THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE PAUL, TO THE CORINTHIANS. CHAPTER I. AUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is in Corinth, together with all the saints which are in all Achaia: 2 Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. | bulation which happened to us in Asia, that we were oppressed exceedingly, above [our] strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 Yea, we have had within our own selves the sentence of death, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead : IO Who delivered us from so 3 Blessed is the God and great a death, and 'will deliver Father of our Lord Jesus us in whom we trust that he Christ, the Father of mercies, will also yet deliver us ; and God of all comfort: 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any tribulation, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 Because as the sufferings of Christ abound unto us, even so through Christ aboundeth also our comfort. II Ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication, that for the mercy bestowed upon us by means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf. 12 For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly towards you. 6 But whether we be in tribulation, it is for your comfort and salvation, which worketh in the endurance of the same 13 For we write none other sufferings which we also suffer things unto you, than what ye (and our hope is stedfast for read or even acknowledge, and you); or whether we be com-I trust will acknowledge even forted, it is for your comfort to the end; and salvation : 7 Knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so are ye of the comfort also. 8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our tri 14 Even as also ye did acknowledge us in part, that we are your boast, even as ye also MSS. 2 So all the most ancient MSS. are ours, in the day of the Lord | helpers of your joy: for by Jesus. faith ye stand. 15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit; 16 And by you to pass into Macedonia, and from Macedonia to come again unto you, and by you to be brought on my way toward Judæa. CHAPTER II. BUT OUT I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. 2 For if I make you sorry, who then is he that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 3 And this same thing wrote I unto you, in order that when 17 When therefore I was thus minded, did I act with lightness of mind? or the things that I purpose, do II came, I might not have sorpurpose according to the flesh, row from them of whom I that with me there should be ought to have joy; having conthe yea yea, and the nay fidence in you all, that my joy nay? is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much tribula 18 But God is faithful, that our word unto you 1is not yeation and anguish of heart I and nay. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but is made yea in him. 20 For how many soever be the promises of God, in him is the yea; wherefore through him is the Amen, for glory unto God by us. 21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; 22 Who also sealed us, and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 23 But I call God for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I forbore coming unto Corinth. 24 Not that we exercise dominion over your faith, but are So all the most ancient MSS. 2 So the chief most ancient MSS. wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 5 But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath not caused sorrow to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all. 6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted by the more part [of you]. 7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest by any means such an one should be swallowed up with the increase of sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him. 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven any thing, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; II That no advantage be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened unto me in the Lord, 13 I had no rest for my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother but taking my leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia. 2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men : 3 Being manifestly shewn to be an epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on fleshly tables, [your] 1hearts. 4 Such confidence have we through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 6 Who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 14 But thanks be unto God, which at all times leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest by us in every place the savour of the know-graven on stones, was in glory, ledge of him. 15 Because we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, among them that are being saved, and among them that are perishing: 16 To the one a savour of death unto death; to the other a savour of life unto life. And for these things who is sufficient? 17 For we are not as the many, adulterating the word of God but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. CHAPTER III. or need we, as some others, 7 But if the ministration of death, [written] in letters, en so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, a glory which was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit still more be in glory? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation was glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness abound in glory. IO For indeed that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the superior glory. II For if that which is being done away was with glory, such an hope, we use great openness of speech : 13 And not as Moses put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel might not look stedfastly upon the end of that which was being done away. 14 But their understandings were hardened: for until this very day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same vail remaineth, it not being discovered that it is done away in Christ. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, a vail lieth upon their heart. 16 But whensoever it turneth to the Lord, the vail is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unvailed face beholding in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transfigured into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord the Spirit. CHAPTER IV. 3 And even if our gospel is vailed, it is vailed to them that are perishing: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the understandings of the unbelieving, that the illumination of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine forth. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord; and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 Because it is God, who 3said Out of darkness light shall shine, that shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be God's, and not of us; 8 Being troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, yet not in despair; 9 Persecuted, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed; IO Always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our body. II For we which live are alway being delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to that 2 Unto them is omitted in all the most ancient MSS. 3 So most of the oldest MSS. 4 The Lord is omitted in all the most ancient authorities. which is written, I believed, and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also speak; 14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, being multiplied by means of the greater number, may make the thanksgiving abound unto the glory of God. 16 Wherefore we shrink not back; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our present light affliction worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; 18 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 for a time; but the things which are not seen are eternal. CHAPTER V. OR we know that if the earthly tabernacle wherein we dwell be dissolved, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, longing to clothe ourselves with our house which is from heaven : 3 Seeing that we shall verily be found clothed, not naked. 4 For also we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened because we desire not 1 So all the oldest MSS. to be unclothed, but clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life. 5 But he that wrought us unto this very thing is God, who 3gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Being then always confident, and knowing that, whilst we are in our home in the body, we are away from our home in the Lord, 7 (For we walk by faith, not by appearance,) 8 We are still confident, and well content rather to go from our home in the body, and to come to our home with the Lord. 9 Wherefore also it is our aim, that, whether present or absent, we may be well pleasing unto him. 10 For we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things [done] in the body, according to the things that he did, whether it were good or bad. II Knowing then the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but unto God we are already made manifest; and I hope that we are made manifest in your consciences also. 12 4We are not recommend ing ourselves again unto you, but are giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have it against them which glory in face, and not in heart. 13 For whether we have been 3 Also is omitted by all the oldest authorities. 4 For is omitted in all the oldest MSS. |