1 From Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy the brother, to the church of God which is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaea,
2 grace to you and peace from God our father and Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us at every tribulation of ours, so that we can comfort those in any tribulation, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound towards us, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
6 And if we are in tribulation, it is for your comfort and salvation, which is effective in endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firm, and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort and salvation,
7 knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so are you also of the comfort.
8 For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brothers, of our tribulation which came on us in Asia, because we were exceedingly weighed down beyond our ability to cope, so that we even despaired of surviving.
9 But we ourselves have had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we should not be trusting in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,
10 who has rescued us from so great a death, and is rescuing us, in whom we have put our hope that he will rescue still,
11 while you also support us in your supplication for us, so that thanks may be offered for the favour shown to us by many individuals, through many tribulations, on your behalf.
12 For our exultation is this: the witness of our consciences – that we have conducted ourselves in godly simplicity and sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, in the world and all the more towards you.
13 For we do not write to you any other things than either what you read or acknowledge, and I hope that you will also continue to acknowledge them until the end,
14 as you have also acknowledged us in part, that we are your exultation, as indeed you are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 And I wanted to come to you in this confidence before, so that you might have a second benefit,
16 and to cross through your way to Macedonia, and to come to you again from Macedonia and to be sent on by you to Judaea.
17 Now then, when I resolved to do this, did I indulge in frivolity at all? Or the things I resolve to do – do I resolve to do them according to the flesh, so that it is “Yes, yes,” one day and “No, no,” another day with me?
18 But as God is faithful, our word to you was not “Yes” one day and “No” another day.
19 For the son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No”, but in him was “Yes”.
20 For as regards all God's promises, in him is “Yes” and in him is “Amen”, with a view to glory to God through us.
21 He who confirms us with you into Christ and anoints us is God,
22 who has also sealed us to himself and given the pledge of the spirit in our hearts.
23 And I call on God as a witness to my soul that I have never yet come to Corinth to spare you.
24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are co-workers of your joy, for you stand by faith.
1 And I resolved on this: not to come to you again in grief.
2 For if I am causing you grief, then who can cheer me up except him who is grieving because of me?
3 And I wrote this very thing to you, so that I would not have grief when I came from those people over whom I should have rejoiced, trusting in you all that my joy is that of you all.
4 For I wrote to you from much tribulation and distress of heart, with many tears, not that you should grieve, but that you should know the love which I have most profusely towards you.
5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not caused me grief, except for a while, so that I do not weigh down on you all.
6 The censure which is given by the majority is sufficient for such a man,
7 so that on the contrary rather, you show grace and give encouragement, in case such a man should in any way be overwhelmed by too much grief.
8 So I encourage you to assure him of your love of him.
9 For I wrote to this effect, that I should know your proven character – whether you are obedient in all things.
10 If you forgive anyone anything, so do I. And indeed if I have forgiven anyone anything, I forgave him because of you in the presence of Christ,
11 so that we might not be taken advantage of by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his intentions.
12 And when I came to Troas for the purpose of the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened to me in the Lord,
13 I did not have peace of mind, because I did not find Titus my brother, but I took leave of them and departed for Macedonia.
14 But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ and who makes the scent of knowledge of him manifest through us in every place.
15 For we are a sweet smell of Christ to God among those on the road to being saved and among those who are on the road to perdition:
16 to some a savour of death leading to death, to others a savour of life leading to life. And who is worthy of these things?
17 For we are not as others who corrupt the word of God, but we are sincere and we speak in Christ, as from God, in the presence of God.
1 Are we starting to commend ourselves again? Do we really need, as some do, commendatory epistles to be sent to you, or commendations from you?
2 You are our epistle, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by all men.
3 You are manifested that you are an epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets, but on tablets which are fleshly hearts.
4 And we have such confidence through Christ in God.
5 Not that we are qualified to credit anything as being of ourselves, but our qualification is from God,
6 who has also qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of a letter but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.
7 But if the ministry of death, engraved in letters on stones, was in glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look straight at Moses' face, because of the glory of his face – a glory to be abolished –
8 how much more will the ministry of the spirit be in glory!
9 For if the ministry of condemnation is glory, how much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory!
10 For indeed, that which has been glorified has not been glorified in this respect, because of the exceeding glory.
11 For if that which is being abolished was with glory, how much more will that which remains be in glory!
12 Having therefore such a hope, we make use of much freedom of speech,
13 and are not as Moses who put a covering on his face, in order that the sons of Israel should not look straight at the result of that which is being abolished.
14 But their thoughts were hardened. For up to today the same covering remains unremoved at the reading of the old covenant, it being a covering which is being abolished in Christ.
