Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and brother Timothy. Unto the congregation of God, which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

Grace be with you and peace from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be God the father of our Lord Jesus the Christ, father of mercy, and the God of all comfort,

which comforteth us in all our tribulation, insomuch that we are able to comfort them which are troubled, in whatsoever tribulation it be, with the same comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Also we received an answer of death in ourselves, and that was done because we should not put our trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead to life again -

Our rejoicing is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in singleness of heart and with godly pureness - and not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God - we have had our conversation in the world, and most of all to you-wards.

God is faithful: For our preaching unto you, was not "yea" and "nay."

For God's son Jesus Christ which was preached among you by us - that is to say, by me and Silvanus and Timothy - was not "yea" and "nay": but in him it was "Yea."

For all the promises of God, in him are "Yea": and are in him "Amen," unto the laud of God through us.

For it is God which establisheth us and you in Christ, and hath anointed us,

I call God for a record unto my soul, that for to favor you withal, I came not any more unto Corinth.

Thanks be unto God which always giveth us the victory in Christ, and openeth the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.

For we are unto God the sweet savor of Christ, both among them that are saved, and also among them which perish:

For we are not as many are, which chop and change with the word of God: but even out of pureness, and by the power of God and in the sight of God, so speak we in Christ.

in that ye are known, how that ye are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us and written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.

not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as it were of ourselves; but our ableness cometh of God;

but have cast from us the cloaks of unhonesty, and walk not in craftiness, neither corrupt we the word of God: but walk in open truth, and report ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest should shine unto them the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the image of God.

For it is God that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, which hath shined in our hearts, for to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellent power of it might appear to be of God, and not of us.

for all things I do for your sakes, that the plenteous grace by thanks given of many, may redound to the praise of God.

We know surely if our earthy mansion wherein we now dwell were destroyed, that we have a building ordained of God, a habitation not made with hands, but eternal in heaven:

He that hath ordained us for this thing, is God: which very same hath given unto us the earnest of the spirit.

Therefore, we are always of good cheer, and know well that as long as we are at home in the body we are absent from God.

Nevertheless we are of good comfort, and had rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every man may receive the works of his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Seeing, then, that we know how the Lord is to be feared, we fare fair with men. For we are known well enough unto God. I trust also that we are known in your consciences.

For if we be too fervent, to God are we too fervent: if we keep measure, for your cause keep we measure.

Nevertheless, all things are of God, which hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given unto us the office to preach the atonement.

For God was in Christ, and made agreement between the world and himself, and imputed not their sins unto them: and hath committed to us the preaching of the atonement.

Now then are we messengers in the room of Christ: even as though God did beseech you through us. So pray we you, in Christ's stead, that ye be at one with God:

for he hath made him to be sin for us, which knew no sin, that we by his means should be that righteousness which before God is allowed.

We as helpers therefore exhort you, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

but in all things let us behave ourselves as the ministers of God. In much patience, in afflictions, in necessity, in anguish,

in the words of truth, in the power of God, by the armour of righteousness of the right hand and on the left hand,

in honour and dishonour, in evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet true,

How agreeth the temple of God with images? And ye are the temple of the living God, as said God, "I will dwell among them, and walk among them, and will be their God: and they shall be my people."

Seeing that we have such promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and grow up to full holiness in the fear of God.

Nevertheless God, that comforteth the abject, comforted us at the coming of Titus.

Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that did hurt, neither for his cause that was hurt: but that our good mind which we have toward you in the sight of God, might appear unto you

I do you to wit, brethren, of the grace of God, which is given in the congregations of Macedonia:

And this they did, not as we looked for; but gave their own selves first to the Lord, and after unto us by the will of God:

Thanks be unto God, which put in the heart of Titus the same good mind toward you.

and therefore make provision for honest things, not in the sight of God only, but also in the sight of men.

Wherefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, to come before hand unto you, for to prepare your good blessing promised afore, that it might be ready: so that it be a blessing, and not a defrauding.

And let every man do according as he hath purposed in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity. For God loveth a cheerful giver.

God is able to make you rich in all grace, that ye in all things having sufficient unto the utmost, may be rich unto all manner good works,

ye may be made rich in all singleness, which causeth through us, thanksgiving unto God.

For the office of this ministration, not only supplieth the need of the saints: but also is abundant herein, that for this laudable ministering, thanks might be given to God of many,

which praise God for the obedience of your professing the gospel of Christ, and for your singleness, in distributing to them, and to all men.

And in their prayers to God for you, long after you, for the abundant grace of God given unto you.

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

For the weapons of our war are not carnal things, but things mighty in God to cast down strongholds;

wherewith we overthrow imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity all understanding to the obedience of Christ,

But we will not rejoice above measure: but according to the quantity of the measure which God hath distributed unto us, a measure that reacheth even unto you.

Would to God, ye could suffer me a little in my foolishness: yea, and I pray you forbear me.

Did I therein sin, because I submitted myself, that ye might be exalted? And because I preached unto you the Gospel of God freely?

Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knoweth.

Nevertheless what I do, that will I do to cut away occasion from them which desire occasion, that they might be found like unto us in that wherein they rejoice:

The God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

I know a man in Christ above fourteen years agone - whether he were in the body I cannot tell, or whether he were out of the body I cannot tell; God knoweth - which was taken up into the third heaven.

And I know the same man - whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell; God knoweth -

And lest I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given unto me of God unquietness of the flesh: the messenger of Satan to buffet me, because I should not be exalted out of measure.

Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves? We speak in Christ in the sight of God. But we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

I fear lest when I come again, God bring me low among you, and I be constrained to bewail many of them which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness which they have committed.

And verily, though it came of weakness that he was crucified, yet liveth he through the power of God: and we no doubt are weak in him; but we shall live with him, by the might of God among you.

I desire before God that ye do none evil, not that we should seem commendable: but that ye should do that which is honest, and let us be counted as lewd persons.

Finally, brethren, fare ye well: be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace, shall be with you.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the holy ghost, be with you all. Amen. {The end of the Second Epistle unto the Corinthians, Sent from Philippi, a city in Macedonia, by Titus and Luke}