should blame us in this abundance to exhort the brethren, that they which is administered by us: would go before unto you, and make 21 Providing for honest things, not up beforehand your bounty, whereof only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

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

22 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. 23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, 7 Every man according as he purhe is my partner and fellowhelper poseth in his heart, so let him give; concerning you: or our brethren be not grudgingly, or of necessity: for enquired of, they are the messengers God loveth a cheerful giver.

of the churches, and the glory of 8 And God is able to make all grace Christ.

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

FOR

CHAPTER IX.

as touching the ministering

abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

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

ever.

IO Now he that ministereth seed to to the saints, it is superfluous for me the sower both minister bread for to write to you: your food, and multiply your seed 2 For I know the forwardness of sown, and increase the fruits of your your mind, for which I boast of you righteousness;) to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

3 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:

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

12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia 13 Whiles by the experiment of come with me, and find you unpre- this ministration they glorify God for pared, we (that we say not, ye) should your professed subjection unto the be ashamed in this same confident gospel of Christ, and for your liberal boasting. distribution unto them, and unto all

5 Therefore I thought it necessary | men;

21 SV For we provide; S but also of men 22 translate which he hath in you 9,4 SV in this same matter 5 S om. and after bounty 7 SV as he hath purposed 8 SV And God is able 10 SV seed to the sower and bread for eating, shall minister and multiply your seed sown, and will increase II V of God 12 V unto Christ

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

tion, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily temptible. presence is weak, and his speech con

II 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.

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

13 But we will not boast of things 4 (For the weapons of our warfare without our measure, but according are not carnal, but mighty through to the measure of the rule which God God to the pulling down of strong reach even unto you. hath distributed to us, a measure to holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and 14 For we stretch not ourselves beevery high thing that exalteth itself yond our measure, as though we reachagainst the knowledge of God, and ed not unto you: for we are come as bringing into captivity every thought far as to you also in preaching the to the obedience of Christ;

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

7 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.

gospel of Christ:

15 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,

16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made

8 For though I should boast some-ready to our hand. what more of our authority, which 17 But he that glorieth, let him the Lord hath given us for edifica-glory in the Lord.

10,1 V am bold for you 7 V seemeth to trust in himself; SV let him with himself;

SV om. Christ's after are we 8 SV om. us 12 S* om. themselves after measuring

14 V For we stretch ourselves (om. not); S om. for after you

18 For not he that commendeth I have kept myself from being burhimself is approved, but whom the densome unto you, and so will I keep Lord commendeth. myself.

CHAPTER XI.

IO As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting

WOULD to God ye could bear in the regions of Achaia.

with me a little in my folly: and inIdeed bear with me.

II Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

12 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.

2 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. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his 13 For such are false apostles, desubtilty, so your minds should be ceitful workers, transforming themcorrupted from the simplicity that is selves into the apostles of Christ. in Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan him

4 For if he that cometh preacheth self is transformed into an angel of another Jesus, whom we have not light.

preached, or if ye receive another 15 Therefore it is no great thing spirit, which ye have not received, if his ministers also be transformed or another gospel, which ye have not as the ministers of righteousness; accepted, ye might well bear with whose end shall be according to their

him.

5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

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

works.

16 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.

17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boast

7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be ex-ing. alted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

9 And when I was present with you, 20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you and wanted, I was chargeable to no into bondage, if a man devour you, man: for that which was lacking to if a man take of you, if a man exalt me the brethren which came from himself, if a man smite you on the Macedonia supplied: and in all things face.

11,3 SV om. so; SV from the simplicity and holiness 5 V But I suppose 6 SV but in every matter we made things manifest before all men among you 10 translate this boasting in me shall not be stopped in the regions

21 I speak as concerning reproach, 31 The God and Father of our Lord as though we had been weak. How- Jesus Christ, which is blessed for beit whereinsoever any is bold, (I evermore, knoweth that I lie not. speak foolishly,) I am bold also.

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

22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? 33 And through a window in a (I speak as a fool) I am more; in basket was I let down by the wall, labours more abundant, in stripes and escaped his hands. above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

CHAPTER XII.

24 Of the Jews five times received IT is not expedient for me doubt

I forty stripes save one.

25 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;

less to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 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.

26 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, 3 And I knew such a man, (whein perils in the wilderness, in perils ther in the body, or out of the body, in the sea, in perils among false bre-I cannot tell: God knoweth;) thren;

27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and naked

ness.

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

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

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

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

6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I wil! 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.

21 S* om. I speak 23 S in stripes more frequent, in prisons above measure, V in prisons more frequent, in stripes above measure 30 V which concern infirmity 31 SV Father of the Lord Jesus, which 32 V with a garrison to apprehend me 12,1 V It is needful to glory, it is not expedient indeed, but I will come also, S It is not expedient, indeed, to glory, but I will 3 V om. I cannot tell 5 V but in infirmities 6-7 SVA But now I forbear even the abundance of the revelations, lest any man - he heareth of me: for lest I should be exalted above measure, there was given

7 And lest I should be exalted be burdensome to you: for I seek not above measure through the abun- yours, but you: for the children ought dance of the revelations, there was not to lay up for the parents, but the given to me a thorn in the flesh, parents for the children.

the messenger of Satan to buffet 15 And I will very gladly spend me, lest I should be exalted above and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be

measure.

8 For this thing I besought the loved. Lord thrice, that it might depart from

me.

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

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength 17 Did I make a gain of you by is made perfect in weakness. Most any of them whom I sent unto gladly therefore will I rather glory you? in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 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.

II 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.

18 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?

19 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. 20 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 12 Truly the signs of an apostle be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, were wrought among you in all pa- backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tience, in signs, and wonders, and tumults: mighty deeds.

13 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.

14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not

21 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.

8 A And for

7 SVA after buffet me om. lest I should be exalted above measure this thing 9 SVA for strength; V in infirmities 10 S and necessities; A om. in persecutions; SV in persecutions and distresses II SVA om. in glorying 12 SVA in all patience and (A om.) signs 14 SVA Behold this is the third time I am; SVA om. to you after burdensome 15 V for you, if the more abundantly loving you, the less I be loved, SA for you. If I love you more abundantly, am I less beloved? 19 SVA You have thought for some time that we excuse ourselves unto you. 20 SV debate; SV envying