15 But up to today, when Moses is read, a covering lies over their heart.
16 But when it turns to the Lord, the covering will be removed.
17 And the Lord is the spirit: where the spirit of the Lord is, there there is freedom.
18 But we all with uncovered face, reflecting the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, such as comes from the spirit of the Lord.
1 For this reason, having this ministry according to how we have received mercy, we are not faint-hearted,
2 but we have renounced shameful hidden things, not going about in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but in manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience before God.
3 But if on the other hand our gospel is hidden, it is hidden among those who are on the road to perdition,
4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, does not shine on them.
5 For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, but ourselves as your servants for the sake of Jesus.
6 For it is God, who commanded light to shine from darkness, who has shone in our hearts for the enlightenment of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the immensity of the power should be of God and not of ourselves:
8 in every respect oppressed but not in straits, at a loss but not at a total loss,
9 persecuted, but not deserted, struck down, but not losing our lives,
10 always carrying around in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, in order that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we who are alive are continually delivered to death on account of Jesus, in order that on the other hand the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So that death is at work in us, but life in you.
13 But having the same spirit of faith according to what stands written, “I have believed, therefore I have spoken,” we also believe and therefore also speak,
14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us through Jesus and present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sake, so that grace, having increased with many people, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
16 For this reason we are not faint-hearted, and even though our outward man is perishing, our inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For the momentary light weight of our tribulation works for us an age-abiding weight of glory which is exceedingly exceeding,
18 while we do not look to the visible things, but the invisible things. For the visible things are temporary, but the invisible things are age-abiding.
1 For we know that if our earthly tent-house is dissolved, we have a building from God, an age-abiding house in the heavens, not made by hands.
2 For indeed, we groan in this respect, longing to put on our dwelling from heaven,
3 and then if clothed, we will not be found naked.
4 And indeed, being in the tent, we groan, weighed down because we do not wish to take clothes off, but to put clothes on, so that that which is mortal is swallowed up by life.
5 But he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has also given us the pledge: the spirit.
6 So we are always of good courage, also knowing that although we are at home in the body, we are away from home, being away from the Lord –
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight –
8 but we are of good courage and would rather be away from home out of the body and be at home with the Lord.
9 This is also why, whether at home or away from home, we aspire to be pleasing to him.
10 For we must all be manifested before Christ's court, in order that each should receive what is due for the things he did in the body, whether a good or bad thing.
11 So knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we have been manifested to God, and I hope we have also been manifested in your consciences.
12 For we do not commend ourselves to you again, but we give you an occasion for boasting on our behalf, so that you may have something in answer to those who boast superficially but not in the heart.
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God, and if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
14 For the love of Christ constrains us, as we conclude as follows: that if one died for all, then all must have died,
15 and he died for all, in order that those living should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16 The result is that from now on we know no-one according to the flesh. And even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we no longer know him that way,
17 with the result that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation – the old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
18 And all things are from God who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 in that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their transgressions to them, and has placed the word of reconciliation among us to his own ends.
20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God pleads through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for our sakes, in order that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
1 And as co-workers we also exhort you not to receive the grace of God in vain –
2 for he says, “At an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, the time is now most acceptable; behold, now is the day of salvation –
3 not giving any offence in anything, so that the ministry is not faulted,
4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, with much endurance in tribulations, in constrained circumstances, in hardships,
5 in stricken circumstances, in imprisonments, in commotions, in toils, in sleeplessness, in fastings,
6 in sanctity, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in holy spirit, in unfeigned love,
7 in the word of truth, in the power of God through the right and left hand armour of righteousness,
8 through glory and dishonour, through defamations and acclamations, defamed as deceivers and acclaimed as tellers of the truth,
9 as unrecognized and as recognized, as dying, but look, we are alive, as being chastised but not put to death,
10 as grieving, but always rejoicing, as poor but enriching many, as having nothing but possessing everything.
11 Our communication stands open to you, you Corinthians; our heart stands wide open.
12 You need not be under strain as far as we are concerned, but you are under strain in your feelings from your side.
13 Show yourselves wide open as well – I speak as to children – so we have the same mutual benefit.
14 Do not be disparately yoked to unbelievers, for what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? And what fellowship does light have with darkness?
15 And what agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever?
16 And what compatibility is there between the sanctuary of God and idols? For you are the sanctuary of the living God, as God has said, “I will dwell among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
17 So “Go away from them and be separate,” says the Lord, “and do not touch anything unclean, and I will receive you,
18 and I will be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me,” says the Lord almighty.
1 So having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, bringing sanctification to completion in the fear of God.
