 we suffer harassment, but are not forsaken; we are dejected, but do not perish, 10 carrying always in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that also the life of Jesus may be revealed in our body. 11 For always those of us who live are handed over to death because of Jesus, that also the life of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12 So therefore, death works in us, but life in you. 13 But having as we do the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, I believed, and therefore I have spoken; and we believe, and therefore we speak, 14 knowing that the one who raised up the Lord Jesus, will raise us up as well through Jesus, and present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sake, that the benefit, which is multiplied by the many giving thanks, may abound in the glory of God. 16 Therefore, we do not faint; but though our outward person shall be corrupted, still our inward person shall be renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary lightness of affliction bears us above measure an eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at those things which can be seen, but at those things which cannot be seen. For those things which can be seen are temporary, but those things which cannot be seen are eternal.
5 Now the one who has readied us for this is God, who has also given us the guarantee of the spirit. 6 Therefore we always are of good cheer, and know that, being at home in the body, we are distant from the Lord— 7 for it is by faith, not by sight, that we walk— 8 but we have faith, and are willing all the more, to be distant from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 This is why we contend, whether at home or abroad, to be pleasing to him. 10 For we all must be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ, that each and every one may receive in body according to what he has done, good or bad.
11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, persuade people, but we are revealed to God. And I hope that we too are revealed in your consciences. 12 For we do not commend ourselves yet again to you; but we give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that you may have something against those who glory on the surface, and not in the heart. 13 For if we are insane, we are insane in God; if we are sane, we are sane in you. 14 For the love of Christ constrains us, because we judge that since one died for all of us, all of us have died, 15 and it is Christ who has died for all, so that those who live no longer live to themselves, but to the one who died for us, and came back from the dead. 16 Therefore we no longer know anyone according to the flesh, although indeed if we have known Christ according to the flesh, we now no longer know him in such a way. 17 As a consequence, if anyone is a new creation in Christ, the old things have passed on, behold, all things are made new. 18 And all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave us the gift of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their sins, but placing in us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore we are a delegation in the name of Christ: as if God were beseeching you through us, we beseech by Christ that you may be reconciled to God; 21 for the one who did not know sin made himself sin for us, so that the righteous of God may be affected in us through him.
In an acceptable time I listened to you,Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 May we cause no one to stumble, lest our ministry be blamed, 4 but in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God, in much patience, in suffering, in need, in distress, 5 in plagues, in jails, in seditions, in toils, in vigils, in fasts and hunger strikes, 6 in purity, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the holy spirit, in love unfaked, 7 in the word of truth, in the power of God, through the armament of righteousness right and left, 8 through glory and ignominy, through infamy and praise, as imposters and yet true, as unknown and yet known; 9 as dying, and behold, we live; as rebuked, but not murdered; 10 as sorrowing, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 11 Our mouth is open toward you of Corinth; our heart is open. 12 You are not pained toward us; but you are pained in your guts, 13 but for a like repayment—I speak as to children—open yourselves up too. 14 Do not be joined with those who do not believe. For what fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness, or what communion light with darkness? 15 Or what concord Christ with Belial? Or what part the faithful with the unfaithful? 16 Or what agreement the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said:
and in the day of salvation I helped you.
I will dwell in them,
and walk among them,
and I will be a God to them,
and they will be my people.
17 Therefore, depart from their midst,
and separate from them—says the Lord—
and that which is unclean do not touch;
18 and I shall take you in
and be like a father to you,
and you will be
like sons and daughters to me—says the Lord almighty.
2 Receive us; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. 3 I do not say this to your condemnation; as I have already said before, that you are in our hearts for dying together and living together. 4 Much is my confidence toward you, much my glorying of you; I am filled with comfort, I exude strongly with joy in all our suffering.
5 For also when we arrived in Macedonia, our flesh had no rest; but in all things we were afflicted—fighting outside, fears inside. 6 But God, who comforts the holy, comforted us with the arrival of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort which he himself received from you, when he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; such that I rejoiced all the more. 8 For even though I made you sorrowful by letter, I do not repent. Were I to have repented, since I do see that that very letter made you sorrowful, if but for a short time, I now rejoice; 9 not because you were made sorrowful, but that being made sorrowful, you had a change of heart. For you were not made sorrowful according to God, such that in nothing you may suffer loss through us. 10 For that sorrow which is according to God is repentance toward salvation, not to be repented of; against that of the world, which brings death. 11 For behold, this thing itself, which sorrowed you according to God, so much in you it bore you caring, such satisfaction, such indignation, such fear, such desire, such vengeance; indeed in everything you have commended yourselves, that you are pure in the matter.
12 So though I wrote to you, I did not do so because of the one who harmed, nor the one who was harmed; but that your concern for us be revealed toward you in the sight of God. 13 Therefore we took comfort in your comfort; yes, all the more we rejoiced for the joy of Titus, that his spirit was refreshed by all of you, 14 for if in anything I have gloried toward him with regard to you, I was not ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you with truth, so also our glorying, which I made toward Titus, is made true, 15 and his gut is all the more abundantly affected toward you, while he recalls the obedience of all of you, how you took him in with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice that in all things I have trust in you.
10 And I give this advice, for this is conducive to you; who indeed started not only doing, but wanting to do, the year prior. 11 But now finish what you have begun, so that as when the will was ready, such also you may perfect, as far as you can. 12 For also if first there shall come a readiness of mind, it is acceptable according to that which one possesses, not according to that which one does not possess. 13 For it shall not be a rest to others and distress to you; but as from equitability, 14 your abundance at the present time helping their lack, and their abundance helping your lack, that there may be made an equitability, as it is written, 15
The one who had much did not have an excess,
and the one who had little was not lacking.
