1:1 Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the purpose of God, and

Timothy the brother, to the church of God which is in Corinth,

with all the saints who are in all Achaia:

1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord

Jesus Christ.

1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort;

1:4 Who gives us comfort in all our troubles, so that we may be

able to give comfort to others who are in trouble, through the

comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

1:5 For as we undergo more of the pain which Christ underwent,

so through Christ does our comfort become greater.

1:6 But if we are troubled, it is for your comfort and

salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort,

which takes effect through your quiet undergoing of the same

troubles which we undergo:

1:7 And our hope for you is certain; in the knowledge that as

you take part in the troubles, so you will take part in the

comfort.

1:8 For it is our desire that you may not be without knowledge

of our trouble which came on us in Asia, that the weight of it

was very great, more than our power, so that it seemed that we

had no hope even of life:

1:9 Yes, we ourselves have had the answer of death in ourselves,

so that our hope might not be in ourselves, but in God who is

able to give life to the dead:

1:10 Who gave us salvation from so great a death: on whom we

have put our hope that he will still go on to give us

salvation;

1:11 You at the same time helping together by your prayer for

us; so that for what has been given to us through a number of

persons, praise may go up to God for us from all of them.

1:12 For our glory is in this, in the knowledge which we have

that our way of life in the world, and most of all in relation

to you, has been holy and true in the eyes of God; not in the

wisdom of the flesh, but in the grace of God.

1:13 For in our letters we say no other things to you, but those

which you are reading, and to which you give agreement, and, it

is my hope, will go on doing so to the end:

1:14 Even as you have been ready, in part, to say that we are

your glory, in the same way that you are ours, in the day of

the Lord Jesus.

1:15 And being certain of this, it was my purpose to come to you

before, so that you might have a second grace;

1:16 And by way of Corinth to go into Macedonia, and from there

to come back again to you, so that you might send me on my way

to Judaea.

1:17 If then I had such a purpose, did I seem to be changing

suddenly? or am I guided in my purposes by the flesh, saying,

Yes, today, and, No, tomorrow?

1:18 As God is true, our word to you is not Yes and No.

1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we were preaching

among you, even I and Silvanus and Timothy, was not Yes and No,

but in him is Yes.

1:20 For he is the Yes to all the undertakings of God: and by

him all the words of God are made certain and put into effect,

to the glory of God through us.

1:21 Now he who makes our faith strong together with you, in

Christ, and has given us of his grace, is God;

1:22 And it is he who has put his stamp on us, even the Spirit,

as the sign in our hearts of the coming glory.

1:23 But God is my witness that it was in pity for you that I

did not come to Corinth at that time.

1:24 Not that we have authority over your faith, but we are

helpers of your joy: for it is faith which is your support.

2:1 But it was my decision for myself, not to come again to you

with sorrow.

2:2 For if I give you sorrow, who then will make me glad, but he

who is made sad by me?

2:3 And I said this very thing in my letter, for fear that when

I came I might have sorrow from those from whom it was right

for me to have joy; being certain of this, that my joy is the

joy of you all.

2:4 For out of much trouble and pain of heart and much weeping I

sent my letter to you; not to give you sorrow, but so that you

might see how great is the love which I have to you.

2:5 But if anyone has been a cause of sorrow, he has been so,

not to me only, but in some measure to all of you (I say this

that I may not be over-hard on you).

2:6 Let it be enough for such a man to have undergone the

punishment which the church put on him;

2:7 So that now, on the other hand, it is right for him to have

forgiveness and comfort from you, for fear that his sorrow may

be over-great.

2:8 For which cause my desire is that you will make your love to

him clear by your acts.

2:9 And for the same reason I sent you a letter so that I might

be certain of your desire to do my orders in all things.

2:10 But if you give forgiveness to anyone, I do the same: for

if I have given forgiveness for anything, I have done it

because of you, in the person of Christ;

2:11 So that Satan may not get the better of us: for we are not

without knowledge of his designs.

2:12 Now when I came to Troas for the good news of Christ, and

there was an open door for me in the Lord,

2:13 I had no rest in my spirit because Titus my brother was not

there: so I went away from them, and came into Macedonia.

