Bible (King James)/2 Corinthians

¹ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, andTimothy our brother, unto the church of God which is atCorinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

² Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from theLord Jesus Christ.

³ Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, theFather of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

⁴ Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be ableto comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfortwherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so ourconsolation also aboundeth by Christ.

⁶ And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation andsalvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the samesufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted,it is for your consolation and salvation.

⁷ And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye arepartakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of theconsolation.

⁸ For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our troublewhich came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure,above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

⁹ But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we shouldnot trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

¹⁰ Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: inwhom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

¹¹ Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the giftbestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may begiven by many on our behalf.

¹² For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience,that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshlywisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversationin the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

¹³ For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read oracknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;

¹⁴ As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are yourrejoicing, even as ye also are our's in the day of the LordJesus.

¹⁵ And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before,that ye might have a second benefit;

¹⁶ And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out ofMacedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way towardJudaea.

¹⁷ When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or thethings that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh,that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?

¹⁸ But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.

¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among youby us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea andnay, but in him was yea.

²⁰ For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen,unto the glory of God by us.

²¹ Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hathanointed us, is God;

²² Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spiritin our hearts.

²³ Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spareyou I came not as yet unto Corinth.

²⁴ Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpersof your joy: for by faith ye stand.

¹ But I determined this with myself, that I would not come againto you in heaviness.

² For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad,but the same which is made sorry by me?

³ And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I shouldhave sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; havingconfidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

⁴ For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote untoyou with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but thatye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

⁵ But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but inpart: that I may not overcharge you all.

⁶ Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which wasinflicted of many.

⁷ So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, andcomfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed upwith overmuch sorrow.

⁸ Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love towardhim.

⁹ For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proofof you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

¹⁰ To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgaveany thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I itin the person of Christ;

¹¹ Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are notignorant of his devices.

¹² Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel,and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

¹³ I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus mybrother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence intoMacedonia.

¹⁴ Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph inChrist, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by usin every place.

¹⁵ For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that aresaved, and in them that perish:

¹⁶ To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to theother the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient forthese things?

¹⁷ For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but asof sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we inChrist.

¹ Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as someothers, epistles of commendation to you, or letters ofcommendation from you?

² Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read ofall men:

³ Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle ofChrist ministered by us, written not with ink, but with theSpirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but infleshy tables of the heart.

⁴ And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

⁵ Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing asof ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

⁶ Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; notof the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, butthe spirit giveth life.

⁷ But if the ministration of death, written and engraven instones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could notstedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of hiscountenance; which glory was to be done away:

⁸ How shall not the ministration of the spirit be ratherglorious?

⁹ For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much moredoth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

¹⁰ For even that which was made glorious had no glory in thisrespect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

¹¹ For if that which was done away was glorious, much more thatwhich remaineth is glorious.

¹² Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness ofspeech:

¹³ And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that thechildren of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end ofthat which is abolished:

¹⁴ But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth thesame vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament;which vail is done away in Christ.

¹⁵ But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upontheir heart.

¹⁶ Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall betaken away.

¹⁷ Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lordis, there is liberty.

¹⁸ But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the gloryof the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory toglory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

¹ Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have receivedmercy, we faint not;

² But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, notwalking in craftiness, nor handling the word of Goddeceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commendingourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

³ But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

⁴ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of themwhich believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel ofChrist, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

⁵ For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; andourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

⁶ For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledgeof the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that theexcellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

⁸ We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we areperplexed, but not in despair;

⁹ Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

¹⁰ Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in ourbody.

¹¹ For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus'sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest inour mortal flesh.

¹² So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

¹³ We having the same spirit of faith, according as it iswritten, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we alsobelieve, and therefore speak;

¹⁴ Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise upus also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

¹⁵ For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant gracemight through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory ofGod.

¹⁶ For which cause we faint not; but though our outward manperish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, workethfor us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

¹⁸ While we look not at the things which are seen, but at thethings which are not seen: for the things which are seen aretemporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

¹ For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle weredissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made withhands, eternal in the heavens.

² For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed uponwith our house which is from heaven:

³ If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

⁴ For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened:not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, thatmortality might be swallowed up of life.

⁵ Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, whoalso hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we areat home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

⁷ (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

⁸ We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent fromthe body, and to be present with the Lord.

⁹ Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we maybe accepted of him.

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;that every one may receive the things done in his body,according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

¹¹ Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; butwe are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are mademanifest in your consciences.

