1:17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay? 1:18 But as G.o.d is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
1:19 For the Son of G.o.d, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silva.n.u.s and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
1:20 For all the promises of G.o.d in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of G.o.d by us.
1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is G.o.d; 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
1:23 Moreover I call G.o.d for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
1:24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
2:1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
2:2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 2:3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
2:4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
2:5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
2:6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
2:8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
2:9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
2:10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
2:12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ"s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, 2:13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not t.i.tus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
2:14 Now thanks be unto G.o.d, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
2:15 For we are unto G.o.d a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 2:16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of G.o.d: but as of sincerity, but as of G.o.d, in the sight of G.o.d speak we in Christ.
3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living G.o.d; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to G.o.d-ward: 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of G.o.d; 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a gla.s.s the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.
4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of G.o.d deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man"s conscience in the sight of G.o.d.
4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4:4 In whom the G.o.d of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of G.o.d, should shine unto them.
4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus" sake.
4:6 For G.o.d, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of G.o.d in the face of Jesus Christ.
4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of G.o.d, and not of us.
4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus" sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
4:12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of G.o.d.
4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 4:18 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.
5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of G.o.d, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is G.o.d, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
5:9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
5:10 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.
5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto G.o.d; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
5:12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
5:13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to G.o.d: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.