rise not at all, why are they then immersed for them? (30)Why also are
we in peril every hour? (31)I protest by my glorying in you, which I
have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. (32)If after the manner of
men I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what is the profit to me, if
the dead rise not?
Let us eat and drink;
For to-morrow we die.
(33)Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good manners.
(34)Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the
knowledge of God. I say it to your shame.
(35)But some one will say: How do the dead rise? And with what kind of
body do they come? (36)Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not
quickened, except it die; (37)and what thou sowest, not the body that
shall be sowest thou, but bare grain, perchance of wheat, or of some
other grain. (38)But God gives it a body as it pleased him, and to
each of the seeds its own body.
(39)All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one flesh of men,
another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, another of birds.
(40)There are also heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the glory
of the heavenly is one, and that of the earthly is another. (41)There
is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another
glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
(42)So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption,
it rises in incorruption. (43)It is sown in dishonor, it rises in
glory. It is sown in weakness, it rises in power. (44)It is sown a
natural body, it rises a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual. (45)So also it
is written: The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam a
life-giving spirit. (46)But the spiritual is not first, but the
natural; and afterward the spiritual. (47)The first man was of the
earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. (48)As was the earthy,
such are they also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are
they also that are heavenly. (49)And as we bore the image of the
earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
(50)And this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood can not inherit the
kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. (51)Behold,
I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed, (52)in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (53)For this corruptible must
put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (54)And
when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal
shall have put on immortality, then will be brought to pass the
saying, that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. (55)Where,
O death, is thy sting? Where, O death, is thy victory? (56)The sting
of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (57)But thanks be
to God, who gives us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(58)Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in
vain in the Lord.
XVI.
NOW concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the
churches of Galatia, so also do ye. (2)On each first day of the week,
let every one of you lay by him in store, according as he is
prospered, that there may be no collections when I come. (3)And when I
come, whomsoever ye shall approve, them I will send with letters to
carry your benefaction to Jerusalem. (4)And if it be worthy of my
going also, they shall go with me.
(5)And I will come to you, when I shall pass through Macedonia. For I
pass through Macedonia; (6)and it may be that I will remain, or even
pass the winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey
whithersoever I go. (7)For I wish not to see you now, in passing; for
I hope to remain some time with you, if the Lord permit. (8)But I
shall remain at Ephesus until the Pentecost. (9)For a great and
effectual door is open to me, and there are many adversaries.
(10)Now if Timothy come, see that he may be with you without fear; for
he works the work of the Lord, as I also do. (11)Let no one therefore
despise him; but send him forward in peace, that he may come to me;
for I look for him with the brethren.
(12)And concerning Apollos the brother, I besought him much to come to
you with the brethren; and it was not at all his will to come at this
time, but he will come when he shall have a convenient time.
(13)Watch, stand fast in the faith, acquit you like men, be strong.
(14)Let all your acts be done in love.
(15)And I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that
it is the first-fruits of Achaia, and that they devoted themselves to
the service of the saints,) (16)that ye also submit yourselves to
such, and to every one that works with us, and labors.
(17)I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus;
for what was lacking on your part they supplied. (18)For they
refreshed my spirit and yours; therefore acknowledge those who are
such.
(19)The churches of Asia salute you.
Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that
is in their house. (20)All the brethren salute you. Salute one another
with a holy kiss.
(21)The salutation of me, Paul, with my own hand.
(22)If any one loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.
Maran atha[16:22]!
(23)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (24)My love be
with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
THE SECOND LETTER OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS.
I.
PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy the
brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints
who are in all Achaia: (2)Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
(3)Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies, and the God of all consolation; (4)who consoles us in all our
affliction, that we may be able to console those who are in any
affliction, by the consolation wherewith we ourselves are consoled by
God. (5)Because, as the sufferings of Christ abound toward us, so
through Christ abounds also our consolation.
(6)But whether we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and
salvation, which is effective in the endurance of the same sufferings
which we also suffer; or whether we are consoled, it is for your
consolation and salvation. (7)And our hope of you is steadfast,
knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so are ye also of
the consolation.