2:14 But praise be to God who makes us strong to overcome in

Christ, and makes clear through us in every place the value of

the knowledge of him.

2:15 For we are a sweet perfume of Christ to God in those who

are getting salvation and in those who are going to

destruction;

2:16 To the one it is a perfume of death to death; to the other

a perfume of life to life. And who is enough for such things?

2:17 For we are not like the great number who make use of the

word of God for profit: but our words are true, as from God,

being said as before God in Christ.

3:1 Do we seem to be again attempting to put ourselves in the

right? or have we need, as some have, of letters of approval to

you or from you?

3:2 You yourselves are our letter, whose writing is in our

heart, open for every man's reading and knowledge;

3:3 For you are clearly a letter of Christ, the fruit of our

work, recorded not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living

God; not in stone, but in hearts of flesh.

3:4 And this is the certain faith which we have in God through

Christ:

3:5 Not as if we were able by ourselves to do anything for which

we might take the credit; but our power comes from God;

3:6 Who has made us able to be servants of a new agreement; not

of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter gives death,

but the Spirit gives life.

3:7 For if the operation of the law, giving death, recorded in

letters on stone, came with glory, so that the eyes of the

children of Israel had to be turned away from the face of Moses

because of its glory, a glory which was only for a time:

3:8 Will not the operation of the Spirit have a much greater

glory?

3:9 For if the operation of the law, producing punishment, had

its glory, how much greater will be the operation of the Spirit

causing righteousness?

3:10 For the glory of the first no longer seems to be glory,

because of the greater glory of that which comes after.

3:11 For if the order which was for a time had its glory, much

more will the eternal order have its glory.

3:12 Having then such a hope, we keep nothing back,

3:13 And are not like Moses, who put a veil on his face, so that

the children of Israel might not see clearly to the end of the

present order of things:

3:14 But their minds were made hard: for to this very day at the

reading of the old agreement the same veil is still unlifted;

though it is taken away in Christ.

3:15 But to this day, at the reading of the law of Moses, a veil

is over their heart.

3:16 But when it is turned to the Lord, the veil will be taken

away.

3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the

Lord is, there the heart is free.

3:18 But we all, with unveiled face giving back as in a glass

the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from

glory to glory, even as from the Lord who is the Spirit.

4:1 For this reason, because we have been made servants of this

new order, through the mercy given to us, we are strong:

4:2 And we have given up the secret things of shame, not walking

in false ways, and not making use of the word of God with

deceit; but by the revelation of what is true, as before God,

we have the approval of every man's sense of right and wrong.

4:3 But if our good news is veiled, it is veiled from those who

are on the way to destruction:

4:4 Because the god of this world has made blind the minds of

those who have not faith, so that the light of the good news of

the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not be

shining on them.

4:5 For our preaching is not about ourselves, but about Christ

Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants through Jesus.

4:6 Seeing that it is God who said, Let light be shining out of

the dark, who has put in our hearts the light of the knowledge

of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

4:7 But we have this wealth in vessels of earth, so that it may

be seen that the power comes not from us but from God;

4:8 Troubles are round us on every side, but we are not shut in;

things are hard for us, but we see a way out of them;

4:9 We are cruelly attacked, but not without hope; we are made

low, but we are not without help;

4:10 In our bodies there is ever the mark of the death of Jesus,

so that the life of Jesus may be seen in our bodies.

4:11 For, while living, we are still being given up to death

because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be seen in our

flesh, though it is under the power of death.

4:12 So then, death is working in us, but life in you.

4:13 But having the same spirit of faith, as it is said in the

Writings, The words of my mouth came from the faith in my

heart; in the same way, our words are the outcome of our faith;

4:14 Because we are certain that he who made the Lord Jesus come

back from the dead, will do the same for us, and will give us a

place in his glory with you.

4:15 For we go through all things on account of you, because the

greater the number to whom the grace is given, the greater is

the praise to the glory of God.

4:16 For which cause we do not give way to weariness; but though

our outer man is getting feebler, our inner man is made new day

by day.

4:17 For our present trouble, which is only for a short time, is

working out for us a much greater weight of glory;

4:18 While our minds are not on the things which are seen, but

on the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen

are for a time; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

5:1 For we are conscious that if this our tent of flesh is taken

down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands,

eternal, in heaven.

