1:1Paul, an apostle of JesusChrist by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the churchof God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: 1:2Grace be to you and peacefrom God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 1:3Blessed be God, even theFather of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of allcomfort; 1:4Who comforteth usin all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are inany trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 1:5For as the sufferings ofChrist abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 1:6And whether we be afflicted, itis for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in theenduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we becomforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 1:7And our hope of you isstedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shallye be also of the consolation. 1:8For we would not, brethren, haveyou ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressedout of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 1:9But we had the sentence ofdeath in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in Godwhich raiseth the dead: 1:10Who delivered us from so great adeath, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; 1:11Ye also helpingtogether by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us bythe means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
1:12For our rejoicing isthis, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godlysincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have hadour conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. 1:13For we write none other thingsunto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shallacknowledge even to the end; 1:14As also ye have acknowledged usin part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours inthe day of the Lord Jesus.
1:15And in this confidenceI was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit; 1:16And to pass by you intoMacedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to bebrought on my way toward Judaea. 1:17When I therefore was thus minded,did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose accordingto the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay? 1:18But as God is true,our word toward you was not yea and nay. 1:19For the Son of God, Jesus Christ,who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus andTimotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. 1:20For all the promises of God inhim are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 1:21Now he which stablisheth us withyou in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 1:22Who hath also sealed us, andgiven the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 1:23Moreover I call God for a recordupon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. 1:24Not for that we have dominionover your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
2:1But I determined thiswith myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 2:2For if I make you sorry, who is hethen that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 2:3And I wrote this same unto you,lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought torejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy ofyou all. 2:4For out of muchaffliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not thatye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have moreabundantly unto you. 2:5Butif any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I maynot overcharge you all. 2:6Sufficient to such a man is thispunishment, which was inflicted of many. 2:7So that contrariwise yeought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lestperhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 2:8Wherefore I beseech you that yewould confirm your love toward him. 2:9For to this end also did I write,that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 2:10To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom Iforgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person ofChrist; 2:11Lest Satan shouldget an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2:12Furthermore, when I came to Troasto preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of theLord, 2:13I had no rest in myspirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them,I went from thence into Macedonia. 2:14Now thanks be unto God,which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest thesavour of his knowledge by us in every place. 2:15For we are unto God a sweetsavour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 2:16To the one we are thesavour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life.And who is sufficient for these things? 2:17For we are not as many, whichcorrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sightof God speak we in Christ.
3:1Do we begin again tocommend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles ofcommendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 3:2Ye are our epistle written in ourhearts, known and read of all men: 3:3Forasmuch as ye aremanifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, writtennot with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables ofstone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
3:4And such trust have wethrough Christ to God-ward: 3:5Not that we are sufficient ofourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiencyis of God; 3:6Who alsohath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, butof the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 3:7But if the ministration of death,written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the childrenof Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory ofhis countenance; which glory was to be done away: 3:8How shall not the ministration ofthe spirit be rather glorious? 3:9For if the ministration ofcondemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration ofrighteousness exceed in glory. 3:10For even that which was madeglorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory thatexcelleth. 3:11For if thatwhich is done away was glorious, much more that which remainethis glorious. 3:12Seeing then that we have suchhope, we use great plainness of speech: 3:13And not as Moses, whichput a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastlylook to the end of that which is abolished: 3:14But their minds were blinded: foruntil this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of theold testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 3:15But even unto this day, whenMoses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 3:16Nevertheless when it shall turnto the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 3:17Now the Lord is that Spirit: andwhere the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 3:18But we all, with open facebeholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the sameimage from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
4:1Therefore seeing wehave this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 4:2But have renounced the hiddenthings of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word ofGod deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves toevery man’s conscience in the sight of God. 4:3But if our gospel be hid, it ishid to them that are lost: 4:4In whom the god of this world hathblinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of theglorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine untothem. 4:5For we preach notourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants forJesus’ sake. 4:6For God,who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in ourhearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God inthe face of Jesus Christ.