(8)For we would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of our
affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were exceedingly
oppressed, above our strength, so that we despaired even of life.
(9)Yea, we ourselves had in ourselves the sentence of death, that we
should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; (10)who
delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom is our
hope that he will still deliver; (11)ye also helping together on our
behalf by your supplication, that for the mercy bestowed on us through
many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
(12)For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in
simplicity and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the
grace of God, did we deport ourselves in the world, and more
abundantly toward you. (13)For we write no other things to you, than
what ye read or even acknowledge, and I trust ye will acknowledge even
to the end; (14)as also ye did acknowledge us in part, that we are
your glorying, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
(15)And in this confidence I was desirous to come to you before, that
ye might have a second benefit; (16)and to pass by you into Macedonia,
and from Macedonia to come again to you, and by you to be brought on
my way to Judea. (17)When therefore I purposed this, did I act with
levity? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the
flesh, that with me there should be the yea, yea, and the nay, nay?
(18)But God is faithful, our word to you is not yea and nay. (19)For
the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me
and Silvanus and Timothy, was not made yea and nay, but has been made
yea in him. (20)For however many are the promises of God, in him is
the yea, and in him the Amen, to the glory of God through us. (21)Now
he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God;
(22)he who also sealed us, and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our
hearts.
(23)But I invoke God for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I
came not yet to Corinth. (24)Not that we have dominion over your
faith, but are helpers of your joy; for in faith ye stand fast.
II.
AND I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you
in sorrow. (2)For if I make you sorry, who then is he that makes me
glad, but the same who is made sorry by me? (3)And I wrote this very
thing to you, that I might not, when I came, have sorrow from those of
whom I ought to have joy; having confidence in you all, that my joy is
the joy of you all. (4)For out of much affliction and anguish of heart
I wrote to you, with many tears; not that ye might have sorrow, but
that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly toward you.
(5)But if any has caused sorrow, he has not caused sorrow to me, but
in part (that I be not too severe on him) to you all. (6)Sufficient
for such a one is this punishment, which was inflicted by the many.
(7)So that, on the contrary, ye ought rather to forgive and console
him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch
sorrow. (8)Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him.
(9)For to this end also I wrote, that I might know the proof of you,
whether ye are obedient in all things. (10)To whom ye forgive
anything, I forgive also; for what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven
anything, for your sakes I forgave it in the person of Christ,
(11)that no advantage might be gained over us by Satan; for we are not
ignorant of his devices.
(12)And when I came to Troas to preach the good news of Christ, and a
door was opened to me in the Lord, (13)I had no rest in my spirit,
because I found not Titus my brother; but taking leave of them, I went
forth into Macedonia. (14)But thanks be to God, who always causes us
to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest by us in every place the
savor of the knowledge of him. (15)Because we are to God a sweet savor
of Christ, in those who are saved, and in those who perish; (16)to the
one a savor of death unto death, to the other a savor of life unto
life. And who is sufficient for these things? (17)For we are not as
the many, corrupting the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of
God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
III.
DO we again begin to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some, letters
of commendation to you, or of commendation from you? (2)Ye are our
letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; (3)being
made manifest that ye are a letter of Christ ministered by us, written
not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of
stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart.
(4)And such confidence have we through Christ, toward God. (5)Not that
we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but
our sufficiency is of God; (6)who also made us sufficient as ministers
of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the
letter kills, but the spirit makes alive.
(7)But if the ministration of death, engraven with letters in stones,
was made glorious, so that the sons of Israel could not look
steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance,
which glory was to be done away; (8)how shall not the ministration of
the spirit be more glorious? (9)For if the ministration of
condemnation is glory, much more does the ministration of
righteousness abound in glory. (10)For even that which was made
glorious has no glory in this respect, on account of the glory that
excels. (11)For if that which is done away was glorious, much more
that which abides is glorious.