5:2 For in this we are crying in weariness, greatly desiring to

be clothed with our house from heaven:

5:3 So that our spirits may not be unclothed.

5:4 For truly, we who are in this tent do give out cries of

weariness, for the weight of care which is on us; not because

we are desiring to be free from the body, but so that we may

have our new body, and death may be overcome by life.

5:5 Now he who has made us for this very thing is God, who has

given us the Spirit as a witness of what is to come.

5:6 So, then, we are ever without fear, and though conscious

that while we are in the body we are away from the Lord,

5:7 (For we are walking by faith, not by seeing,)

5:8 We are without fear, desiring to be free from the body, and

to be with the Lord.

5:9 For this reason we make it our purpose, in the body or away

from it, to be well-pleasing to him.

5:10 For we all have to come before Christ to be judged; so that

every one of us may get his reward for the things done in the

body, good or bad.

5:11 Having in mind, then, the fear of the Lord, we put these

things before men, but God sees our hearts; and it is my hope

that we may seem right in your eyes.

5:12 We are not again requesting your approval, but we are

giving you the chance of taking pride in us, so that you may be

able to give an answer to those whose glory is in seeming, and

not in the heart.

5:13 For if we are foolish, it is to God; or if we are serious,

it is for you.

5:14 For it is the love of Christ which is moving us; because we

are of the opinion that if one was put to death for all, then

all have undergone death;

5:15 And that he underwent death for all, so that the living

might no longer be living to themselves, but to him who

underwent death for them and came back from the dead.

5:16 For this reason, from this time forward we have knowledge

of no man after the flesh: even if we have had knowledge of

Christ after the flesh, we have no longer any such knowledge.

5:17 So if any man is in Christ, he is in a new world: the old

things have come to an end; they have truly become new.

5:18 But all things are of God, who has made us at peace with

himself through Christ, and has given to us the work of making

peace;

5:19 That is, that God was in Christ making peace between the

world and himself, not putting their sins to their account, and

having given to us the preaching of this news of peace.

5:20 So we are the representatives of Christ, as if God was

making a request to you through us: we make our request to you,

in the name of Christ, be at peace with God.

5:21 For him who had no knowledge of sin God made to be sin for

us; so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

6:1 We then, working together with God, make our request to you

not to take the grace of God to no purpose.

6:2 (For he says, I have given ear to you at a good time, and I

have been your helper in a day of salvation: see, now is the

good time; now is the day of salvation):

6:3 Giving no cause for trouble in anything, so that no one may

be able to say anything against our work;

6:4 But in everything making it clear that we are the servants

of God, in quiet strength, in troubles, in need, in sorrow,

6:5 In blows, in prisons, in attacks, in hard work, in

watchings, in going without food;

6:6 In a clean heart, in knowledge, in long waiting, in being

kind, in the Holy Spirit, in true love,

6:7 In the true word, in the power of God; with the arms of

righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

6:8 By glory and by shame, by an evil name and a good name; as

untrue, and still true;

6:9 Unnoted, but still kept fully in mind; as near to death, but

still living; as undergoing punishment, but not put to death;

6:10 As full of sorrow, but ever glad; as poor, but giving

wealth to others; as having nothing, but still having all

things.

6:11 Our mouth is open to you, O Corinthians, our heart is wide.

6:12 It is not our feelings to you which are narrow, but yours

to us.

6:13 Now to give me back payment of the same sort (I am talking

as to my children), let your hearts be wide open to me.

6:14 Do not keep company with those who have not faith: for what

is there in common between righteousness and evil, or between

light and dark?

6:15 And what agreement is there between Christ and the Evil

One? or what part has one who has faith with one who has not?

6:16 And what agreement has the house of God with images? for we

are a house of the living God; even as God has said, I will be

living among them, and walking with them; and I will be their

God, and they will be my people.

6:17 For which cause, Come out from among them, and be separate,

says the Lord, and let no unclean thing come near you; and I

will take you for myself,

6:18 And will be a Father to you; and you will be my sons and

daughters, says the Lord, the Ruler of all.

7:1 Because God, then, will give us such rewards, dear brothers,

let us make ourselves clean from all evil of flesh and spirit,

and become completely holy in the fear of God.