¹² For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give youoccasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat toanswer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

¹³ For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whetherwe be sober, it is for your cause.

¹⁴ For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge,that if one died for all, then were all dead:

¹⁵ And that he died for all, that they which live should nothenceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died forthem, and rose again.

¹⁶ Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea,though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet nowhenceforth know we him no more.

¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: oldthings are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

¹⁸ And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himselfby Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry ofreconciliation;

¹⁹ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world untohimself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hathcommitted unto us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God didbeseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be yereconciled to God.

²¹ For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; thatwe might be made the righteousness of God in him.

¹ We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also thatye receive not the grace of God in vain.

² (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and inthe day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is theaccepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

³ Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be notblamed:

⁴ But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God,in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, indistresses,

⁵ In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, inwatchings, in fastings;

⁶ By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, bythe Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

⁷ By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour ofrighteousness on the right hand and on the left,

⁸ By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: asdeceivers, and yet true;

⁹ As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, welive; as chastened, and not killed;

¹⁰ As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making manyrich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

¹¹ O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart isenlarged.

¹² Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your ownbowels.

¹³ Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto mychildren,) be ye also enlarged.

¹⁴ Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for whatfellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and whatcommunion hath light with darkness?

¹⁵ And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath hethat believeth with an infidel?

¹⁶ And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for yeare the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I willdwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, andthey shall be my people.

¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saiththe Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receiveyou.

¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons anddaughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

¹ Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let uscleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

² Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man,we have defrauded no man.

³ I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, thatye are in our hearts to die and live with you.

⁴ Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is myglorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceedingjoyful in all our tribulation.

⁵ For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest,but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings,within were fears.

⁶ Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down,comforted us by the coming of Titus;

⁷ And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewithhe was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire,your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoicedthe more.

⁸ For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent,though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hathmade you sorry, though it were but for a season.

⁹ Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that yesorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godlymanner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

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

¹¹ For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godlysort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearingof yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea,what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! Inall things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in thismatter.

¹² Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his causethat had done the wrong, nor for his cause that sufferedwrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God mightappear unto you.

¹³ Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, andexceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, becausehis spirit was refreshed by you all.

¹⁴ For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am notashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even soour boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.

¹⁵ And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilsthe remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear andtrembling ye received him.

¹⁶ I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in allthings.

¹ Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of Godbestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

² How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of theirjoy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of theirliberality.

³ For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their powerthey were willing of themselves;

⁴ Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift,and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to thesaints.

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

⁶ Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so hewould also finish in you the same grace also.

⁷ Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, andutterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in yourlove to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

⁸ I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardnessof others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

⁹ For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, thoughhe was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that yethrough his poverty might be rich.

¹⁰ And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you,who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forwarda year ago.

¹¹ Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was areadiness to will, so there may be a performance also out ofthat which ye have.

¹² For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted accordingto that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

¹³ For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

¹⁴ But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance maybe a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be asupply for your want: that there may be equality:

¹⁵ As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over;and he that had gathered little had no lack.

¹⁶ But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into theheart of Titus for you.

¹⁷ For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being moreforward, of his own accord he went unto you.

¹⁸ And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in thegospel throughout all the churches;

¹⁹ And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches totravel with us with this grace, which is administered by us tothe glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your readymind:

²⁰ Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundancewhich is administered by us:

²¹ Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of theLord, but also in the sight of men.

²² And we have sent with them our brother, whom we haveoftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much morediligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

²³ Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner andfellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of,they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory ofChrist.

²⁴ Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proofof your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

¹ For as touching the ministering to the saints, it issuperfluous for me to write to you:

² For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast ofyou to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago;and your zeal hath provoked very many.

³ Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you shouldbe in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:

⁴ Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find youunprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in thissame confident boasting.

⁵ Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, thatthey would go before unto you, and make up beforehand yourbounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might beready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

⁶ But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap alsosparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap alsobountifully.

⁷ Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let himgive; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth acheerful giver.

⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye,always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound toevery good work:

⁹ (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given tothe poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

¹⁰ Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister breadfor your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase thefruits of your righteousness;)

¹¹ Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, whichcauseth through us thanksgiving to God.

¹² For the administration of this service not only supplieth thewant of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivingsunto God;

¹³ Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify Godfor your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, andfor your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

¹⁴ And by their prayer for you, which long after you for theexceeding grace of God in you.

¹⁵ Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

¹ Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentlenessof Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absentam bold toward you:

² But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am presentwith that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold againstsome, which think of us as if we walked according to theflesh.

