After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he came across a Jew called Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla, as Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul accosted them, read more. and as he belonged to the same trade he stayed with them and they all worked together. (They were workers in leather by trade.) Every sabbath he argued in the synagogue, persuading both Jews and Greeks. By the time Silas and Timotheus came south from Macedonia, Paul was engrossed in this preaching of the word, arguing to the Jews that the messiah was Jesus.

It was when Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, after passing through the inland districts, came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples,

It was when Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, after passing through the inland districts, came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples,

It was when Apollos was in Corinth that Paul, after passing through the inland districts, came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples,

After passing through the districts of Macedonia and encouraging the people at length, he came to Greece, where he spent three months. Just as he was on the point of sailing for Syria, the Jews laid a plot against him. He therefore resolved to return through Macedonia.

where he spent three months. Just as he was on the point of sailing for Syria, the Jews laid a plot against him. He therefore resolved to return through Macedonia.

where he spent three months. Just as he was on the point of sailing for Syria, the Jews laid a plot against him. He therefore resolved to return through Macedonia. His company as far as Asia consisted of Sopater of Beroea (the son of Pyrrhus), Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe, Timotheus, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia.

To ensure this, I am sending you Timotheus, my beloved and trustworthy son in the Lord; he will remind you of those methods in Christ Jesus which I teach everywhere in every church.

It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality such as is unknown even among pagans ??that a man has taken his father's wife!

It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality such as is unknown even among pagans ??that a man has taken his father's wife! And yet you are puffed up! You ought much rather to be mourning the loss of a member! Expel the perpetrator of such a crime! read more. For my part, present with you in spirit though absent in body, I have already, as in your presence, passed sentence on such an offender as this, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ; I have met with you in spirit, and by the power of our Lord Jesus I have consigned that individual to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, in order that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord Jesus.

In my letter I wrote that you were not to associate with the immoral.

In my letter I wrote that you were not to associate with the immoral.

Now about the questions in your letter. It is an excellent thing for a man to have no intercourse with a woman;

With regard to food that has been offered to idols. Here, of course, 'we all possess knowledge'! Knowledge puffs up, love builds up.

With regard to the collection for the saints, you must carry out the same arrangements as I made for the churches of Galatia.

I mean to visit you after my tour in Macedonia, for I am going to make a tour through Macedonia.

When Timotheus arrives, see that you make him feel quite at home with you; he carries on the work of the Lord as I do.

I am glad that Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus have arrived, for they have made up for your absence. They refresh my spirit as they do your own. You should appreciate men like that.

PAUL an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and brother Timotheus, to the church of God at Corinth as well as to all the saints throughout the whole of Achaia: grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. read more. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts me in all my distress, so that I am able to comfort people who are in any distress by the comfort with which I myself am comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ are abundant in my case, so my comfort is also abundant through Christ.

For as the sufferings of Christ are abundant in my case, so my comfort is also abundant through Christ. If I am in distress, it is in the interests of your comfort and salvation; if I am comforted, it is in the interests of your comfort, which is effective as it nerves you to endure the same sufferings as I suffer myself. read more. Hence my hope for you is well-founded, since I know that as you share the sufferings you share the comfort also. Now I would like you to know about the distress which befell me in Asia, brothers. I was crushed, crushed far more than I could stand, so much so that I despaired even of life;

Now I would like you to know about the distress which befell me in Asia, brothers. I was crushed, crushed far more than I could stand, so much so that I despaired even of life;

Now I would like you to know about the distress which befell me in Asia, brothers. I was crushed, crushed far more than I could stand, so much so that I despaired even of life; in fact I told myself it was the sentence of death. But that was to make me rely not on myself but on the God who raises the dead; read more. he rescued me from so terrible a death, he rescues still, and I rely upon him for the hope that he will continue to rescue me. Let me have your cooperation in prayer, so that many a soul may render thanks to him on my behalf for the boon which many have been the means of him bestowing on myself. My proud boast is the testimony of my conscience that holiness and godly sincerity, not worldly cunning but the grace of God, have marked my conduct in the outside world and in particular my relations with you.

My proud boast is the testimony of my conscience that holiness and godly sincerity, not worldly cunning but the grace of God, have marked my conduct in the outside world and in particular my relations with you.

My proud boast is the testimony of my conscience that holiness and godly sincerity, not worldly cunning but the grace of God, have marked my conduct in the outside world and in particular my relations with you.