2 Make room for us; we have not wronged anyone, we have not corrupted anyone, we have not defrauded anyone.
3 I do not say this as an accusation. For I have said before that you are in our hearts in dying with us and living with us.
4 I have great freedom of speech towards you; I have great exultation over you. I have been filled with comfort – I superabound in joy at all our tribulation.
5 For indeed, when we went to Macedonia, our flesh had no peace, but we suffered tribulation in every way – strife externally, fears internally.
6 But he, God, who comforts the downcast, has comforted us with the arrival of Titus.
7 And not only with his arrival, but also in the comfort with which he had been comforted about you, as he related to us your longing, your lamentation, your zeal for me, with the result that I rejoiced all the more.
8 For even if I have grieved you with my epistle, I do not have regret now, even if I did have regret. For I see that that epistle grieved you, even if it was just for a while.
9 I rejoice now, not because you grieved, but in that you grieved resulting in repentance. For you grieved in a godly way, so that you were not hurt through us in any way.
10 For godly grief engenders repentance leading to salvation without regrets. But worldly grief engenders death.
11 For as regards this very thing – your godly grieving – see how much eagerness it has engendered for you, and also defence of the case, and indignation, and fear, and longing, and zeal, and vindication! In every respect you proved yourselves to be pure in the matter.
12 Consequently, although I wrote to you, it was not on account of anyone doing wrong, or on account of anyone suffering wrong, but on account of your eagerness for us to be manifested to you in the sight of God.
13 For this reason we have been comforted. But we rejoiced at your encouragement all the more exuberantly at the joy of Titus, in that his spirit was refreshed by you all.
14 So if I have boasted to him about you in anything, I have not been put to shame, but just as we spoke everything in truth to you, so our boasting before Titus has been true.
15 And his affections are most exuberantly towards you, as he remembers the obedience of all of you – how you received him with fear and trembling.
16 I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you.
1 And, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given among the churches of Macedonia,
2 for with a great trial in affliction their exuberance of joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their single-mindedness.
3 For I testify that they acted voluntarily, according to their means, and beyond their means,
4 and with much entreaty, imploring us in respect of the grace and the fellowship of the ministry to the saints,
5 and not as we had expected, but they gave themselves firstly to the Lord, and to us, through the will of God,
6 for us to comfort Titus, so that just as he began before, so he should bring this grace towards you to a conclusion as well.
7 But as you abound in everything – in faith and word, and knowledge and all eagerness and in the love from your side among us – may you also abound in this grace.
8 I do not speak by commandment, but moved by the eagerness of others and as one approving the sincerity of your love.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ – how on your account he became poor, though being rich, in order that you by his poverty might become rich.
10 And I give my opinion in this matter. For this is expedient for you, who last year took the lead not only in taking action, but also in having the will.
11 And now, complete the execution of it, so that as your enthusiasm was when you made your mind up, so the completion may be, your resources permitting.
12 For if the enthusiasm is present, it is appreciated when judged against one's means, not when judged against something beyond one's means.
13 For it is not in order that others may have ease, while you have tribulation, but it is on the basis of equality. At the present time, your surplus is a supply to their lack,
14 so that their surplus might also become a supply to your lack, so that there may be equality,
15 as it stands written, “He who had much did not have surplus, and he who had a little did not suffer a lack.”
16 And thanks be to God who is putting the same concern for you in the heart of Titus.
17 For he has received encouragement, and being very eager, he departed for you of his own accord.
18 And we have sent the brother with him, who has a good reputation for the gospel throughout all the churches,
19 and not only so, but he was also appointed by the churches as our travelling companion, collaborating in this grace being ministered by us for the glory of the Lord himself and as an outlet for our enthusiasm,
20 avoiding this: that anyone should have cause to blame us in this tremendous project which is being undertaken by us,
21 as we concern ourselves with things that are right not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22 And we have sent our brother with them, whom we have often proved to be eager in many matters, and who is now much more eager, with much confidence in you.
23 If anyone enquires about Titus, he is my partner and co-worker for you, or if our brothers are enquired about, they are apostles of the churches, the glory of Christ.
24 So give them a display of your love, and of our exultation over you, in the sight of the churches.
1 For concerning the relief to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you,
2 for I know your enthusiasm, and I boast about it to the Macedonians on your behalf, in that Achaea has been prepared since last year and the zeal from your side has stimulated quite a few of them.
3 And I sent the brothers there, so that our boasting about you should not go unheard in this matter – so that, as I said, you are prepared –
4 so that, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we – so that we don't say “you” – are not ashamed of these grounds of boasting.