7:2 Let your hearts be open to us: we have done no man wrong, no

man has been damaged by us, we have made no profit out of any

man,

7:3 It is not with the purpose of judging you that I say this:

for I have said before that you are in our hearts for life and

death together.

7:4 My words to you are without fear, I am full of pride on

account of you: I have great comfort and joy in all our

troubles.

7:5 For even when we had come into Macedonia our flesh had no

rest, but we were troubled on every side; there were fightings

outside and fears inside.

7:6 But God who gives comfort to the poor in spirit gave us

comfort by the coming of Titus;

7:7 And not by his coming only, but by the comfort which he had

in you, while he gave us word of your desire, your sorrow, your

care for me; so that I was still more glad.

7:8 For though my letter gave you pain, I have no regret for it

now, though I had before; for I see that the letter gave you

pain, but only for a time.

7:9 Now I am glad, not that you had sorrow, but that your sorrow

was the cause of a change of heart; for yours was a holy sorrow

so that you might undergo no loss by us in anything.

7:10 For the sorrow which God gives is the cause of salvation

through a change of heart, in which there is no reason for

grief: but the sorrow of the world is a cause of death.

7:11 For you see what care was produced in you by this very

sorrow of yours before God, what clearing of yourselves, what

wrath against sin, what fear, what desire, what serious

purpose, what punishment. In everything you have made it clear

that you are free from sin in this business.

7:12 So though I sent you a letter, it was not only because of

the man who did the wrong, or because of him to whom the wrong

was done, but so that your true care for us might be made clear

in the eyes of God.

7:13 So we have been comforted: and we had the greater joy in

our comfort because of the joy of Titus, for his spirit had

been made glad by you all.

7:14 For I was not put to shame in anything in which I may have

made clear to him my pride in you; but as we said nothing to

you but what was true, so the good things which I said to Titus

about you were seen by him to be true.

7:15 And his love to you is the more increased by his memory of

you all, how you gave way to his authority, and how you took

him to your hearts with fear and honour.

7:16 It gives me great joy to see you answering to my good

opinion of you in every way.

8:1 And now we give you news, brothers, about the grace of God

which has been given to the churches of Macedonia;

8:2 How while they were undergoing every sort of trouble, and

were in the greatest need, they took all the greater joy in

being able to give freely to the needs of others.

8:3 For I give them witness, that as they were able, and even

more than they were able, they gave from the impulse of their

hearts,

8:4 Seriously requesting us that they might have a part in this

grace of being servants to the needs of the saints:

8:5 And going even farther than our hope, they first gave

themselves to the Lord and to us after the purpose of God.

8:6 So that we made a request to Titus that, as he had made a

start before, so he might make this grace complete in you.

8:7 And that as you are full of every good thing, of faith, of

the word, of knowledge, of a ready mind, and of love to us, so

you may be full of this grace in the same way.

8:8 I am not giving you an order, but using the ready mind of

others as a test of the quality of your love.

8:9 For you see the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, how though

he had wealth, he became poor on your account, so that through

his need you might have wealth.

8:10 And in this I give my opinion: for it is to your profit,

who were the first to make a start a year before, not only to

do this, but to make clear that your minds were more than ready

to do it.

8:11 Then make the doing of it complete; so that as you had a

ready mind, you may give effect to it as you are able.

8:12 For if there is a ready mind, a man will have God's

approval in the measure of what he has, and not of what he has

not.

8:13 And I am not saying this so that others may get off free,

while the weight comes on you:

8:14 But so that things may be equal; that from those things of

which you have more than enough at the present time their need

may be helped, and that if you are in any need they may be a

help to you in the same way, making things equal.

8:15 As it says in the Writings, He who had taken up much had

nothing over and he who had little had enough.

8:16 But praise be to God, who puts the same care for you into

the heart of Titus.

8:17 For while he gladly gave ear to our request, he was

interested enough to go to you from the impulse of his heart.

8:18 And with him we have sent a brother whose praise in the

good news has gone through all the churches;

8:19 And not only so, but he was marked out by the churches to

go with us in the grace of this giving which we have undertaken

to the glory of the Lord and to make clear that our mind was

ready:

8:20 And so that no man might be able to say anything against us

in the business of this giving which has been put into our

hands:

8:21 For the business has been so ordered by us as to have the

approval, not only of the Lord, but of men.