Relying on this I meant to visit you first, to let you have a double delight; I intended to take you on my way to Macedonia, and to visit you again on my way back from Macedonia, so as to be sped by you on my journey to Judaea. read more. Such was my intention. Now, have I shown myself 'fickle'? When I propose some plan, do I propose it in a worldly way, ready to mean 'no' as well as 'yes'? By the good faith of God, my word to you was not 'yes and no';

I decided I would not pay you another painful visit.

So the very reason I wrote was that I might not come only to be pained by those who ought to give me joy; I relied on you all, I felt sure that my joy would be a joy for everyone of you.

This censure from the majority is severe enough for the individual in question, so that instead of censuring you should now forgive him and comfort him, in case the man is overwhelmed by excessive remorse. read more. So I beg you to reinstate him in your love. For my aim in writing was simply to test you, to see if you were absolutely obedient. If you forgive the man, I forgive him too; anything I had to forgive him has been forgiven in the presence of Christ for your sakes,

If you forgive the man, I forgive him too; anything I had to forgive him has been forgiven in the presence of Christ for your sakes, in case Satan should take advantage of our position ??for I know his man?uvres!

in case Satan should take advantage of our position ??for I know his man?uvres! Well, when I reached Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, though I had a wide opportunity in the Lord,

Well, when I reached Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, though I had a wide opportunity in the Lord,

Well, when I reached Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, though I had a wide opportunity in the Lord, my spirit could not rest, because I did not find Titus my brother there; so I said goodbye and went off to Macedonia.

my spirit could not rest, because I did not find Titus my brother there; so I said goodbye and went off to Macedonia. Wherever I go, thank God, he makes my life a constant pageant of triumph in Christ, diffusing the perfume of his knowledge everywhere by me.

For God who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," has shone within my heart to illuminate men with the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Christ. But I possess this treasure in a frail vessel of earth, to show that the transcending power belongs to God, not to myself;

But I possess this treasure in a frail vessel of earth, to show that the transcending power belongs to God, not to myself;

Hence I never lose heart; though my outward man decays, my inner man is renewed day after day.

I know that if this earthly tent of mine is taken down, I get a home from God, made by no human hands, eternal in the heavens.

and in this confidence I would fain get away from the body and reside with the Lord.

for we have all to appear without disguise before the tribunal of Christ, each to be requited for what he has done with his body, well or ill. If I 'appeal to the interests of men,' then, it is with the fear of the Lord before my mind. What I am is plain to God without disguise, plain also, I trust, to your own conscience. read more. This is not 'recommending myself to you again'; it is giving you an incentive to be proud of me, which you can use against men who are proud of externals instead of the inward reality. 'I am beside myself,' am I? Well, that is between myself and God. I am 'sane,' am I? Well, that is in your interests; for I am controlled by the love of Christ, convinced that as One has died for all, then all have died,

for I am controlled by the love of Christ, convinced that as One has died for all, then all have died, and that he died for all in order to have the living live no longer for themselves but for him who died and rose for them.

and that he died for all in order to have the living live no longer for themselves but for him who died and rose for them. Once convinced of this, then, I estimate no one by what is external; even though I once estimated Christ by what is external, I no longer estimate him thus.

Once convinced of this, then, I estimate no one by what is external; even though I once estimated Christ by what is external, I no longer estimate him thus. There is a new creation whenever a man comes to be in Christ; what is old is gone, the new has come.

There is a new creation whenever a man comes to be in Christ; what is old is gone, the new has come. It is all the doing of the God who has reconciled me to himself through Christ and has permitted me to be a minister of his reconciliation.

It is all the doing of the God who has reconciled me to himself through Christ and has permitted me to be a minister of his reconciliation. For in Christ God reconciled the world to himself instead of counting men's trespasses against them; and he entrusted me with the message of his reconciliation.

For in Christ God reconciled the world to himself instead of counting men's trespasses against them; and he entrusted me with the message of his reconciliation. So I am an envoy for Christ, God appealing by me, as it were ??be reconciled to God, I entreat you on behalf of Christ.

So I am an envoy for Christ, God appealing by me, as it were ??be reconciled to God, I entreat you on behalf of Christ. For our sakes He made him to be sin who himself knew nothing of sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

For our sakes He made him to be sin who himself knew nothing of sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

I appeal to you too, as a worker with God, do not receive the grace of God in vain.

I put no obstacle in the path of any, so that my ministry may not be discredited;

[Keep out of all incongruous ties with unbelievers. What have righteousness and iniquity in common, or how can light associate with darkness?

As these great promises are ours, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates either flesh or spirit; let us be fully consecrated by reverence for God].

I am not saying this to condemn you. Condemn you? Why, I repeat, you are in my very heart, and you will be there in death and life alike.