4:7But we have thistreasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be ofGod, and not of us. 4:8Weare troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we areperplexed, but not in despair; 4:9Persecuted, but not forsaken; castdown, but not destroyed; 4:10Always bearing about in the bodythe dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be mademanifest in our body. 4:11Forwe which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that thelife also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 4:12So then death worketh in us, butlife in you. 4:13We havingthe same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, andtherefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; 4:14Knowing that he which raised upthe Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall presentus with you. 4:15Forall things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace mightthrough the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 4:16For which cause we faint not; butthough our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day byday. 4:17For our lightaffliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceedingand eternal weight of glory; 4:18While we look not at the thingswhich are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things whichare seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen areeternal.
5:1For we know that if ourearthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a buildingof God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 5:2For in this we groan, earnestlydesiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 5:3If so be that being clothed weshall not be found naked. 5:4For we that are in thistabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed,but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5:5Now he that hath wrought us forthe selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnestof the Spirit. 5:6Thereforewe are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in thebody, we are absent from the Lord: 5:7(For we walk by faith, not bysight:) 5:8We are confident,I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to bepresent with the Lord. 5:9Wherefore we labour, that, whetherpresent or absent, we may be accepted of him. 5:10For we must all appear before thejudgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things donein his body, according to that he hath done, whether it begood or bad.
5:11Knowing therefore theterror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God;and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 5:12For we commend not ourselvesagain unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye mayhave somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not inheart. 5:13For whether we bebeside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, itis for your cause. 5:14For the love of Christconstraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, thenwere all dead: 5:15Andthat he died for all, that they which live should not henceforthlive unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 5:16Wherefore henceforth knowwe no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after theflesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 5:17Therefore if any man be inChrist, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,all things are become new. 5:18And all things are of God,who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to usthe ministry of reconciliation; 5:19To wit, that God was in Christ,reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses untothem; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 5:20Now then we are ambassadors forChrist, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you inChrist’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 5:21For he hath made him to besin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness ofGod in him.
6:1We then, asworkers together with him, beseech you also that ye receivenot the grace of God in vain. 6:2(For he saith, I have heard theein a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day ofsalvation.) 6:3Giving nooffence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 6:4But in all things approvingourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, innecessities, in distresses, 6:5In stripes, in imprisonments, intumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6:6By pureness, by knowledge, bylongsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 6:7By the word of truth, by the powerof God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 6:8By honour and dishonour,by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 6:9As unknown, and yet wellknown; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 6:10As sorrowful, yet alwayrejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, andyet possessing all things.
6:11O yeCorinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. 6:12Ye are not straitened in us, butye are straitened in your own bowels. 6:13Now for a recompence in the same,(I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged. 6:14Be ye not unequally yokedtogether with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness withunrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 6:15And what concord hath Christ withBelial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 6:16And what agreement hath thetemple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as Godhath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will betheir God, and they shall be my people. 6:17Wherefore come out from amongthem, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the uncleanthing; and I will receive you, 6:18And will be a Father unto you,and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
7:1Having therefore thesepromises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness ofthe flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
7:2Receive us; we havewronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. 7:3I speak not this tocondemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts todie and live with you. 7:4Great is my boldness ofspeech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled withcomfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. 7:5For, when we were come intoMacedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side;without were fightings, within were fears. 7:6Nevertheless God, that comforteththose that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7:7And not by his coming only, but bythe consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us yourearnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that Irejoiced the more. 7:8Forthough I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I didrepent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, thoughit were but for a season. 7:9Now I rejoice, not that ye weremade sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorryafter a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 7:10For godly sorrow workethrepentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the worldworketh death. 7:11For beholdthis selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulnessit wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea,what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehementdesire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In allthings ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 7:12Wherefore, though I wroteunto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, norfor his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sightof God might appear unto you. 7:13Therefore we were comforted inyour comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus,because his spirit was refreshed by you all. 7:14For if I have boasted any thingto him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you intruth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found atruth. 7:15And his inwardaffection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedienceof you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him. 7:16I rejoice therefore that I haveconfidence in you in all things.
