Book 47 2 Corinthians

47:001:001 Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

47:001:002 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the

Lord Jesus Christ.

47:001:003 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the

Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

47:001:004 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

47:001:005 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

47:001:006 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

47:001:007 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are

partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the

consolation.

47:001:008 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble

which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure,

above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

47:001:009 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should

not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

47:001:010 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in

whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

47:001:011 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

47:001:012 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

47:001:013 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;

47:001:014 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are our's in the day of the Lord Jesus.

47:001:015 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;

47:001:016 And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of

Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward

Judaea.

47:001:017 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?

47:001:018 But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.

47:001:019 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.

47:001:020 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen,

unto the glory of God by us.

47:001:021 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath

anointed us, is God;

47:001:022 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit

in our hearts.

47:001:023 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare

you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

47:001:024 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers

of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

47:002:001 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again

to you in heaviness.

47:002:002 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad,

but the same which is made sorry by me?

47:002:003 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.

47:002:004 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.

47:002:005 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in

part: that I may not overcharge you all.

47:002:006 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was

inflicted of many.

47:002:007 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

47:002:008 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward

him.

47:002:009 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof

of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

47:002:010 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;

47:002:011 Lest Satan should get an Advantage of us: for we are not

ignorant of his devices.

47:002:012 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel,

and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

47:002:013 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my

brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into

Macedonia.

47:002:014 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in

Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us

in every place.

47:002:015 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

47:002:016 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?

47:002:017 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as

of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in

Christ.

47:003:001 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some

others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of

commendation from you?

47:003:002 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

47:003:003 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 God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

47:003:004 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

47:003:005 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

47:003:006 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.

47:003:007 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:

47:003:008 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather

glorious?

47:003:009 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more

doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

47:003:010 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this

respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

47:003:011 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that

which remaineth is glorious.

47:003:012 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of

speech:

47:003:013 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:

47:003:014 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.

47:003:015 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon

their heart.

47:003:016 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be

taken away.

47:003:017 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord

is, there is liberty.

47:003:018 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

47:004:001 The refore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

47:004:002 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

47:004:003 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

47:004:004 In whom the god 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 God, should shine unto them.

47:004:005 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus'sake.

47:004:006 For God, 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 God in the face of Jesus Christ.

47:004:007 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the

excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

47:004:008 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are

perplexed, but not in despair;

47:004:009 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

47:004:010 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.

47:004:011 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.

47:004:012 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

47:004:013 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;

47:004:014 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

47:004:015 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

47:004:016 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man

perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

47:004:017 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh

for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

47:004:018 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.

47:005:001 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were

dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with

hands, eternal in the heavens.

47:005:002 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

47:005:003 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

47:005:004 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.

47:005:005 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who

also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

47:005:006 The refore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are

at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

47:005:007 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

47:005:008 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from

the body, and to be present with the Lord.

47:005:009 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may

be accepted of him.

47:005:010 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.

47:005:011 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but

we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made

manifest in your consciences.

47:005:012 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.

47:005:013 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether

we be sober, it is for your cause.

47:005:014 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge,

that if one died for all, then were all dead:

47:005:015 And that he died for all, that they which live should not

henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for

them, and rose again.

47:005:016 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea,

though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now

henceforth know we him no more.

47:005:017 The refore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

47:005:018 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself

by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of

reconciliation;

47:005:019 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto

himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath

committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

47:005:020 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did

beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye

reconciled to God.

47:005:021 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that

we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

47:006:001 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that

ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

47:006:002 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

47:006:003 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:

47:006:004 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

47:006:005 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in

watchings, in fastings;

47:006:006 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by

the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

47:006:007 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of

righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

47:006:008 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as

deceivers, and yet true;

47:006:009 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we

live; as chastened, and not killed;

47:006:010 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many

rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.