For we know that if the earthly house of our tent were destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens.

Now he who wrought us for this same thing is God, who also gave us the pledge of the Spirit.

For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of the Christ, so that each man may receive back about the things that he did through the body, whether good or bad.

Having seen therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. But we have been manifested to God, and I hope also to have been manifested in your consciences.

For whether we are beside ourselves to God, or we are of normal mind, it is for you.

And all things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and who gave to us the ministry of reconciliation.

How that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.

We are therefore, ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were calling through us. We plead on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God.

For the man who knew no sin was made sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

And working jointly, we urge you also not to receive the grace of God in vain

but in everything commending ourselves as helpers of God, in much perseverance, in afflictions, in necessities, in restrictions,

in word of truth, in power of God, through the weapons of righteousness of the right hand and of the left,

And what mutual agreement has a temple of God with idols? For ye are a temple of the living God, just as God said, I will dwell in them, and will walk among them. And I will be their God, and they will be a people to me.

Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in fear of God.

Nevertheless God, who encourages the lowly, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.

Now I rejoice, not that ye were grieved, but that ye were grieved for repentance. For ye were grieved toward God, so that ye might suffer loss from us in nothing.

For sorrow toward God works repentance for salvation without regret, but the sorrow of the world works death.

For behold this same thing--your grieving toward God. How much eagerness it worked in you, even a defense, even indignation, even fear, even longing, even zeal, even vengeance! In everything ye demonstrated yourselves to be pure in

And so then although I wrote to you, it was not because of the man who did wrong, nor because of the man who was wronged, but in order to reveal to you your eagerness for us in the sight of God.

And, brothers, we declare to you the grace of God that has been given in the congregations of Macedonia,

And it was not as we expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us through the will of God,

But thanks to God who gives the same eagerness for you in the heart of Titus.

And we sent along with him the brother whose praise in the good-news is throughout all the congregations.

Each man as he purposes in his heart, not from regret or from necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to abound all grace for you, so that always in everything having all sufficiency, ye may abound for every good work,

being enriched in everything for every generosity, which works gratitude to God through us.

Because the service of this ministry is not only supplying the needs of the sanctified, but also abounding through many thanksgivings to God

through the evidence of this service, glorifying God at the subjection of your confession toward the good-news of the Christ, and at the generosity of the participation, for them and for all,

and by their supplication about you, yearning for you because of the transcending grace of God in you.

And thanks to God for his indescribable gift.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for the demolition of strongholds,

casting down imaginations, and every high thing exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought captive into the obedience of the Christ,

But we will not boast in things immeasurable, but according to the measure of the standard that God apportioned to us, of a measure to reach even as far as you.

For it is not as not reaching for you. We overextend ourselves. For we even reached as far as you in the good-news of the Christ,

in order to preach the good-news beyond you, not to boast in another measure, in things prepared.

For I am jealous for you with a jealousy of God. For I betrothed you to one husband, a pure virgin to present to the Christ.

For indeed if a man who comes, preaches another Jesus whom we did not preach, or ye receive another spirit that ye did not receive, or another good-news that ye did not accept, ye well tolerated it.

Or did I commit a sin lowering myself so that ye might be lifted up, because I preached to you the good-news of God freely?

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

But what I do, I also will do, so that I may cut off the opportunity of those who desire an opportunity, that in what they boast, they might appear just as we also.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed into the ages, knows that I do not lie.

I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in body, I know not, or whether outside the body, I know not, God knows) such a man was caught up as far as the third heaven.

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

Again, do ye think that we are making defense to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edification.

lest having come again my God will make me low toward you, and I will bewail many of those who have sinned previously, and who did not repent from the trash and fornication and licentiousness that they committed.

For even if he was crucified from weakness, yet he lives from the power of God. For we in him are also weak, but we will live with him from the power of God toward you.

Now I pray to God, to do you nothing harmful, not that we would appear test-passing, but that ye would do right, even like we might be test-failing.

Finally brothers, farewell. Be thoroughly prepared, be encouraged, think the same way, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

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

Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead),

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

who gave himself for our sins, so that he might rescue us, according to the will of our God and Father, out of the evil age that has come,

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him who called you in the grace of Christ to another good-news,

which is not another, except there are some who confuse you, and who want to pervert the good-news of the Christ.

But even if we, or an agent from heaven, should preach a good-news to you contrary to what we preached to you, let him be accursed.

As we have said before, I now also say again, if any man preaches a good-news to you contrary to what ye received, let him be accursed.

For do I now trust men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I were still pleasing men I would not be a bondman of Christ.

For I make known to you, brothers, the good-news that was preached by me, that it is not according to man.

For ye heard of my former behavior in Judaism, that I persecuted the church of God to extraordinariness, and ravaged it.

But when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's belly, and called me through his grace,

Now what I write to you, behold before God, I do not lie.

but they were only hearing that the man who once persecuted us now preaches the good-news, the faith that he once ravaged.

And they glorified God in me.

And I went up according to revelation, and I declared to them the good-news that I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of repute, lest somehow I might be running or ran in vain.

to whom we yielded in subjection not even for an hour, so that the truth of the good-news might continue with you.

But from those who were reputed to be something (what kind they were formerly, it makes no difference to me, God does not accept a personage of man), for those who were of repute added nothing to me,

but to the contrary, when they saw that I was entrusted with the good-news for men of uncircumcision, as Peter for men of circumcision

But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly toward the truth of the good-news, I said to Peter before all, If thou being a Jew, live as a Gentile and not as a Jew, why do thou compel the Gentiles to live as Jews?

For I, through law, died to law, so that I might live to God.

I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And what I now live in flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me.

I do not disregard the grace of God, for if righteousness is through law, then Christ died in vain.

Just as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.

And the scripture having foreseen that God makes the Gentiles righteous from faith, proclaimed the good-news in advance to Abraham: In thee all the nations will be blessed.

But that no man is made righteous by law before God, is evident, because, The righteous man will live from faith.

And I say this, a covenant previously confirmed by God in Christ, the law, which happened four hundred and thirty years after, does not annul in order to make the promise useless.

For if the inheritance is from law, it is no longer from promise. But God has given it to Abraham through promise.

Now a mediator is not of one, but God is one.

Is the law therefore against the promises of God? May it not happen! For if a law was given that could make alive, truly righteousness would be from law.

For ye are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born from a woman, born under law,

And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

But of course not knowing God then, ye were in bondage to those in nature who are not gods,

but now knowing God, but rather being known by God, how is it ye turn again to the weak and destitute elements to which ye desire again to be in bondage anew?

But ye know that through a weakness of the flesh I preached the good-news to you the first time.

And ye did not disdain, nor did ye reject my trial in my flesh, but ye received me as an agent of God, as Christ Jesus.

But to be zealous of is always good in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

O that those who trouble you would even cut it all off.

envyings, murders, intoxications, revelings, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, as I also did forewarn, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But let him who is taught in the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

Be not misled, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows this he will also reap.

And let us not be weary doing good, for in our own time we will reap, not desponding.

So then as we have time, let us work what is good toward all men, and especially toward those belonging to a household of the faith.

As many as desire to make a good impression in flesh, these compel you to be circumcised, only so that they may not be persecuted for the cross of the Christ.

And as many as will march by this standard, peace upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, to the sanctified who are at Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

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

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly things in Christ.

In whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the good-news of your salvation, in whom also having believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise,

So that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowledge of him,

But God, being rich in mercy, through his great love that he loved us,