9:9. As it is written: He hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor: his justice remaineth for ever.
9:10. And he that ministereth seed to the sower will both give you bread to eat and will multiply your seed and increase the growth of the fruits of your justice:
9:11. That being enriched in all things, you may abound unto all simplicity which worketh through us thanksgiving to G.o.d.
9:12. Because the administration of this office doth not only supply the want of the saints, but aboundeth also by many thanksgivings in the Lord.
9:13. By the proof of this ministry, glorifying G.o.d for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ and for the simplicity of your communicating unto them and unto all.
9:14. And in their praying for you, being desirous of you, because of the excellent grace of G.o.d in you.
9:15. Thanks be to G.o.d for his unspeakable gift.
2 Corinthians Chapter 10
To stop the calumny and boasting of false apostles, he set forth the power of his apostleship.
10:1. Now I Paul, myself beseech you, by the mildness and modesty of Christ: who in presence indeed am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.
10:2. But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence wherewith I am thought to be bold, against some who reckon us as if we walked according to the flesh.
10:3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
10:4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty to G.o.d, unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels,
10:5. And every height that exalteth itself against the knowledge of G.o.d: and bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ:
10:6. And having in readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled.
10:7. See the things that are according to outward appearance. If any man trust to himself, that he is Christ"s let him think this again with himself, that as he is Christ"s, so are we also.
10:8. For if also I should boast somewhat more of our power, which the Lord hath given us unto edification and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed.
10:9. But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles,
10:10. (For his epistles indeed, say they, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible):
10:11. Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by epistles when absent, such also we will be indeed when present.
10:12. For we dare not match or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but we measure ourselves by ourselves and compare ourselves with ourselves.
10:13. But we will not glory beyond our measure: but according to the measure of the rule which G.o.d hath measured to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
10:14. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as if we reached not unto you. For we are come as far as to you in the Gospel of Christ.
10:15. Not glorying beyond measure in other men"s labours: but having hope of your increasing faith, to be magnified in you according to our rule abundantly.
10:16. Yea, unto those places that are beyond you to preach the gospel: not to glory in another man"s rule, in those things that are made ready to our hand.
10:17. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
10:18. For not he who commendeth himself is approved: but he, whom G.o.d commendeth.
2 Corinthians Chapter 11
He is forced to commend himself and his labours, lest the Corinthians should be imposed upon by the false apostles.
11:1. Would to G.o.d you could bear with some little of my folly! But do bear with me.
My folly... So he calls his reciting his own praises, which, commonly speaking is looked upon as a piece of folly and vanity; though the apostle was constrained to do it, for the good of the souls committed to his charge.
11:2. For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of G.o.d. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
11:3. But I fear lest, as the serpent seduced Eve by his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted and fall from the simplicity that is in Christ.
11:4. For if he that cometh preacheth another Christ, whom we have not preached; or if you receive another Spirit, whom you have not received; or another gospel, which you have not received: you might well bear with him.
11:5. For I suppose that I have done nothing less than the great apostles.
11:6. For although I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge: but in all things we have been made manifest to you.
11:7. Or did I commit a fault, humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached unto you the Gospel of G.o.d freely?
11:8. I have taken from other churches, receiving wages of them for your ministry.
11:9. And, when I was present with you and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was wanting to me, the brethren supplied who came from Macedonia. And in all things I have kept myself from being burthensome to you: and so I will keep myself.
11:10. The truth of Christ is in me, that this glorying shall not be broken off in me in the regions of Achaia.
11:11. Wherefore? Because I love you not? G.o.d knoweth it.
11:12. But what I do, that I will do: that I may cut off the occasion from them that desire occasion: that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
11:13. For such false apostles are deceitful workmen, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
11:14. And no wonder: for Satan himself transformeth himself into an angel of light.
11:15. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers be transformed as the ministers of justice, whose end shall be according to their works.
11:16. I say again (Let no man think me to be foolish: otherwise take me as one foolish, that I also may glory a little):
11:17. That which I speak, I speak not according to G.o.d: but as it were in foolishness, in this matter of glorying.
11:18. Seeing that many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also.
11:19. For you gladly suffer the foolish: whereas yourselves are wise.
11:20. For you suffer if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take from you, if a man be lifted up, if a man strike you on the face.