PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, and Timothy my brother, to the church of God which is in Corinth, with all the saints that are in all Achaia:

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

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

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

But we have in ourselves the sentence of death, that we may not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead;

For the ground of our rejoicing is this: the testimony of our conscience that we have lived in the world more abundantly, indeed, for you in sincerity and godly purity, not in carnal wisdom, but in the grace of God.

But God is true; for our preaching to you was not yes and no:

for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me and Sylvanus and Timothy, was not yes and no, but in him was yes.

For whatever promises of God there are, are in him yes, and in him amen, to the glory of God by us.

For he who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God,

But I call on God as a witness against my soul, that wishing to spare you, I did not go to Corinth;

Now, thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in the Christ, and sheds in every place, by us, the fragrance of the knowledge of himself.

For, through God, we are a sweet odor of Christ, among the saved, and among the lost:

For we do not, as the many, adulterate the word of God; but, as from sincerity, but, as from God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

you are well known to be a letter of Christ, written by us as his ministers, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Now, confidence such as this we have, through the Christ, toward God;

not that we are able, of ourselves, to devise any thing, as from ourselves; but our ability is from God,

but we have renounced the secret works of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God; but, by the manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

whose unbelieving minds the god of this age has darkened, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine to them.

Because God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the person of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be God's and not our own.

For all these afflictions are for your sakes, that the favor which abounds to me, may, through the thanksgiving of the many, abound richly to the glory of God.

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

Now, he that has formed us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the earnest of the Spirit.

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

Knowing, then, the fearful judgment of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest to God. I hope, indeed, that we are also made manifest in your consciences.

For if we be beside our selves, it is for God; or, if we be of sound mind, it is for you.

And all these things are from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

that is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to him self, not charging their offenses to them, and he has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Therefore, we act as ambassadors for Christ, as though God entreated through us; we beseech in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God:

for he has made him, who knew no sin, a sin-offering for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

As co-workers with him, we beseech you, that you receive not the grace of God in vain:

but in all things we commend ourselves as the ministers of God, in much suffering, in afflictions, in distresses, in straits,

by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

by honor and dishonor, by evil report, and good report; as impostors, yet truthful;

What has a temple of God in common with one of idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said: I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every pollution of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

But God, who comforts those who are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

Now I rejoice not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed in order to repentance. For you sorrowed in a way acceptable to God, that you might in nothing receive injury from us.

Therefore, though I wrote to you, it was not on account of him who did the wrong, nor on account of him who received the wrong; but that our diligent care for you, in the sight of God, might be made manifest to you.

We make known to you, brethren, God's gracious gift, which has been given in the churches of Macedonia;

and they did this, not only as we had hoped, but they gave them selves first to the Lord, and then to us, through the will of God;

But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care for you in the heart of Titus:

Let each one give, as he purposes in his heart; not with grief, nor from necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to confer every gift upon you abundantly, that you, always having all sufficiency in every thing, may have enough for every good work;

that you may be enriched in every thing, for all liberality which produces through us thanksgiving to God;

because the administration of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints, but also abounds in many thanksgivings to God;

(since through the proof which this service gives, they glorify God for your acknowledged subjection to the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution for them, and for all;)

and in their prayer for you, since they have strong affection for you on account of the eminent grace of God that is in you.

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, for the overthrowing of strongholds,)

overthrowing reasonings and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and leading captive every thought to the obedience of the Christ,

But we will not boast ourselves with respect to regions not measured to us; but according to the measure of the line which God, who measures, has appointed for us to reach even to you.

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

But what I am -doing I will also continue to do, that I may cut off occasion from those who desire an occasion, that in what they boast, they may be found even as we.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie.

I knew a man in Christ fourteen years ago; that such a one (whether in the body, I know not, or out of the body, I know not: God knows;) was caught away to the third heaven.

I also know that such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not: God knows,)

Do you think again that we offer you a defense of ourselves? We speak all these things before God in Christ, beloved, for your edification.

lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn over many of those who have already sinned, and have not repented of the uncleanness and lewdness and wantonness which they have committed.

for though 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 toward you.

Yet I pray to God that you may do no evil; not that we may appear as having proof, but that you may do what is good, though we be as without proof.

Finally, brethren, farewell; be perfect, be comforted, be of the same mind, be at peace; and the God of love and of peace will be with you.

{ (13:13) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.} { :}