16 But thanks to God, who gave the same concern for you into the heart of Titus, 17 who received the exhortation, but, being as diligent as he was, he came to you of his own accord. 18 But we sent another brother with him, whose praise is in the gospel through all the communities; 19 not only that, but also he is chosen by the communities as our fellow-traveler with this gift which has been given to us to the same glory of the Lord, and the readiness of your mind; 20 declining this lest anyone blame us in this bounty which is given us, 21 procuring honest things, not only before the Lord, but also before people. 22 And we sent a brother of ours whom we have proven often in many things diligent; but now all the more diligent, because of the much confidence that I have toward you, 23 if anyone asks about Titus, who is my partner and helper toward you, or if anyone else who are our brothers who are our brothers and delegates of the communities, the glory of Christ. 24 Therefore demonstrate the evidence of your love, and our glorying in you, in the sight of the communities.
6 For I say this, that whoever sows sparingly reaps sparingly, and whoever sows freely and generously will reap bountifully; 7 each according to the intent of his own heart, not as if doing so were a bother, or a requirement. For God loves a cheerful giver, 8 and God is able to effect that all bounty may abound in you, that in all things at all times you may have all sufficiency and that you may abound in every good work, 9 as it is written,
He has scattered forth,10 Now the one who provides the seed to the sower also shall supply bread to eat, and multiply your seed, and will augment the produce of your righteousness, 11 that you may be enriched in all things, in all simplicity, which is effected through us, that we may give thanks to God. 12 For the function of his ministry does not merely supply that which falls to the holy, but furthermore it abounds in those by whom thanks are given to God, 13 who, by the proving which his ministry is, they glorify God upon your consent to obedience of the gospel of Christ, and from the simplicity of your communication both to them and to everyone, 14 and as well in their prayers for you, who desire after you because of the eminent grace of God in you, 15 for which indescribable gift, be there thanks to God.
he has given to the poor;
his righteousness remains for an age of ages.
7 Or have I sinned somehow, in bringing myself down so that you might be lifted up in turn? Or perhaps, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I have taken from other churches, receiving a stipend from them to be of service to you. 9 And when I was in your presence, and lacking, I was a burden to no one, for whatever I was lacking and needed, the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied me; and in all things, I have so kept myself, so as not to be a burden to anyone. I intend so to remain. 10 The truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine shall not be stopped anywhere in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows.
12 But what I do, I will continue to do, so that I may cut off the opportunity of those who desire an opportunity, so that in those things of which they boast, they will be found no different than we are. 13 For false apostles such as these are deceitful workers, haven taken up the persona of an apostle of Christ. 14 And it is no wonder. For even Satan himself would transform himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not a great thing if also his ministers make themselves out to be ministers of righteousness; their end shall be as their deeds have been.
16 I say again, lest any may deem me foolish, if anyone does deem me foolish, receive me, that I too might have a little bit to boast about, 17 such that what I speak, I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in my foolishness, in this substance of glory. 18 For many glory according to the flesh—even I do so. 19 For you gladly bear with fools, being yourselves wise. 20 For you bear with someone who puts you in servitude, or who eats you whole, or who takes you away, or who lifts himself, if he slaps you across the face. 21 I say this according to dishonor, as if we had been weak in this matter, in which if anyone has audacity (I speak in foolishness), I too have audacity. 22 They are Hebrews—so am I; they are Israelites—so am I; they are the seed of Abraham—so am I. 23 They are ministers of Christ (I speak as one without knowledge)—I am even the more so, in labors many, in jails the more, in lashes above the measure, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews, five times I received the forty lashes minus one; 25 thrice I was struck with rods, once pelted with rocks; I faced shipwreck three times, spending a whole night and day in the depths of the sea; 26 in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of thieves, perils of my own people, perils of foreigners, perils in the city, perils in the desert, perils in the sea, perils in false brothers; 27 in labor and pain, in many watchings, in hunger and thirst, in many fasts, in cold and nakedness, 28 beside those things which are on the outside, that which is upon me day by day, worry for all the communities. 29 Who shall be weak, and I not weak? Who shall stumble, and I not burn? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of those things which are my weakness.
31 The God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed to the age, knows that I do not lie. 32 In Damascus the governor of the people under King Aretas watched over the city of the Damascenes so as to seize me; 33 but I was let out through the window in a basket by the wall, and so escaped his hands.
14 Behold, a third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a load upon you. For I do not want what is yours, but you. For the children should not save up for their parents, but the parents the children. 15 But I most gladly will spend and be spent myself for your souls; if I love you all the more, am I loved less? 16 But so be it; I was not a load to you, but being sly, I caught you by deceit. 17 Did I go around you by any of them that I sent you? 18 I besought Titus, and sent a brother with him. Did Titus go around you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?
19 Do you think we were excusing ourselves toward you this whole time? I speak in Christ in the presence of God. But all things, most beloved, are to build you up. 20 For I fear lest perhaps when I shall come, I shall find you not as I would like; and you shall find me as you would not like; lest contentions, envyings, animosities, dissensions, backstabbings, whisperings, swellings, seditions be among you; 21 lest when I come again, God shame me toward you, and I should mourn for those who had sinned before, and not changed themselves from their uncleanness, their fornication, and their waywardness which they have committed.
11 As for the rest, my brothers, rejoice, be perfect, be comforted, be of one mind, have peace, and may the God of peace and love be with you. 12 Greet each other with a holy kiss. The holy ones greet you. 13 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the holy spirit be with all of you. Amen.