I am not saying this to condemn you. Condemn you? Why, I repeat, you are in my very heart, and you will be there in death and life alike. I have absolute confidence in you, I am indeed proud of you, you are a perfect comfort to me, I am overflowing with delight, for all the trouble I have to bear. read more. For I got no relief from the strain of things, even when I reached Macedonia; it was trouble at every turn, wrangling all round me, fears in my own mind. But the God who comforts the dejected comforted me by the arrival of Titus. Yes, and by more than his arrival, by the comfort which you had been to him; for he gave me such a report of how you longed for me, how sorry you were, and how eagerly you took my part, that it added to my delight.

Yes, and by more than his arrival, by the comfort which you had been to him; for he gave me such a report of how you longed for me, how sorry you were, and how eagerly you took my part, that it added to my delight. In fact, if I did pain you by that letter, I do not regret it. I did regret it when I discovered that my letter had pained you even for the time being,

In fact, if I did pain you by that letter, I do not regret it. I did regret it when I discovered that my letter had pained you even for the time being,

In fact, if I did pain you by that letter, I do not regret it. I did regret it when I discovered that my letter had pained you even for the time being,

In fact, if I did pain you by that letter, I do not regret it. I did regret it when I discovered that my letter had pained you even for the time being, but I am glad now ??not glad that you were pained but glad that your pain induced you to repent. For you were pained as God meant you to be pained, and so you got no harm from what I did;

but I am glad now ??not glad that you were pained but glad that your pain induced you to repent. For you were pained as God meant you to be pained, and so you got no harm from what I did; the pain God is allowed to guide ends in a saving repentance never to be regretted, whereas the world's pain ends in death.

the pain God is allowed to guide ends in a saving repentance never to be regretted, whereas the world's pain ends in death. See what this pain divine has done for you, how serious it has made you, how keen to clear yourselves, how indignant, how alarmed, how eager for me, how determined, how relentless! You have shown in every way that you were honest in the business.

See what this pain divine has done for you, how serious it has made you, how keen to clear yourselves, how indignant, how alarmed, how eager for me, how determined, how relentless! You have shown in every way that you were honest in the business. So my letter was written to you, not on account of the offender nor for the sake of the injured party, but in order to let you realize before God how seriously you do care for me.

So my letter was written to you, not on account of the offender nor for the sake of the injured party, but in order to let you realize before God how seriously you do care for me. That is what comforts me. And over and above my personal comfort, I was specially delighted at the delight of Titus. You have all set his mind at rest.

That is what comforts me. And over and above my personal comfort, I was specially delighted at the delight of Titus. You have all set his mind at rest. I told him of my pride in you, and I have not been disappointed. No, just as all I have had to say to you has been true, so all I said about you to Titus, all my pride in you, has also proved true.

I told him of my pride in you, and I have not been disappointed. No, just as all I have had to say to you has been true, so all I said about you to Titus, all my pride in you, has also proved true. His own heart goes out to you all the more when he remembers how you all obeyed him, and how you received him with reverence and trembling.

His own heart goes out to you all the more when he remembers how you all obeyed him, and how you received him with reverence and trembling. I am glad to have full confidence in you.

I am glad to have full confidence in you.

I am glad to have full confidence in you.

Now, brothers, I have to tell you about the grace God has given to the churches of Macedonia.

Now, brothers, I have to tell you about the grace God has given to the churches of Macedonia.

Now, brothers, I have to tell you about the grace God has given to the churches of Macedonia. Amid a severe ordeal of trouble, their overflowing joy and their deep poverty together have poured out a flood of rich generosity; read more. I can testify that up to their means, aye and beyond their means, they have given ??4 begging me of their own accord, most urgently, for the favour of contributing to the support of the saints.

They have done more than I expected; they gave themselves to the Lord, to begin with, and then (for so God willed it) they put themselves at my disposal. This has led me to ask Titus to complete the arrangements for the same gracious contribution among yourselves, as it was he who started it.

besides, he has been appointed by the churches to travel with me on the business of administering this fund to the glory of the Lord. His appointment has my full consent,

I know how willing you are, I am proud of it, I have boasted of you to the Macedonians: "Achaia," I tell them, "was all ready last year." And your zeal has been a stimulus to the majority of them.

