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008:001  Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

008:002 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

008:003 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

008:004 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

008:005 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

008:006 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.

008:007 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

008:008 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

008:009 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

008:010 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

008:011 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

008:012 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

008:013 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

008:014 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

008:015 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

008:016 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

008:017 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.

008:018 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

008:019 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

008:020 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

008:021 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

008:022 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

008:023 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

008:024 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

009:001  For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

009:002 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

009:003 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:

009:004 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

009:005 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

009:006 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

009:007 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

009:008 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

009:009 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

009:010 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

009:011 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

009:012 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

009:013 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

009:014 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

009:015 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

010:001  Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

010:002 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

010:003 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

010:004 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

010:005 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

010:006 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

010:007 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

010:008 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

010:009 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

010:010 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

010:011 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.

010:012 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

010:013 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

010:014 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:

010:015 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

010:016 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

010:017 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

010:018 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

011:001  Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

011:002 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

011:003 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

011:004 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

011:005 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

011:006 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

011:007 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

011:008 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

011:009 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

011:010 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

011:011 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

011:012 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

011:013 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

011:014 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

011:015 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

011:016 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

011:017 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

011:018 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

011:019 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

011:020 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.

011:021 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.

011:022 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

011:023 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

011:024 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

011:025 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

011:026 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

011:027 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

011:028 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

011:029 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

011:030 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

011:031 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

011:032 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:

011:033 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

012:001  It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

012:002 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

012:003 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

012:004 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

012:005 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

012:006 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

012:007 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

012:008 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

012:009 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

012:010 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

012:011 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

012:012 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

012:013 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

012:014 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your's but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

012:015 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

012:016 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

012:017 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?

012:018 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

012:019 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

012:020 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

012:021 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

013:001  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

013:002 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

013:003 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

013:004 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

013:005 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

013:006 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

013:007 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.

013:008 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

013:009 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

013:010 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

013:011 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.

013:012 Greet one another with an holy kiss.

013:013 All the saints salute you.

013:014 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

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