8:22 And we have sent with them our brother, whose ready spirit

has been made clear to us at times and in ways without number,

but it is now all the more so because of the certain faith

which he has in you.

8:23 If any question comes up about Titus, he is my

brother-worker, working with me for you; or about the others,

they are the representatives of the churches to the glory of

Christ.

8:24 Make clear then to them, as representatives of the

churches, the quality of your love, and that the things which

we have said about you are true.

9:1 But there is no need for me to say anything in my letter

about the giving to the saints:

9:2 For I have before made clear to those of Macedonia my pride

in your ready mind, saying to them that Achaia has been ready

for a year back; and a great number have been moved to do the

same by your example.

9:3 But I have sent the brothers, so that the good things we

said about you may be seen to be true, and that, as I said, you

may be ready:

9:4 For fear that, if any from Macedonia come with me, and you

are not ready, we (not to say, you) might be put to shame in

this thing.

9:5 So it seemed to me wise for the brothers to go before, and

see that the amount which you had undertaken to give was ready,

so that it might be a cause for praise, and not as if we were

making profit out of you.

9:6 But in the Writings it says, He who puts in only a small

number of seeds, will get in the same; and he who puts them in

from a full hand, will have produce in full measure from them.

9:7 Let every man do after the purpose of his heart; not giving

with grief, or by force: for God takes pleasure in a ready

giver.

9:8 And God is able to give you all grace in full measure; so

that ever having enough of all things, you may be full of every

good work:

9:9 As it is said in the Writings, He has sent out far and wide,

he has given to the poor; his righteousness is for ever.

9:10 And he who gives seed for putting into the field and bread

for food, will take care of the growth of your seed, at the

same time increasing the fruits of your righteousness;

9:11 Your wealth being increased in everything, with a simple

mind, causing praise to God through us.

9:12 For this work of giving not only takes care of the needs of

the saints, but is the cause of much praise to God;

9:13 For when, through this work of giving, they see what you

are, they give glory to God for the way in which you have given

yourselves to the good news of Christ, and for the wealth of

your giving to them and to all;

9:14 While their hearts go out to you in love and in prayer for

you, because of the great grace of God which is in you.

9:15 Praise be to God for what he has given, which words have no

power to say.

10:1 Now I, Paul, myself make request to you by the quiet and

gentle behaviour of Christ, I who am poor in spirit when with

you, but who say what is in my mind to you without fear when I

am away from you:

10:2 Yes, I make my request to you, so that when I am with you I

may not have to make use of the authority which may be needed

against some to whom we seem to be walking after the flesh.

10:3 For though we may be living in the flesh, we are not

fighting after the way of the flesh

10:4 (For the arms with which we are fighting are not those of

the flesh, but are strong before God for the destruction of

high places);

10:5 Putting an end to reasonings, and every high thing which is

lifted up against the knowledge of God, and causing every

thought to come under the authority of Christ;

10:6 Being ready to give punishment to whatever is against his

authority, after you have made it clear that you are completely

under his control.

10:7 Give attention to the things which are before you. If any

man seems to himself to be Christ's, let him keep in mind that

we are as much Christ's as he is.

10:8 For though I might take pride in our authority (which the

Lord gave for building you up, and not for your destruction),

it will not be a cause of shame to me:

10:9 That I may not seem to have the desire of causing you fear

by my letters.

10:10 For his letters, they say, have weight and are strong; but

in body he is feeble, and his way of talking has little force.

10:11 Let those who say this keep in mind that, what we are in

word by letters when we are away, so will we be in act when we

are present.

10:12 For we will not make comparison of ourselves with some of

those who say good things about themselves: but these,

measuring themselves by themselves, and making comparison of

themselves with themselves, are not wise.

10:13 We will not give glory to ourselves in over-great measure,

but after the measure of the rule which God has given us, a

measure which comes even to you.

10:14 For we have no need to make ourselves seem more than we

are, as if our authority did not come as far as to you: for we

came even as far as you with the good news of Christ:

10:15 Not taking credit to ourselves for what is not our

business, that is, for the work of others; but having hope

that, with the growth of your faith, we may get the credit for

an increase which is the effect of our work,

10:16 So that we may be able to go on and take the good news to

countries still farther away than you are, and not take credit

for another man's work in making things ready to our hand.

