To the Church of God which is in Corinth, and to all the saints throughout Greece. from Paul, by God's will an apostle of Christ, and from brother Timothy.

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

Thanks be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort,

who ever comforts me in all my troubles, so that I may be continually able to comfort those who are in any trouble by the comfort with which God is ever comforting me.

Indeed, I had in myself, and still have, the sentence of death, in order that I might not rely on myself, but on God who raises the dead to life.

For this is my proud boast, the testimony of my conscience, that it was in holiness and with pure motives before God, not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God, that I have conducted myself in the world, and above all in my relations with you.

As God is faithful, my message to you is not now "Yes," now "No."

For Jesus Christ, Son of God, who was proclaimed among you by us, that is, by Silvanus and Timothy and me, was not wavering between "Yes" and "No," but in him is the everlasting "Yes."

For however many are the promises of God, in him they are "Yes." Therefore also through him let the Amen be said by our voices to the glory of God.

And he who has established me with you in the Anointed One, and has anointed me, is God.

But for my part I call God to witness, as my soul shall answer for it, that it was to spare you that I came not to Corinth

I could get no peace of mind because I failed to find Titus, my brother. So I bade them good-bye and started off for Macedonia.

But thanks be to God, who in every place is leading me in the train of Christ's triumph, and is making manifest through me the knowledge of him, an odor of incense everywhere.

I am Christ's fragrance upwafted unto God, among those who are being saved and those who are perishing;

I am; for I am not like most, trafficking in the word of God, but rather from a sincere heart, like a man of God, I speak in Christ, in the very presence of God.

Since all can see that you are a letter of Christ transcribed by men, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts as tablets.

Such confidence I have through Christ before God.

Not that I am sufficient in myself to reach any conclusion in my own wisdom; but my sufficiency is from God.

So then, as I have this ministry because of God's mercy to me, I do not lose heart.

I have renounced the hidden things of shame, not spending my life in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God; but setting forth the truth openly, I strive to commend myself to every man's conscience as in the sight of God.

Among them the god of this age has blinded the understanding of the unbelieving so that the sunshine of the gospel of God, should not dawn upon them.

For God who said, "Out of darkness light shall shine," is he who has shone in my heart, that the sunrise of the knowledge of God may shine forth in the face of Christ.

But I hold this treasure in an earthen vessel, in order that the surpassing greatness of the power may be from God, and not from myself.

For everything is for your sakes, so that more abundant grace, because of the thanksgiving of many voices, might overflow to the glory of God.

For I know, if this earthly tent of mine were struck, I have a mansion built by God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

And He who has wrought me out for this very end is God, who has given me his Spirit as pledge.

Therefore I am always of good courage, because I well know that while I am at home in the body, I am in banishment from the Lord,

So I have good courage, and am well pleased rather, to be in banishment from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

For we must all be made manifest, in our true characters, before the Judgment-seat of Christ; so that each one may receive according to that which he has done in his body, whether good or evil.

So, because I know the fear of God, I "persuade men." What I am is manifest to God, and I hope manifest also to your conscience.

For if I was "beside myself," it was to God; of if I am now "of sound mind," it is for you.

And all this is from God, who through Christ reconciled me to himself, and gave me the ministry of reconciliation;

how that God was in Christ reconciling a world to himself, not reckoning to men their trespasses; and that to me he has entrusted the message of that reconciliation.

On Christ's behalf, then, I come as ambassador. It is as though God was entreating you, through me, on Christ's behalf I beg you to be reconciled to God.

Him who knew no sin, in our behalf he has made to be sin; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As a worker with him I beseech you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

but in every way I am striving to commend myself as God's minister by stedfast endurance, by afflictions, by troubles, by distresses,

amid honor or dishonor, amid evil report and good report; as a deceiver and yet true;

And what compact has God's temple with idols? For we are a temple of the living God, as he has said: I will dwell among them, and walk about among them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.

As these promises are ours, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, and perfect our holiness in the fear of God.

But the God who comforts the down-hearted comforted me by the coming of Titus,

For your pain came from God, and so you took no harm from me. For the pain which is from God works repentance leading to salvation, a repentance never to be regretted. But the world's pain works death.

Note the results of this pain which God permitted; what earnestness it has called forth in you, what explanations, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what fervor, what punishment of wrong. In every way you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.

So then, even if I did write to you, it was not for the sake of the wrong-doer, or of him who had been wronged, but to make clear to yourselves in the sight of God your earnest care for me.

Now, brothers, I wish to tell you about the grace of God which has been manifest in the churches of Macedonia.

And this not as I had expected, but in accordance with the will of God, they first gave themselves to God and to me.

But thanks be to God who has inspired in the heart of Titus the same zeal on your behalf that I have.

So I have thought that I must ask these brothers to visit you beforehand, and get your promised contribution ready in advance. I want it to be given of your bounty, not extorted from your covetousness.

But let each give according to the purpose of his heart; not grudgingly of under compulsion. It is a cheerful giver that God loves.

And God is able to give you an overflowing measure of every grace, so that all your wants of every kind may be supplied at all times, and you may give of your abundance to every good work;

You yourselves will be enriched with all good things, that you may give ungrudgingly; and your gifts, of which I am the agent, will make men give thanks to God.

Because the ministry of this contribution not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also overflows in many a thanksgiving to God.

For this ministration proves you. On account of it men glorify God for your faithfulness to your professions of the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your gifts to them and to all.

Moreover, in their prayers for you they will be longing after you, because of the exceeding grace of God that is resting upon you.

THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS UNSPEAKABLE GIFT!

for the weapons of my warfare are not weapons of the flesh, but mighty for God, in pulling down all fortresses.

For I pull down imaginations and every crag that lifts itself against the knowledge of God. And I carry every thought away into captivity and subjection to Christ;

I, however, will not indulge in undue boasting, but will confine it within the limits of the sphere to which God has assigned me?? sphere which reaches even to you.

And why? Because I love you not? God knows I do.

I am doing and will continue to do this in order to cut away the ground from under those who wish some cause for slander; and that the ground of their boasting may appear as does mine.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am telling the truth.

I know a Christian man who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body I know not, or out of the body, I know not. God knows), was caught up??his man of whom I speak??ven into the third heaven.

And I know such a man (whether in the body or apart from the body I know not, God knows),

Do you think that all this time I am defending myself to you? It is before the presence of God that I am speaking in Christ; and all, beloved, for your upbuilding.

and lest when I come again my God may humble me before you, and lest I shall mourn for many those who have sinned before, and have not repented of the impurity and immorality and wantonness which they have practised.

For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he now lives through the power of God. I also am weak, sharing in his weakness, but I shall live with him by the power of God.

And my prayer to God is that you may do no evil; not in order that I may appear approved, but that you may do what is noble, though I should seem unable to abide the proof.

Finally, brothers, farewell. Aim at perfection, take courage, be of one mind, live in peace; so shall the God of love and peace be with you.

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