That is why I have thought it necessary to ask these brothers to go on in advance and get your promised contribution ready in good time. I want it to be forthcoming as a generous gift, not as money wrung out of you. Mark this: he who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows generously will reap a generous harvest. read more. Everyone is to give what he has made up his mind to give; there is to be no grudging or compulsion about it, for God loves the giver who gives cheerfully. God is able to bless you with ample means, so that you may always have quite enough for any emergency of your own and ample besides for any kind act to others; as it is written, He scatters his gifts to the poor broadcast, his charity lasts for ever. He who furnishes the sower with seed and with bread to eat will supply seed for you and multiply it; he will increase the crop of your charities ??11 you will be enriched on all hands, so that you can be generous on all occasions, and your generosity, of which I am the agent, will make men give thanks to God;

for the service rendered by this fund does more than supply the wants of the saints, it overflows with many a cry of thanks to God. This service shows what you are, it makes men praise God for the way you have come under the gospel of Christ which you confess, and for the generosity of your contributions to themselves and to all; read more. they are drawn to you and pray for you, on account of the surpassing grace which God has shown to you. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!

I appeal to you myself by the gentleness and consideration of Christ ??the Paul who is 'humble enough to your face when he is with you, but outspoken enough when he gets away from you.'

I appeal to you myself by the gentleness and consideration of Christ ??the Paul who is 'humble enough to your face when he is with you, but outspoken enough when he gets away from you.'

My opponent says, 'Paul's letters are weighty and telling, but his personality is weak and his delivery is beneath contempt.'

I wish you would put up with a little 'folly' from me. Do put up with me,

Are they Hebrews? so am I. Israelites? so am I. Descended from Abraham? so am I. Ministers of Christ? yes perhaps, but not as much as I am (I am mad to talk like this!), with all my labours, with all my lashes, with all my time in prison ??a record longer far than theirs. I have been often at the point of death; read more. five times have I got forty lashes (all but one) from the Jews, three times I have been beaten by the Romans, once pelted with stones, three times shipwrecked, adrift at sea for a whole night and day; I have been often on my travels, I have been in danger from rivers and robbers, in danger from Jews and Gentiles, through dangers of town and of desert, through dangers on the sea, through dangers among false brothers ??27 through labour and hardship, through many a sleepless night, through hunger and thirst, starving many a time, cold and ill-clad, and all the rest of it.

And then there is the pressing business of each day, the care of all the churches.

There is nothing to be gained by this sort of thing, but as I am obliged to boast, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

My wealth of visions might have puffed me up, so I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to rack me and keep me from being puffed up;

My wealth of visions might have puffed me up, so I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to rack me and keep me from being puffed up; three times over I prayed the Lord to make it leave me, read more. but he told me, "It is enough for you to have my grace: it is in weakness that [my] power is fully felt." So I am proud to boast of all my weakness, and thus to have the power of Christ resting on my life.

Here am I all ready to pay you my third visit. And I will not be a burden to you; I want yourselves and not your money. Children have not to put money by for their parents; that is what parents do for their children.

Did I make something out of you by any of my messengers? I asked Titus to go, and with him I sent our brother. Titus did not make anything out of you, did he? And did not I act in the same spirit as he did? Did I not take the very same steps?

I asked Titus to go, and with him I sent our brother. Titus did not make anything out of you, did he? And did not I act in the same spirit as he did? Did I not take the very same steps? You think all this time I am defending myself to you? No, I am speaking in Christ before the presence of God, and speaking every word, beloved, in order to build you up.

You think all this time I am defending myself to you? No, I am speaking in Christ before the presence of God, and speaking every word, beloved, in order to build you up. For I am afraid I may perhaps come and find you are not what I could wish, while you may find I am not what you could wish; I am afraid of finding quarrels, jealousy, temper, rivalry, slanders, gossiping, arrogance, and disorder ??21 afraid that when I come back to you, my God may humiliate me before you, and I may have to mourn for many who sinned some time ago and yet have never repented of the impurity, the sexual vice, and the sensuality which they have practised.

This will be my third visit to you: every case is to be decided on the evidence of two or of three witnesses.

This will be my third visit to you: every case is to be decided on the evidence of two or of three witnesses.

I am writing thus to you in absence, so that when I do come I may not have to deal sharply with you; I have the Lord's authority for that, but he gave it to me for building you up, not for demolishing you.

I am writing thus to you in absence, so that when I do come I may not have to deal sharply with you; I have the Lord's authority for that, but he gave it to me for building you up, not for demolishing you.

I am writing thus to you in absence, so that when I do come I may not have to deal sharply with you; I have the Lord's authority for that, but he gave it to me for building you up, not for demolishing you. Now brothers, goodbye; mend your ways, listen to what I have told you, live in harmony, keep the peace; then the God of love and peace will be with you. read more. Salute one another with a holy kiss. All the saints salute you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with you all.

thanking the Father who has qualified us to share the lot of the saints in the Light,