10:17 But whoever has a desire for glory, let his glory be in

the Lord.

10:18 For the Lord's approval of a man is not dependent on his

opinion of himself, but on the Lord's opinion of him.

11:1 Put up with me if I am a little foolish: but, truly, you do

put up with me.

11:2 For I have a very great care for you: because you have been

married by me to one husband, and it is my desire to give you

completely holy to Christ.

11:3 But I have a fear, that in some way, as Eve was tricked by

the deceit of the snake, your minds may be turned away from

their simple and holy love for Christ.

11:4 For if anyone comes preaching another Jesus from the one

whose preachers we are, or if you have got a different spirit,

or a different sort of good news from those which came to you,

how well you put up with these things.

11:5 For in my opinion, I am in no way less than the most

important of the Apostles.

11:6 But though I am rough in my way of talking, I am not so in

knowledge, as we have made clear to all by our acts among you.

11:7 Or did I do wrong in making myself low so that you might be

lifted up, because I gave you the good news of God without

reward?

11:8 I took money from other churches as payment for my work, so

that I might be your servant;

11:9 And when I was present with you, and was in need, I let no

man be responsible for me; for the brothers, when they came

from Macedonia, gave me whatever was needed; and in everything

I kept myself from being a trouble to you, and I will go on

doing so.

11:10 As the true word of Christ is in me, I will let no man

take from me this my cause of pride in the country of Achaia.

11:11 Why? because I have no love for you? let God be judge.

11:12 But what I do, that I will go on doing, so that I may give

no chance to those who are looking for one; so that, in the

cause of their pride, they may be seen to be the same as we

are.

11:13 For such men are false Apostles, workers of deceit, making

themselves seem like Apostles of Christ.

11:14 And it is no wonder; for even Satan himself is able to

take the form of an angel of light.

11:15 So it is no great thing if his servants make themselves

seem to be servants of righteousness; whose end will be the

reward of their works.

11:16 I say again, Let me not seem foolish to anyone; but if I

do, put up with me as such, so that I may take a little glory

to myself.

11:17 What I am now saying is not by the order of the Lord, but

as a foolish person, taking credit to myself, as it seems.

11:18 Seeing that there are those who take credit to themselves

after the flesh, I will do the same.

11:19 For you put up with the foolish gladly, being wise

yourselves.

11:20 You put up with a man if he makes servants of you, if he

makes profit out of you, if he makes you prisoners, if he puts

himself in a high place, if he gives you blows on the face.

11:21 I say this by way of shaming ourselves, as if we had been

feeble. But if anyone puts himself forward (I am talking like a

foolish person), I will do the same.

11:22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they of Israel? so am I.

Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

11:23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking foolishly) I am

more so; I have had more experience of hard work, of prisons,

of blows more than measure, of death.

11:24 Five times the Jews gave me forty blows but one.

11:25 Three times I was whipped with rods, once I was stoned,

three times the ship I was in came to destruction at sea, a

night and a day I have been in the water;

11:26 In frequent travels, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from

outlaws, in dangers from my countrymen, in dangers from the

Gentiles, in dangers in the town, in dangers in the waste land,

in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers;

11:27 In hard work and weariness, in frequent watchings, going

without food and drink, cold and in need of clothing.

11:28 In addition to all the other things, there is that which

comes on me every day, the care of all the churches.

11:29 Who is feeble and I am not feeble? who is in danger of

falling, and I am not angry?

11:30 If I have to take credit to myself, I will do so in the

things in which I am feeble.

11:31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be

praise for ever, is witness that the things which I say are

true.

11:32 In Damascus, the ruler under Aretas the king kept watch

over the town of the people of Damascus, in order to take me:

11:33 And being let down in a basket from the wall through a

window, I got free from his hands.

12:1 As it is necessary for me to take glory to myself, though

it is not a good thing, I will come to visions and revelations

of the Lord.

12:2 I have knowledge of a man in Christ, fourteen years back

(if he was in the body, or out of the body, I am not able to

say, but God only), who was taken up to the third heaven.