5 So I considered it necessary to encourage the brothers to go on ahead to you and finalize your donation beforehand, which was announced in advance, so that it should be ready, so as a blessing, not as a matter of meanness.
6 And I say this, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows generously will also reap generously.
7 Each person should give as he has decided beforehand in his heart, not grudgingly or under constraint, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 For God is able to make all grace abound to you, in order that you, always being entirely self-sufficient in everything, might have something left over for every good work.
9 As it stands written, “He distributed; he gave to the poor. His righteousness remains throughout the Age.”
10 Now may he who supplies seed to the sower also supply bread for food and multiply your seed sown, and increase the yield of your righteousness,
11 as you become rich in every respect, in all generosity, which engenders thanksgiving to God through us.
12 For administering this service not only supplies the saints' lack, but also abounds to God through much thanksgiving,
13 as they glorify God through the tried character of this service acquired through subjection to your profession of the gospel of Christ, and for the generosity in contributing to them and to all,
14 while they also long for you in supplication for you on account of the exceeding grace of God bestowed on you.
15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.
1 Now I Paul myself call upon you, through the meekness and fairness of Christ – I who am lowly when face to face among you, but being absent, I have confidence in you –
2 and I appeal to you that when I am present, I do not have to be courageous, in the confidence which I count on, to stand up to some who consider us to be walking according to the flesh.
3 For although we walk in the flesh, we do not serve as soldiers according to the flesh –
4 for the weapons of our campaign are not fleshly, but are extremely powerful in demolishing strongholds –
5 as we demolish arguments, and all arrogance exalted against knowledge of God, and as we take every thought captive to obedience to Christ,
6 and are ready to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is made complete.
7 Look at the things that are before your eyes. If anyone is convinced that he is Christ's, let him consider this again: that just as he is Christ's, so also are we Christ's.
8 For even if I should boast somewhat exceedingly about our authority – which the Lord gave us for your edification and not for your demolition – I shall not be ashamed,
9 in order that I should not seem, as it were, to terrify you with the epistles.
10 For, “The epistles,” they say, “are weighty and forcible, but his presence in the body is weak, and his speech is deplorable.”
11 Let such a person consider this: that as we are in word through epistles when we are absent, so we are in deed when physically present.
12 For we are not so bold as to reckon ourselves among – or compare ourselves with – some of those who commend themselves, but they who measure themselves by their own standards, and compare themselves with each other, do not show understanding.
13 But we will not boast outside our limits, but within the limits of the area which God has apportioned us, limits reaching you as well.
14 For we do not overstretch ourselves as if we did not reach as far as you, for we have been quick in coming to you as well with the gospel of Christ.
15 We do not boast outside our limits, in the labours of others, but we do have hope, as your faith grows, that we will greatly grow in stature among you within our area,
16 progressing to preaching the gospel in places beyond your region, but not to do so in another's the area, so boasting about places already evangelized.
17 But let him who boasts boast in the Lord.
18 For it is not he who commends himself who is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.
1 If only you would bear with me for a short time in foolishness. But actually, you do bear with me.
2 For I am zealous for you with a tremendous zeal, for I have betrothed you to one man, so as to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve with his trickery, so your minds may be drawn away to corruption from the simplicity which is in Christ.
4 For if he who is coming proclaims another Jesus, whom we have not proclaimed, or you receive a different spirit, which you have not received, or accept a different gospel, which you have not accepted, then that is a fine way to bear up!
5 For I consider myself in no way to have fallen short of the most superlative apostles.
6 And even if I am an amateur in speech, I am not in knowledge; for we have been made known to you in every respect and in all regards.
7 Or have I committed a sin in lowering myself so that you might be exalted, because I have preached the gospel of God to you freely?
8 I have plundered other churches, taking pay from them for your relief,
9 and being present with you and having run short, I have not pressed heavily on anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia made up for my shortage, and I have guarded – and will guard – myself against being a burden to you in any way.
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, so this boasting will not be stifled with me in the regions of Achaea.
11 Why? Because I don't love you? God knows the truth.
12 And this I do, and will do, in order to eliminate any opportunity for those wanting an opportunity to be found copying us in what they boast of.
13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
14 And it is not a thing to marvel at, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
15 So it is not a great thing then if his servants also transform themselves, as if they were servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
16 Again I say it, in case anyone considers me to be foolish. Otherwise, receive me even as a fool, so that I too have some small grounds for boasting.
17 What I say, I do not say from the Lord's perspective, but as it were in foolishness, on these boastful grounds.
18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast.
19 For you bear with fools courteously, being wise yourselves.
20 For you bear up if anyone domineers over you, if anyone exploits you, if anyone arrests you, if anyone is overbearing, if anyone hits you on the face.
