Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort,

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.

And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I had confidence in all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will multiply the harvest of your righteousness.

The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Each one must give just as he has purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, yet our inner nature is being renewed day by day.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Let such people realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.

For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,

that is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

And what I am doing, I will also continue to do, in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things of which they boast.

For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret itfor I see that my letter hurt you, though only for a little while

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

And to keep me from being too elated because of the abundance of revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

for we walk by faith, not by sight.

We are therefore ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his appeal through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in youunless, indeed, you fail the test?

Now, brethren, we want you to know about the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,

For we do not dare to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war as the flesh does.

But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

in truthful speech, and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;

For the weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

For godly sorrow produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly sorrow produces death.

while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are unseen are eternal.

who has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

And in this matter I give my advice: it is best for you now to complete what a year ago you began not only to do but to desire.

For in what respect were you inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

We are confident, I say, and would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.

now I rejoice, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance; for you became sorrowful as God intended, so that you suffered no loss through us.

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.

And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may have an abundance for every good work.

If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings that we suffer.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a fleshly point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a fleshly point of view, we regard him thus no longer.

For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.

I must go on boasting, though there is nothing to be gained by it; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden to you, for I seek not what is yours but you; for children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children.

You also must help us by your prayers, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you; we were the first to come even as far as you with the gospel of Christ.

He delivered us from so deadly a peril, and he will deliver us; on him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

I repeat, let no one think me foolish; but even if you do, receive me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

through glory and dishonor, evil report and good report; true, yet regarded as impostors;

For we write you nothing but what you can read and understand; and I hope you will understand fully,

so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast of work already done in another man's territory.

Now finish the work, so that your readiness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.

For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.

For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.

Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their deeds.

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a man has, not according to what he does not have.

But, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

But as surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No.

Because of the test of this service, you will glorify God by your obedience in your confession of the gospel of Christ, and by the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others;

For behold what this very thing, godly sorrow, has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what readiness to see justice done! At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea.

But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.

as you have understood us in part, that you can be proud of us just as we can be of you, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened;

For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was,

For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a double benefit.

he has put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed;

As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack."

We do not go beyond limits by boasting in other men's labors, but our hope is that as your faith grows, our sphere among you may be greatly enlarged,

So although I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong, nor on account of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your zeal for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.

When I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a fleshly manner so that in the same breath I say, "Yes, Yes" and "No, No"?

but at the present time your abundance should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be equality.

will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you?

For if I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting before Titus has proved true.

What I am saying I am not saying as the Lord would, but as a fool, in this confidence of boasting.

We are not again commending ourselves to you, but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you may have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.

while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God in you.

But I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.

always carrying about in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by usby me and Silvanus and Timothywas not Yes and No, but in him it has always been Yes.

Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.

But if any one has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measurenot to put it too severelyto all of you.

Not that we lord it over your faith; but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you the more, am I to be loved the less?

And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his preaching of the gospel;

For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness exceed it in glory.

But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!

For if what was fading away came with glory, much more is the glory of that which lasts.

To my shame, I must say that we were too weak for that! But whatever anyone else dares to boast aboutI am speaking as a foolI also dare to boast about.

For you put up with fools gladly, being so wise yourselves!

as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved.

Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast.

For we who live are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

I, Paul, myself urge you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold to you when I am away!

I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and walk in the same steps?

For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it.

Here indeed we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,

For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you what I wish you to be, and you may not find me what you wish me to be; I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.

Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians. Our heart is opened wide.

I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will have to mourn over many of those who sinned before and have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and lewdness which they have practiced.

For you put up with anyone if he makes slaves of you, or preys upon you, or takes advantage of you, or exalts himself, or strikes you in the face.

And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many matters, but who is now more diligent than ever because of his great confidence in you.

Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

But their minds were hardened; for to this day, when they read the old covenant, the same veil remains unlifted, because only in Christ is it removed.

Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority,

Now in a fair exchangeI speak as to my childrenopen wide your hearts also.

And his affection goes out all the more to you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.

Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

What harmony has Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

and not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work which we are carrying on, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.

Therefore openly before the churches, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you.

I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

I have been on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the wilderness, in danger at sea, and in danger from false brethren;

We intend that no one should blame us about this liberal gift which we are administering,

I rejoice, because I have perfect confidence in you.

We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of the radiance that was fading away.

For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord.

You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.

In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me,

so that when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

Besides such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.

I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.

knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

Any one whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,

So then death is at work in us, but life in you.

for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.

As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; and as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.

For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is weak, and his speech of no account."

Make room for us in your hearts; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.

for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the Macedonians, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year; and your zeal has stirred up most of them.

Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts.

I beg you that when I am present I may not have to be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

Now when I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord,

But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turnconflicts on the outside and fears within.

You yourselves are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men.

I have great confidence in you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. With all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.

So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren to go on to you before me, and arrange in advance for this gift you have promised, so that it may be ready not as an exaction but as a willing gift.

And they did not do as we expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

I am not speaking this as a command, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.

For all this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.

urgently pleading with us for the privilege of sharing in the relief of the saints.

But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,

So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, he would also complete in you this work of grace.

For I testify that according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, they gave of their own free will,

I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not in the least inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing.

As it is written, "He has scattered abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."

But I am sending the brethren so that our boasting about you may not prove vain in this case, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be;

You look at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also are we.

and we are ready to punish every disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.

I do not say this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.

For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.

For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I shall not be put to shame.

I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.

lest if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, wenot to say anything about you would be ashamed of having been so confident.

was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, which a man is not permitted to tell.

We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And I know that this manwhether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:

to the one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the open sea.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should depart from me.

For as many as are the promises of God, in him they are Yes. And so through him we speak our Amen to the glory of God.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained?

But as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, distresses,

I still had no rest in my mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took my leave of them and went on to Macedonia.

Now it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us;

Working together with him, then, we urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

Since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.

in order that Satan might gain no advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

But as you excel in everythingin faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in your love for ussee that you excel in this work of grace also.

Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.

Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves; but our competence is from God,

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

On behalf of such a man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.

As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

Finally, brethren, farewell. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Therefore we are always of good courage; and we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,

Are they servants of Christ? I am a better oneI am talking like a madmanin far more labors, in far more imprisonments, with more beatings, and often in danger of death.

For our boast is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with holiness and godly sincerity, not in worldly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and still more toward you.

That is why, for Christ's sake, I am content in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Though if I should boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.

I think that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.

who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

For we are not, like so many, peddling the word of God; but as men of sincerity, as from God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

But even if I am unskilled in speech, I am not in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

in purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,

But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has apportioned to us, a field that reaches even to you.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I do not inwardly burn?

But we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

in beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, sleeplessness, hunger,

You show that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of carnal hearts.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me.

The signs of a true apostle were performed among you in all perseverance, with signs and wonders and mighty works.

All the saints greet you.

For he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God for you.

Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the offering for the saints,

And I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you.

And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful in you.

I warned those who sinned in the past and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present the second time, that if I come again I will not spare them

Now we pray to God that you may not do wrong, not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may seem to have failed.

I write these things while I am absent, in order that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority which the Lord gave me for building you up, and not for tearing you down.

For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. What we pray for is your perfection.

I trust that you will realize that we have not failed the test.

but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands.