The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Part 43

THEREFORE, having this ministry, as we received mercy, we faint not.

(2)But we renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor falsifying the word of G.o.d; but, by the manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of G.o.d. (3)But if our gospel is vailed, it is vailed in those who perish; (4)in whom the G.o.d of this world blinded the understandings of the unbelieving, that they should not discern the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of G.o.d[4:4]. (5)For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord; and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. (6)Because it is G.o.d, who commands light to s.h.i.+ne out of darkness; who s.h.i.+ned in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of G.o.d in the face of Christ.

(7)But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be G.o.d's, and not of us; (8)being pressed in every way, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not despairing; (9)persecuted, yet not forsaken; cast down, yet not destroyed; (10)always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that also the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (11)For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (12)So that death works in us, but life in you.

(13)But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I believed, therefore did I speak, we also believe, therefore also speak; (14)knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise up us also with Jesus, and will present us with you. (15)For all things are for your sakes; that the grace, abounding through the greater number, might make the thanksgiving more abundant, to the glory of G.o.d.

(16)For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is renewed day by day: (17)For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works out for us a far more exceeding, an eternal weight of glory; (18)while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

V.

FOR we know that, if our earthly house of the tabernacle[5:1] were dissolved, we have a building of G.o.d, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2)For in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven; (3)seeing that we shall be found clothed, not naked[5:3]. (4)For we who are in the tabernacle groan, being burdened; in that we do not desire to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon, that what is mortal might be swallowed up by life.

(5)Now he who wrought us out for this very thing is G.o.d, who also gave to us the earnest of the Spirit. (6)Being therefore always confident, and knowing that while at home in the body we are absent from the Lord, (7)(for we walk by faith, not by sight), (8)we are confident, and are well pleased rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.

(9)Wherefore we also strive, that, whether at home or absent, we may be well pleasing to him. (10)For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to the things which he did, whether good or bad.

(11)Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but to G.o.d we have been made manifest, and I hope that we have been made manifest also in your consciences. (12)For we are not again commending ourselves to you, but giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer those who glory in appearance and not in heart. (13)For whether we were beside ourselves, it was for G.o.d; or whether we are of sound mind, it is for you. (14)For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judged, that if one died for all, then they all died. (15)And he died for all, that they who live should live no longer to themselves, but to him who for them died and rose again. (16)So that we henceforth know no one according to the flesh; and if also we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we no longer know him. (17)So that if any one is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things pa.s.sed away; behold, all things have become new. (18)And all things are of G.o.d, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; (19)as that G.o.d was in Christ reconciling a world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespa.s.ses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.

(20)We are then amba.s.sadors on behalf of Christ[5:20], as though G.o.d were beseeching by us; on behalf of Christ we pray: Be reconciled to G.o.d! (21)Him who knew not sin he made to be sin for us, that we might become G.o.d's righteousness in him.

VI.

AND, as workers together with him, we also beseech you that ye receive not the grace of G.o.d in vain; (2)(for he says:

In an accepted time I heard thee, And in the day of salvation I helped thee;

behold, now is the well accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation;) (3)giving no cause of offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed; (4)but as G.o.d's ministers, commending ourselves in everything, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, (5)in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; (6)in pureness, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, (7)in the word of truth, in the power of G.o.d, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, (8)through glory and dishonor, through evil report and good report; as deceivers, and true; (9)as unknown, and well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; (10)as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and possessing all things.

(11)O Corinthians, our mouth is open to you, our heart is enlarged.

(12)Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. (13)Now as a recompense in the same kind (I speak as to my children), be ye also enlarged.

(14)Be not yoked unequally with unbelievers; for what fellows.h.i.+p has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (15)And what concord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? (16)And what agreement has the temple of G.o.d with idols? For ye are a temple of the living G.o.d; as G.o.d said: I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be their G.o.d, and they shall be to me a people.

(17)Wherefore, come out from among them, and be separated, saith the Lord, and touch not anything unclean; and I will receive you, (18)and will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

VII.

HAVING therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of G.o.d.

(2)Receive us; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we defrauded no one. (3)I say it not for condemnation; for I have before said, that ye are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. (4)Great is my confidence toward you, great is my glorying on account of you; I am filled with the consolation, I am made to abound with the joy, in all our affliction.

(5)For indeed, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way; without were fightings, within were fears. (6)But G.o.d, who consoles those who are cast down, consoled us by the coming of t.i.tus; (7)and not by his coming only, but also by the consolation with which he was consoled in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced the more. (8)Because, though I made you sorry with the letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it; for I perceive that that letter made you sorry, though but for a season. (9)Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a G.o.dly manner, that ye might in nothing receive harm from us. (10)For G.o.dly sorrow works repentance unto salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world works out death.

