Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, 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 excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth 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.
Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
All the saints salute you.
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.
For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
Greet one another with an holy kiss.