12:3 And I have knowledge of such a man (if he was in the body,

or out of the body, I am not able to say, but God only),

12:4 How he was taken up into Paradise, and words came to his

ears which may not be said, and which man is not able to say.

12:5 On account of such a one I will have glory: for myself I

will take no glory, but only in my feeble body.

12:6 For if I had a desire to take credit to myself, it would

not be foolish, for I would be saying what is true: but I will

not, for fear that I might seem to any man more than he sees me

to be, or has word from me that I am.

12:7 And because the revelations were so very great, in order

that I might not be overmuch lifted up, there was given to me a

thorn in the flesh, one sent from Satan to give me pain.

12:8 And about this thing I made request to the Lord three times

that it might be taken away from me.

12:9 And he said to me, My grace is enough for you, for my power

is made complete in what is feeble. Most gladly, then, will I

take pride in my feeble body, so that the power of Christ may

be on me.

12:10 So I take pleasure in being feeble, in unkind words, in

needs, in cruel attacks, in troubles, on account of Christ: for

when I am feeble, then am I strong.

12:11 I have been forced by you to become foolish, though it was

right for my praise to have come from you: for in no way was I

less than the chief of the Apostles, though I am nothing.

12:12 Truly the signs of an Apostle were done among you in quiet

strength, with wonders and acts of power.

12:13 For what is there in which you were made less than the

other churches, but in the one thing that I was not a trouble

to you? Let me have forgiveness for this wrong.

12:14 This is now the third time that I am ready to come to you;

and I will not be a trouble to you: my desire is for you, not

for your property: for it is not the children's business to

make store for their fathers, but the fathers for the children.

12:15 And I will gladly give all I have for your souls. If I

have the more love for you, am I to be loved the less?

12:16 But let it be so, that I was not a trouble to you myself;

but (someone may say) being false, I took you with deceit.

12:17 Did I make a profit out of you by any of those whom I sent

to you?

12:18 I gave orders to Titus, and I sent the brother with him.

Did Titus make any profit out of you? were we not guided by the

same Spirit, in the same ways?

12:19 It may seem to you that all this time we have been

attempting to put ourselves in the right; but we are saying

these things before God in Christ. For all things, dear

brothers, are for your profit.

12:20 For I have a fear that, when I come, you may not be

answering to my desire, and that I may not be answering to

yours; that there may be fighting, hate, angry feeling,

divisions, evil talk about others, secrets, thoughts of pride,

outbursts against authority;

12:21 And that when I come again, my God may put me to shame

among you, and I may have grief for those who have done wrong

before and have had no regret for their unclean ways, and for

the evil desires of the flesh to which they have given way.

13:1 This is the third time that I am coming to you. From the

mouth of two or three witnesses will every word be made

certain.

13:2 I said before, and still say it before I come, as being

present for the second time, though I am still away from you,

to those who have done wrong before, and to all the others,

that if I come again I will not have pity;

13:3 Seeing that you are looking for a sign of Christ giving out

his word in me; who is not feeble in relation to you, but is

strong in you:

13:4 For he was feeble in that he was put to death on the cross,

but he is living by the power of God. And we are feeble in him,

but we will be living with him through the power of God in

relation to you.

13:5 Make a test of yourselves, if you are in the faith; make

certain of yourselves. Or are you not conscious in yourselves

that Jesus Christ is in you, if you are truly Christ's?

13:6 But it is my hope that you will have no doubt that we are

truly Christ's.

13:7 Now our prayer to God is that you may do no evil; not in

order that it may be put to our credit, but so that you may do

what is right, whatever we may seem.

13:8 Because we are able to do nothing against what is true, but

only for it.

13:9 For we are glad when we are feeble and you are strong: and

this is our prayer, even that you may be made complete.

13:10 For this cause I am writing these things while I am away,

so that there may be need for me, when I am present, to make

use of sharp measures, by the authority which the Lord has

given me for building up and not for destruction.

13:11 Let this be my last word, brothers; be glad; be complete;

be comforted; be of the same mind; be at peace with one

another: and the God of love and peace will be with you.

13:12 Give one another a holy kiss.

13:13 All the saints send their love to you.

13:14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,

and the harmony of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.