(12)Having therefore such hope, we use great plainness of speech;
(13)and not as Moses put a vail over his face, that the children of
Israel might not steadfastly look on the end of that which was to be
done away. (14)But their understandings were hardened; for until this
day the same vail on the reading of the old covenant remains, not
being taken away; which vail is done away in Christ[3:14]. (15)But
even unto this day, when Moses is read, a vail lies upon their heart.
(16)But whenever it turns to the Lord, the vail is taken away.
(17)Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty. (18)But we all, with unvailed face beholding in a
mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from
glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.
IV.
THEREFORE, having this ministry, as we received mercy, we faint not.
(2)But we renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in
craftiness, nor falsifying the word of God; but, by the manifestation
of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the
sight of God. (3)But if our gospel is vailed, it is vailed in those
who perish; (4)in whom the god of this world blinded the
understandings of the unbelieving, that they should not discern the
light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of
God[4:4]. (5)For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord;
and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. (6)Because it is God,
who commands light to shine out of darkness; who shined in our hearts,
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Christ.
(7)But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding
greatness of the power may be God's, and not of us; (8)being pressed
in every way, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not despairing;
(9)persecuted, yet not forsaken; cast down, yet not destroyed;
(10)always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that also the
life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (11)For we who live
are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of
Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (12)So that death
works in us, but life in you.
(13)But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written,
I believed, therefore did I speak, we also believe, therefore also
speak; (14)knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise up
us also with Jesus, and will present us with you. (15)For all things
are for your sakes; that the grace, abounding through the greater
number, might make the thanksgiving more abundant, to the glory of
God.
(16)For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perishes,
yet the inward man is renewed day by day: (17)For our light
affliction, which is but for a moment, works out for us a far more
exceeding, an eternal weight of glory; (18)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.
V.
FOR we know that, if our earthly house of the tabernacle[5:1] were
dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens. (2)For in this we groan, longing to be clothed
upon with our house which is from heaven; (3)seeing that we shall be
found clothed, not naked[5:3]. (4)For we who are in the tabernacle
groan, being burdened; in that we do not desire to be unclothed, but
to be clothed upon, that what is mortal might be swallowed up by life.
(5)Now he who wrought us out for this very thing is God, who also gave
to us the earnest of the Spirit. (6)Being therefore always confident,
and knowing that while at home in the body we are absent from the
Lord, (7)(for we walk by faith, not by sight), (8)we are confident,
and are well pleased rather to be absent from the body, and to be at
home with the Lord.
(9)Wherefore we also strive, that, whether at home or absent, we may
be well pleasing to him. (10)For we must all be made manifest before
the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done
in the body, according to the things which he did, whether good or
bad.
(11)Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but to
God we have been made manifest, and I hope that we have been made
manifest also in your consciences. (12)For we are not again commending
ourselves to you, but giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf,
that ye may have somewhat to answer those who glory in appearance and
not in heart. (13)For whether we were beside ourselves, it was for
God; or whether we are of sound mind, it is for you. (14)For the love
of Christ constrains us; because we thus judged, that if one died for
all, then they all died. (15)And he died for all, that they who live
should live no longer to themselves, but to him who for them died and
rose again. (16)So that we henceforth know no one according to the
flesh; and if also we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet
now we no longer know him. (17)So that if any one is in Christ, he is
a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, all things have
become new. (18)And all things are of God, who reconciled us to
himself through Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;
(19)as that God was in Christ reconciling a world to himself, not
reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the
word of reconciliation.
(20)We are then ambassadors on behalf of Christ[5:20], as though God
were beseeching by us; on behalf of Christ we pray: Be reconciled to
God! (21)Him who knew not sin he made to be sin for us, that we might
become God's righteousness in him.
VI.
