that ye may have somewhat to an- give no occasion for stumbling in swer those who glory in outward ap- any thing, that the gospel may not pearance, and not in heart. For be blamed. whether we be beside ourselves, it is in zeal for God; or whether we are in our sound mind, it is in zeal for you; for the love of Christ constraineth us. 7 Let us, as servants of God, recommend ourselves in all things; in much endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, 2 Because we thus judged, that if in watchings, in fastings; in pureone died for all, then all were dead; ness, in knowledge, in long-suffering, also that he died for all in order in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in that they, awakened to the new life, should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died for their sakes, and lived again. love unfeigned, in the word of truth; in the power of God, by the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, through honor and 3 So that we henceforth should dishonor, through evil report and know no man in a mere bodily sense; good report; as deceivers, and yet and if we have known Christ in this true; as unknown, and yet well sense, now let us no longer know him thus, because, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. known; as dying, and behold, we yet live; as chastened, yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoic ing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things. 4 And all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through 8 Our mouth is open to you, our Christ, and gave to us the gospel of heart is enlarged. Ye have not a reconciliation; seeing that through narrow place in my heart, even Christ, God was reconciling the though ye may have a narrow place world to himself, not exacting pun- for me in yours: in return, then, I ishment for every one of our tres- speak to you as children, let your passes, but committing to us the hearts be enlarged for me. reconciling word. 9 Be not strangely yoked with the 5 We, then, are ambassadors for ungodly; for what fellowship hath Christ; as though God were entreat- righteousness with unrighteousness? ing you by us, in the name of Christ What communion hath light with we entreat you, Be reconciled to darkness? What concord hath Christ God. For him, who knew no trans- with Belial? What sympathy is gression, he permitted to suffer as a there between a believer and an infi transgressor for our sakes, that we del? might become God's righteousness through him. 6 As fellow-workers, then, with him, we exhort you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain; and 10 What agreement also hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God said: I will dwell among them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 4 For though by the letter which I wrote I caused you sorrow, I do II Wherefore come out from the not regret it now, though at first I midst of them, and be separated, did regret it; for I perceive that the saith the Lord, and touch not un-sorrow was but for a short time. I clean things; then will I receive you, rejoice, not that ye were made sorand will be to you a father, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 12 In view of these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. SELECTION XVI. rowful, but that your sorrow produced repentance; for the sorrow which ye felt had respect to God, and not to any injury received from me. 5 For sorrow before God worketh repentance to salvation never to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world worketh death. And behold Every true benefactor of men faithfully in this very thing, in which your rebukes error and wrong; and also opposes sorrow had respect to God, what selfishness by calling upon men to gener-earnestness it wrought in you; yea, ously share with those about them whatever what clearing of yourselves; yea, blessings they enjoy. what indignation; yea, what fear; RECEIVE me into your hearts; yea, what longing desire; yea, what for I have wronged no one, I zeal; yea, what readiness to suffer have corrupted no one, I have de- punishment! frauded no one. I do not say this to reproach you; for as I have said before, it is in my heart both to live and die for you. 2 My confidence in you is great, and great is my glorying on your account; I am filled with comfort, I overflow with joy even in the midst of all my trouble. 3 When I had come into Macedonia, my flesh had no rest, but I was troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. But God, that comforteth those who are brought low,comforted me; not only by the coming of Titus, but also by the comfort which he communicated from you, when he told me of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal in my behalf; so that I rejoiced the more. 6 Moreover, brethren, I make known to you the grace of God which hath been bestowed upon the congregations of Macedonia; how that, notwithstanding great trials of distress, their deep poverty increased the riches of their liberality and the abundance of their joy. I bear them witness that according to their power, and beyond their power, they gave; and that of their own accord, even begging of us with much entreaty the favor of sharing in the ministration to the saints; and this, not because we expected it, but of themselves they gave, first, as to the Lord, and then as to us by the will of God. 7 Now inasmuch as ye abound in all other things, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and earnest ness, and in your love to us, see to 12 Now, he that ministereth seed it that ye abound also in this exer- to the sower, and bread for food, cise of liberality; I do not say it by will supply and multiply your seed way of command, but on account of sown, and increase the fruits of your the earnestness of others, and to righteousness; that ye may be enprove the genuineness of your love. riched in every thing to all liberality, For ye know the graciousness of which worketh through us thanksJesus Christ our Master, that though giving to God, 13 For the ministration of this he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his pov-service not only supplieth the wants erty might be rich. 8 Therefore, as there was a readiness to will on your part, so let there now be a performance also, according to that which ye possess; for if there be first the willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, not according to what he hath not. of the saints, but also overfloweth through many to the praise of God. By the proof afforded through such ministrations men will glorify God both for your obedience to your profession in regard to the gospel of Christ, and also