(11)For behold this very thing, that ye were made sorry after a G.o.dly manner, what earnestness it wrought in you; yea, what clearing of yourselves; yea, what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, what longing desire; yea, what zeal; yea, what avenging! In every thing ye commended yourselves as pure in the matter. (12)So then, though I wrote to you, it was not on account of him who did the wrong, nor of him who suffered wrong, but that your care for us might be made manifest to you in the sight of G.o.d.

(13)For this cause we were consoled; but in our consolation[7:13], we rejoiced abundantly more at the joy of t.i.tus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. (14)For if in any thing I have boasted to him of you, I was not made ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before t.i.tus was found to be truth.

(15)And his tender affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.

(16)I rejoice, that in every thing I have confidence in you.

VIII.

AND we made known to you, brethren, the grace of G.o.d which has been bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; (2)that in much trial of affliction was the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality. (3)For according to their power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves; (4)with much entreaty beseeching of us the grace, and the partic.i.p.ation in the ministering to the saints; (5)and not as we expected, but themselves they gave first to the Lord, and to us by the will of G.o.d. (6)So that we exhorted t.i.tus, that as he had before begun, so he would also finish among you this grace also.

(7)But, as in everything ye abound, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all diligence, and your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. (8)I say it not by way of command, but through the forwardness of others proving also the sincerity of your love. (9)For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (10)And I give an opinion in this matter; for this is expedient for you, who began before others, not only to do, but also to will, a year ago. (11)And now perform the doing of it also; that as there was the readiness to will, so there may be the performance according to what ye have.

(12)For if there be first the willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man has, not according to what he has not. (13)For it is not that others may be eased, and ye burdened; (14)but, by the rule of equality, at this present time your abundance being a supply for their want, that also their abundance may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality; as it is written: (15)He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little did not lack.

(16)But thanks be to G.o.d, who put the same earnest care for you into the heart of t.i.tus. (17)For he accepted indeed the exhortation; but being very zealous, he went to you of his own accord. (18)And together with him we sent the brother, whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the churches; (19)and not that only, but who was also appointed by the churches, as our fellow-traveler with this gift[8:19] which is administered by us, to further the glory of the Lord, and our zeal; (20)being careful of this, that no one should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us; (21)for we provide for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

(22)And we sent with them our brother, whom we have often in many things proved to be diligent, but now much more diligent, through the great confidence which he has toward you. (23)As to t.i.tus, he is my partner, and in regard to you a fellow-laborer; as to our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

(24)Therefore show toward them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

IX.

FOR concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. (2)For I know your readiness of mind, of which I boast for you to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been prepared since a year ago; and your zeal stirred up the greater part of them. (3)But I sent the brethren, that our boasting of you might not be made in vain in this respect; that, as I said, ye may be prepared; (4)lest haply, if Macedonians come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in respect to this confidence.

(5)I thought it necessary, therefore, to exhort the brethren, that they should go before to you, and make up beforehand your bounty before promised, that this may be ready, in manner as a bounty and not as covetousness. (6)But as to this, he that sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he that sows with blessings shall also reap with blessings; (7)but each as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for G.o.d loves a cheerful giver.

(8)And G.o.d is able to make every grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound toward every good work; (9)(as it is written:

He dispersed abroad, he gave to the poor; His righteousness abides forever;)

(10)and he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; (11)being enriched in everything to all liberality, which works through us thanksgiving to G.o.d. (12)Because the ministration of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints, but also abounds through many thanksgivings to G.o.d; (13)while by the proof of this ministration they glorify G.o.d for the obedience to your profession of the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of the contribution to them, and to all; (14)they also, with supplication for you, longing after you on account of the exceeding grace of G.o.d in you. (15)Thanks be to G.o.d for his unspeakable gift!

X.

NOW I, Paul, myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence indeed am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you; (2)but I entreat, that I may not when I am present be bold with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, who think of us as walking according to the flesh. (3)For though walking in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; (4)(for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty before G.o.d to the pulling down of strongholds) (5)casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of G.o.d, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; (6)and being in readiness to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is made perfect.

(7)Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trusts to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself consider this again, that, as he is Christ's, so also are we. (8)For even if I should boast somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification, and not for your destruction[10:8], I shall not be put to shame; (9)that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. (10)For his letters, says one, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. (11)Let such a one consider this, that such as we are in word by letters when absent, such will we be also in deed when present.

(12)For we venture not to reckon ourselves among, or to compare ourselves with, some of those who commend themselves; but they, measuring themselves among themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise. (13)But we will not boast of things without measure, but according to the measure of the line which G.o.d apportioned to us, a measure to reach even to you. (14)For we do not stretch ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not to you; for as far as to you also did we come, in the gospel of Christ; (15)not boasting of things without measure in other men's labors; but having hope, when your faith increases, that we shall be enlarged among you according to our line abundantly, (16)to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, not to make our boast, in another's line, of things made ready to our hand. (17)But he that boasts, let him boast in the Lord. (18)For not he that commends himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.

XI.