8:1Moreover, brethren, wedo you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 8:2How that in a great trialof affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty aboundedunto the riches of their liberality. 8:3For to their power, I bearrecord, yea, and beyond their power they were willing ofthemselves; 8:4Praying uswith much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon usthe fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 8:5And this they did, not aswe hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by thewill of God. 8:6Insomuch thatwe desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you thesame grace also. 8:7Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in alldiligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound inthis grace also. 8:8I speaknot by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and toprove the sincerity of your love. 8:9For ye know the grace of our LordJesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor,that ye through his poverty might be rich. 8:10And herein I give myadvice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only todo, but also to be forward a year ago. 8:11Now therefore perform the doingof it; that as there was a readiness to will, so theremay be a performance also out of that which ye have. 8:12For if there be first a willingmind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and notaccording to that he hath not. 8:13For I mean not that othermen be eased, and ye burdened: 8:14But by an equality, thatnow at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want,that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that theremay be equality: 8:15As it iswritten, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he thathad gathered little had no lack. 8:16But thanks be to God,which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. 8:17For indeed he accepted theexhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. 8:18And we have sent with himthe brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches; 8:19And 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, anddeclaration of your ready mind: 8:20Avoiding this, that no man shouldblame us in this abundance which is administered by us: 8:21Providing for honest things, notonly in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 8:22And we have sent with them ourbrother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but nowmuch more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you. 8:23Whether any doenquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerningyou: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of thechurches, and the glory of Christ. 8:24Wherefore shew ye to them, andbefore the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on yourbehalf.
9:1For as touching theministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 9:2For I know the forwardnessof your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaiawas ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. 9:3Yet have I sent the brethren, lestour boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, yemay be ready: 9:4Lest haplyif they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that wesay not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. 9:5Therefore I thought it necessaryto exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make upbeforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same mightbe ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. 9:6But this I say, Hewhich soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sowethbountifully shall reap also bountifully. 9:7Every man according as hepurposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or ofnecessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 9:8And God is able to make allgrace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in allthings, may abound to every good work: 9:9(As it is written, He hathdispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remainethfor ever. 9:10Now he thatministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food,and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of yourrighteousness;) 9:11Beingenriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through usthanksgiving to God. 9:12Forthe administration of this service not only supplieth the want of thesaints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 9:13Whiles by the experiment of thisministration they glorify God for your professed subjection into thegospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, andunto all men; 9:14Andby their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace ofGod in you. 9:15Thanksbe unto God for his unspeakable gift.
10:1Now I Paul myselfbeseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presenceam base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: 10:2But I beseech you, that Imay not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I thinkto be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according tothe flesh. 10:3For though wewalk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 10:4(For the weapons of our warfareare not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down ofstrong holds;) 10:5Castingdown imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against theknowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to theobedience of Christ; 10:6Andhaving in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience isfulfilled. 10:7Do ye look onthings after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that heis Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he isChrist’s, even so are we Christ’s. 10:8For though I should boastsomewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us foredification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 10:9That I may not seem as ifI would terrify you by letters. 10:10For his letters, saythey, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presenceis weak, and his speech contemptible. 10:11Let such an one think this,that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such willwe be also in deed when we are present. 10:12For we dare not make ourselvesof the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: butthey measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves amongthemselves, are not wise. 10:13But we will not boast of thingswithout our measure, but according to the measure of the rule whichGod hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 10:14For we stretch not ourselvesbeyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we arecome as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 10:15Not boasting of thingswithout our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; buthaving hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged byyou according to our rule abundantly, 10:16To preach the gospel in theregions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s lineof things made ready to our hand. 10:17But he that glorieth, let himglory in the Lord. 10:18Fornot he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