for the liberality of your contribution in regard to them 9 And it is not that others may be and in regard to all. At the same eased, and you burdened, but to time they will long for you, and make an equality; at the present offer supplication in your behalf, on season your abundance meeting account of the exceeding gracioustheir deficiency, that their abun- ness of God which is exhibited in dance may at another time meet your you. deficiency; that there may be equal 14 Thanks be to God, for his un ity; as it is written: He that gath-speakable gift. SELECTION XVII. material IO And this also I will say: He Goodness of heart, greatness of mind, that soweth sparingly, shall reap and usefulness of life, indicate a man's also sparingly; and he that soweth worth, whatever physical or bountifully, shall reap also bounti-deficiencies may accompany them. fully. Each one as he purposeth in NOW I Paul myself beseech you his heart, so let him give; not grudg by the meekness and gentleingly, or of necessity; for God lov-ness of Christ: I who in your preseth a cheerful giver. ence am indeed humble, but being absent am bold toward you. II And God is able to make every blessing abound toward you, in order 2 For though we live in the body that ye, having always a sufficiency we do not war according to the body. in every thing, may also abound to The weapons of our warfare are every good work; even as it is writ- not carnal, but mighty before God ten: He dispersed abroad, he gave to the casting down of strongholds; to the poor; his righteousness re-casting down vain reasonings, and maineth for ever. every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 9 Though I am rude in speech, 8 Not he that commendeth himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth. Yet I would 3 Ye look at outward appear- that ye could bear with me in a ances! If any man boasteth that little folly! I entreat you to bear he belongs to Christ, let him consider with me; for I am jealous over you this again with himself, that even as with a godly jealousy; inasmuch as he belongs to Christ, so also do we. I espoused you to one husband, to For though I should boast some- present you as a pure virgin to what overmuch concerning my au- Christ; and I am afraid, lest by some thority (which the Lord gave for means your minds should be corbuilding you up, and not for casting rupted from single-heartedness towyou down), I shall not be put to ard Christ. shame. 4 His letters, they say, are weighty yet I am not destitute of knowledge; and strong; but his bodily presence and this knowledge did I in every is weak, and his speech of no account. respect manifest to you in all things. Let such understand this, that what IO Have I committed an offence in I am in word by letters when I am abasing myself that ye might be exabsent, such am I also in deed when alted, in that I preached to you the I am present. gospel of God without charge? I robbed other congregations, taking wages of them, in order to serve you freely; and when I was among you, and in want, I was a charge to no one. The brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied my wants; so that in every thing I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and 5 I am not bold enough to number or compare myself with certain that commend themselves: for they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with one another, are not wise. 6 I will not boast of myself according to my measure, but according to the rule of measurement so will I keep myself. which God hath delivered to us,-a II In whatsoever any one is bold, measure by which you also should (I speak in folly,) I am as bold as measure yourselves. And I stretch not myself beyond this measure, in order to reach your approbation; for I seek your approbation only in preaching the gospel of Christ. 7 Neither do I go beyond this measure, in esteeming the labors of other men; but I have hope, when your faith is increased, that my influence will through you be still further extended, so that I may preach the gospel in the regions beyond. they. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's offspring? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as beside myself,) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often; of the Jews five times I received forty stripes save one; thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I spent in the deep; in journeyings will not glory, except in my infirmi often; in perils of rivers, in perils of ties. robbers, in perils from my country- 15 And that I might not be too men, in perils from the heathen, in much lifted up by the abundance of perils in the city, in perils in the the revelations, there was given to wilderness, in perils in the sea, in me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger perils among false brethren; in weari- of evil, to buffet me, that I might ness and painfulness, in watchings not be too much lifted up. In reoften, in hunger and thirst, in fast- spect to this I besought the Lord ings often, in cold and nakedness; thrice, that it might depart from me; and besides all these troubles, there and he said to me, My grace is suffiare those which press upon me every cient for thee; for thy strength is day, my anxiety for all the congre- made perfect in weakness. gations. 16 Most gladly therefore will I 12 Who are weak, without causing rather glory in my infirmities, that me to suffer with them in their the strength which was in Christ weakness? who is in danger of stum- may be in me also. With Christ as bling, and I do not burn? If I must my example I even take pleasure in glory, I will glory even in these infirmities, in reproaches, in necessithings for which I am reproached. ties, in persecutions, in distresses! for when I am weak, then am I strong. 13 But it is not necessary for me to glory in reproaches alone; I can speak also of visions, and of revelations from the Lord. parents, but the parents for the children: so will I very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though 17 Behold, I am ready to come to you this third time, but I will not 14 I know a man in Christ, four- be burdensome to you; for I seek teen years ago, whether in the body not yours, but you. Even as chilor out of the body, I know not; God dren ought not to lay up for the knoweth,-such a one caught up even to the third heaven. And I know such a man,-whether in the body or without the body, I know the more I love you, the less I am not; God knoweth,-that he was loved. caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one will I glory; but of myself I 18 Finally, brethren, farewell! Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you. |