21 I speak to my shame, as if we were taken ill. And in whatever way someone might be daring – I speak in foolishness – I myself am daring too.
22 Are they Hebrews? I am too. Are they Israelites? I am too. Are they the seed of Abraham? I am too.
23 Are they ministers of Christ? – I speak as if deranged – I go further: in labours more prolifically, in beatings more exceedingly, in imprisonments more frequently, in situations in danger of death, often;
24 five times I received forty minus one lashes from the Jews,
25 three times I was beaten with sticks, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, and I have spent a night and a day in the deep;
26 in travels often, in dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my race, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the desert, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers;
27 in toil and hardship, in sleepless nights often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Apart from all else, there is my daily mental turmoil, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is ill, and I am not ill with him? Who is offended, and I am not ablaze with indignation?
30 If it is necessary to boast, I will boast of the things concerning my ills.
31 The God and father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed throughout the ages, knows that I do not lie.
32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes, wishing to lay hold of me,
33 but through a window I was lowered in a basket alongside the wall and I escaped his clutches.
1 Boasting is actually of no advantage to me, for I will enter into visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I know a man in Christ – whether in the body, I don't know, or whether out of the body, I don't know, God knows – who fourteen years ago was caught up as far as the third heaven.
3 And I know this man – whether in the body or out of the body, I don't know, God knows –
4 how he was caught up in Paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not permitted for man to speak.
5 I will boast about such a person, but I will not boast about myself except in my weaknesses.
6 For even if I were to want to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would speak the truth. But I will restrain myself in case anyone should consider me to be above what he observes me to be or what he hears from me.
7 And so that I do not exalt myself in the special nature of revelations, a thorn in the flesh has been given to me – a messenger of Satan – to harass me so that I do not exalt myself.
8 I pleaded with the Lord three times about this, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said, “My grace is sufficient for you. For my strength is brought to completion in weakness.” So I will most gladly boast rather in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may reside on me.
10 Therefore, I am content in weaknesses, in maltreatment, in constrained circumstances, in persecution, in straits, for Christ's sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong.
11 I have become foolish in boasting. You forced it on me, for I should have been commended by you. For in no way have I fallen short of the most superlative apostles, even if I am nothing.
12 The signs of the apostle were performed among you with all endurance, with signs and miracles and deeds of power.
13 For in what way were you inferior to the other churches, if not in that I myself did not press heavily on you? Forgive me this wrong.
14 Look, I am prepared to come to you a third time, and I will not press heavily on you. For I do not seek what is yours, but you. For it is not that children ought to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
15 For I will gladly spend money and be spent for yourselves, even if the more intensely I love you, the less I am loved.
16 Well so be it: “I have not weighed you down, but being crafty, I have taken you in with deceit.”
17 I did not defraud you through any of those I sent to you, did I?
18 I exhorted Titus and sent his brother with him. Surely Titus did not defraud you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Was it not in the same tracks?
19 Do you again think we are defending ourselves to you? We speak in the presence of God in Christ, and all these things, my beloved, are for your edification.
20 For I am afraid that, if I come, I will not find you as I wish, and I will be found by you not as you wish – that there will be rivalries, jealousies, angry exchanges, strife-ridden situations, backbitings, gossip, conceit, acts of disorder –
21 and that my God will humble me when I come to you again, and I should mourn many of those who sinned previously and have not repented of their uncleanness and fornication and debauchery which they have committed.
1 I am coming to you this third time. Every matter shall be established at the affirmation of two or three witnesses.
2 I have spoken beforehand, and am speaking beforehand, as when I was present on the second occasion, and being now absent, I am writing to those who previously sinned, and all the others, that if I come again, I will not spare you,
3 since you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me, who is not weak towards you, but is powerful in you.
4 For in fact, if he was crucified through weakness, then he lives through the power of God. And indeed, we are weak in him, but we shall live with him through the power of God towards you.
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith – test yourselves. Or do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless, that is, you are unauthenticated in some way.
6 And I hope that you know that we are not unauthenticated.
7 And I pray to God that you will do nothing wrong, not so that we appear authenticated, but so that you do what is right, and that we are as those authenticated.
8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, only for the truth.
9 For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. But this we also pray for: your restoration.
10 On this account I, being absent, am writing these things, so that when I am present I shall not have to deal with matters severely, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for edification and not for demolition.
11 Finally, brothers, rejoice, amend your ways, be encouraged, be of one mind, be peaceful, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
12 Greet each other with a holy kiss.
13 All the saints greet you.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy spirit be with you all. Amen.