11:1Would to God ye couldbear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 11:2For I am jealous over you withgodly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may presentyou as a chaste virgin to Christ. 11:3But I fear, lest by any means, asthe serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should becorrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 11:4For if he that cometh preachethanother Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive anotherspirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have notaccepted, ye might well bear with him. 11:5For I suppose I was not a whitbehind the very chiefest apostles. 11:6But though I be rude inspeech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifestamong you in all things. 11:7Have I committed an offence inabasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to youthe gospel of God freely? 11:8I robbed other churches, takingwages of them, to do you service. 11:9And when I was present with you,and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to methe brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all thingsI have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keepmyself. 11:10As thetruth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in theregions of Achaia. 11:11Wherefore? because I love younot? God knoweth. 11:12Butwhat I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them whichdesire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 11:13For such arefalse apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into theapostles of Christ. 11:14Andno marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 11:15Therefore it isno great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers ofrighteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
11:16I say again, Let noman think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I mayboast myself a little. 11:17That which I speak, I speakit not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidenceof boasting. 11:18Seeing thatmany glory after the flesh, I will glory also. 11:19For ye suffer fools gladly,seeing ye yourselves are wise. 11:20For ye suffer, if a man bringyou 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. 11:21I speak as concerning reproach,as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speakfoolishly,) I am bold also. 11:22Are they Hebrews? so amI. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? soam I. 11:23Are theyministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours moreabundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deathsoft. 11:24Of the Jews fivetimes received I forty stripes save one. 11:25Thrice was I beaten with rods,once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I havebeen in the deep; 11:26In journeyings often,in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perilsby mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, inperils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perilsin the sea, in perils among false brethren; 11:27In weariness and painfulness, inwatchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold andnakedness. 11:28Beside thosethings that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of allthe churches. 11:29Who isweak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 11:30If I must needs glory, I willglory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 11:31The God and Father of our LordJesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 11:32In Damascus the governorunder Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison,desirous to apprehend me: 11:33And through a window in a basketwas I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
12:1It is not expedientfor me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of theLord.
12:2I knew a man inChrist above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; orwhether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caughtup to the third heaven.
12:3And I knew such a man, (whetherin the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
12:4How that he was caught up intoparadise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man toutter.
12:5Of such an onewill I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
12:6For though I would desireto glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but nowI forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth meto be, or that he heareth of me.
12:7And lest I should be exaltedabove measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given tome a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest Ishould be exalted above measure.
12:8For this thing I besought theLord thrice, that it might depart from me.
12:9And he said unto me,
12:11I am become a fool inglorying; 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 benothing.
12:12Truly the signsof an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, andwonders, and mighty deeds.
12:13For what is it wherein ye wereinferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was notburdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.
12:14Behold, the third time I amready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek notyours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, butthe parents for the children.
12:15And I will very gladly spend andbe spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I beloved.
12:16But be it so, Idid not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
12:17Did I make a gain of youby any of them whom I sent unto you?
12:18I desired Titus, and withhim I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we notin the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
12:19Again, think ye that we excuseourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do allthings, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
12:20For I fear, lest, when I come, Ishall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found untoyou such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths,strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
12:21And lest, when I comeagain, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewailmany which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleannessand fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
13:1This is thethird time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or threewitnesses shall every word be established.
13:2I told you before, and foretellyou, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I writeto them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I comeagain, I will not spare:
13:3Since ye seek a proof of Christspeaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.
13:4For though he wascrucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we alsoare weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God towardyou.
13:5Examine yourselves,whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
13:6But I trust that ye shall knowthat we are not reprobates.
13:7Now I pray to God that ye do noevil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that whichis honest, though we be as reprobates.
13:8For we can do nothing against thetruth, but for the truth.
13:9For we are glad, when we areweak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even yourperfection.
13:10Therefore Iwrite these things being absent, lest being present I should usesharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me toedification, and not to destruction.
13:11Finally, 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.
13:12Greet one another with an holykiss.
13:13All the saints saluteyou.
13:14The grace of theLord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the HolyGhost, be with you all. Amen.
Authorized King James Version, originally published by Oxford Press, Oxford, 1769