AND, as workers together with him, we also beseech you that ye receive
not the grace of God in vain; (2)(for he says:
In an accepted time I heard thee,
And in the day of salvation I helped thee;
behold, now is the well accepted time, behold, now is the day of
salvation;) (3)giving no cause of offense in anything, that the
ministry be not blamed; (4)but as God's ministers, commending
ourselves in everything, in much patience, in afflictions, in
necessities, in distresses, (5)in stripes, in imprisonments, in
tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; (6)in pureness, in
knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love
unfeigned, (7)in the word of truth, in the power of God, by the armor
of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, (8)through glory
and dishonor, through evil report and good report; as deceivers, and
true; (9)as unknown, and well known; as dying, and, behold, we live;
as chastened, and not killed; (10)as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and possessing all
things.
(11)O Corinthians, our mouth is open to you, our heart is enlarged.
(12)Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own
bowels. (13)Now as a recompense in the same kind (I speak as to my
children), be ye also enlarged.
(14)Be not yoked unequally with unbelievers; for what fellowship has
righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with
darkness? (15)And what concord has Christ with Belial? Or what part
has a believer with an unbeliever? (16)And what agreement has the
temple of God with idols? For ye are a temple of the living God; as
God said: I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be
their God, and they shall be to me a people.
(17)Wherefore, come out from among them, and be separated, saith the
Lord, and touch not anything unclean; and I will receive you, (18)and
will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to me sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty.
VII.
HAVING therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.
(2)Receive us; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we defrauded no
one. (3)I say it not for condemnation; for I have before said, that ye
are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. (4)Great is
my confidence toward you, great is my glorying on account of you; I am
filled with the consolation, I am made to abound with the joy, in all
our affliction.
(5)For indeed, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no
rest, but we were afflicted in every way; without were fightings,
within were fears. (6)But God, who consoles those who are cast down,
consoled us by the coming of Titus; (7)and not by his coming only, but
also by the consolation with which he was consoled in you, when he
told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that
I rejoiced the more. (8)Because, though I made you sorry with the
letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it; for I perceive
that that letter made you sorry, though but for a season. (9)Now I
rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto
repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might
in nothing receive harm from us. (10)For godly sorrow works repentance
unto salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world works
out death.
(11)For behold this very thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly
manner, what earnestness it wrought in you; yea, what clearing of
yourselves; yea, what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, what longing
desire; yea, what zeal; yea, what avenging! In every thing ye
commended yourselves as pure in the matter. (12)So then, though I
wrote to you, it was not on account of him who did the wrong, nor of
him who suffered wrong, but that your care for us might be made
manifest to you in the sight of God.
(13)For this cause we were consoled; but in our consolation[7:13], we
rejoiced abundantly more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has
been refreshed by you all. (14)For if in any thing I have boasted to
him of you, I was not made ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you
in truth, so also our boasting before Titus was found to be truth.
(15)And his tender affection is more abundantly toward you, while he
remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye
received him.
(16)I rejoice, that in every thing I have confidence in you.
VIII.
AND we made known to you, brethren, the grace of God which has been
bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; (2)that in much trial of
affliction was the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty
abounded to the riches of their liberality. (3)For according to their
power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, they were willing of
themselves; (4)with much entreaty beseeching of us the grace, and the
participation in the ministering to the saints; (5)and not as we
expected, but themselves they gave first to the Lord, and to us by the
will of God. (6)So that we exhorted Titus, that as he had before
begun, so he would also finish among you this grace also.
(7)But, as in everything ye abound, in faith, and utterance, and
knowledge, and all diligence, and your love to us, see that ye abound
in this grace also. (8)I say it not by way of command, but through the
forwardness of others proving also the sincerity of your love. (9)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. (10)And I give an opinion in this matter; for this is
expedient for you, who began before others, not only to do, but also
to will, a year ago. (11)And now perform the doing of it also; that as
there was the readiness to will, so there may be the performance
according to what ye have.
(12)For if there be first the willing mind, it is accepted according
to what a man has, not according to what he has not. (13)For it is not
that others may be eased, and ye burdened; (14)but, by the rule of
equality, at this present time your abundance being a supply for their
want, that also their abundance may be a supply for your want, that
there may be equality; as it is written: (15)He that gathered much had
nothing over, and he that gathered little did not lack.