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after theflesh:

⁴ (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mightythrough God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

⁵ Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exaltethitself against the knowledge of God, and bringing intocaptivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

⁶ And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, whenyour obedience is fulfilled.

⁷ Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any mantrust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself thinkthis again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

⁸ For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority,which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for yourdestruction, I should not be ashamed:

⁹ That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

¹⁰ For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but hisbodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

¹¹ Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word byletters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed whenwe are present.

¹² For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compareourselves with some that commend themselves: but theymeasuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselvesamong themselves, are not wise.

¹³ But we will not boast of things without our measure, butaccording to the measure of the rule which God hathdistributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

¹⁴ For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though wereached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also inpreaching the gospel of Christ:

¹⁵ Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of othermen's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased,that we shall be enlarged by you according to our ruleabundantly,

¹⁶ To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not toboast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

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

¹⁸ For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom theLord commendeth.

¹ Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: andindeed bear with me.

² For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I haveespoused you to one husband, that I may present you as achaste virgin to Christ.

³ But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Evethrough his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted fromthe simplicity that is in Christ.

⁴ For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we havenot preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye havenot received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted,ye might well bear with him.

⁵ For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefestapostles.

⁶ But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but wehave been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

⁷ Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might beexalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of Godfreely?

⁸ I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do youservice.

⁹ And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeableto no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren whichcame from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have keptmyself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keepmyself.

¹⁰ As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of thisboasting in the regions of Achaia.

¹¹ Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

¹² But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasionfrom them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, theymay be found even as we.

¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transformingthemselves into the apostles of Christ.

¹⁴ And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angelof light.

¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also betransformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shallbe according to their works.

¹⁶ I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet asa fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

¹⁷ That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as itwere foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

¹⁸ Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

¹⁹ For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

²⁰ For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a mandevour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if aman smite you on the face.

²¹ I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak.Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I ambold also.

²² Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Arethey the seed of Abraham? so am I.

²³ Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more;in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisonsmore frequent, in deaths oft.

²⁴ Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

²⁵ Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice Isuffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

²⁶ In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils ofrobbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by theheathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness,in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

²⁷ In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hungerand thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

²⁸ Beside those things that are without, that which cometh uponme daily, the care of all the churches.

²⁹ Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burnnot?

³⁰ If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things whichconcern mine infirmities.

³¹ The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessedfor evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

³² In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the cityof the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:

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

¹ It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come tovisions and revelations of the Lord.

² I knew a man in Christ about fourteen years ago, (whether inthe body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannottell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

³ And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of thebody, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

⁴ How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakablewords, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

⁵ Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory,but in mine infirmities.

⁶ For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; forI will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man shouldthink of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that heheareth of me.

⁷ And lest I should be exalted above measure through theabundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn inthe flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I shouldbe exalted above measure.

⁸ For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it mightdepart from me.

⁹ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for mystrength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly thereforewill I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power ofChrist may rest upon me.

¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, innecessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake:for when I am weak, then am I strong.

¹¹ I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for Iought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am Ibehind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

¹² Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in allpatience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

¹³ For what is it wherein you were inferior to other churches,except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgiveme this wrong.

¹⁴ Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I willnot be burdensome to you: for I seek not your's but you: forthe children ought not to lay up for the parents, but theparents for the children.

¹⁵ And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though themore abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

¹⁶ But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, beingcrafty, I caught you with guile.

¹⁷ Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?

¹⁸ I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus makea gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we notin the same steps?

¹⁹ Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speakbefore God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved,for your edifying.

²⁰ For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as Iwould, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye wouldnot: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes,backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

²¹ And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you,and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, andhave not repented of the uncleanness and fornication andlasciviousness which they have committed.

¹ This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of twoor three witnesses shall every word be established.

² I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, thesecond time; and being absent now I write to them whichheretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I comeagain, I will not spare:

³ Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which toyou-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

⁴ For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth bythe power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shalllive with him by the power of God toward you.

⁵ Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your ownselves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ isin you, except ye be reprobates?

⁶ But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

⁷ Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we shouldappear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest,though we be as reprobates.

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

⁹ For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and thisalso we wish, even your perfection.

¹⁰ Therefore I write these things being absent, lest beingpresent I should use sharpness, according to the power whichthe Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

¹¹ Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort,be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peaceshall be with you.

¹² Greet one another with an holy kiss.

¹³ All the saints salute you.

¹⁴ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, andthe communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.