2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Greeting and Blessing

From Paul,

a sent one of the Anointed One, Jesus, by the will of God,

and from Timothy, our brother—

to the gathering of God in Corinth,

along with all the set-apart ones throughout Achaia:

Grace and peace to you

from God our Father

and the Master, Jesus the Anointed One.

The God of All Comfort

Blessed be the God and Father

of our Master, Jesus the Anointed One—

the Father of compassion

and the God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles,

so that we can comfort those in any trouble

with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

For just as we share abundantly

in the sufferings of the Anointed One,

so also through the Anointed One

our comfort overflows.

If we are troubled,

it is for your comfort and rescue.

If we are comforted,

it is for your comfort,

which produces in you patient endurance

of the same sufferings we experience.

And our hope for you is firm,

because we know that as you share in our sufferings,

you will also share in our comfort.

Pressed Beyond Strength

Brothers and sisters,

we do not want you to be unaware

of the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia.

We were under great pressure,

far beyond our ability to endure,

so that we even despaired of life itself.

In fact, we felt we had received the sentence of death.

But this happened

so that we would not rely on ourselves

but on God, who raises the dead.

He rescued us from a deadly peril,

and He will rescue us again.

On Him we have set our hope

that He will continue to deliver us,

as you help us by your prayers.

Then many will give thanks on our behalf

for the gracious favor granted us

in answer to the prayers of many.

Paul’s Integrity and Change of Plans

Now this is our boast:

Our conscience is clear,

for we have conducted ourselves in the world—

and especially in our dealings with you—

with simplicity and godly sincerity,

not by human wisdom

but by the grace of God.

We are not writing anything to you

that you cannot read and understand.

And I hope that,

as you have already understood in part,

you will come to understand fully

that you can be proud of us

just as we will be proud of you

on the day of our Master, Jesus.

Because I was confident of this,

I planned to visit you first

so that you might receive a double blessing.

I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia

and then come back to you from Macedonia

and have you send me on my way to Judea.

Was I fickle when I made these plans?

Or do I make my plans in a worldly way,

saying “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

But as surely as God is faithful,

our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”

For the Son of God, Jesus the Anointed One,

who was proclaimed among you by us—

by me and Silas and Timothy—

was not “Yes” and “No,”

but in Him it has always been “Yes.”

For all the promises of God find their “Yes” in Him.

And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us

to the glory of God.

Sealed by the Breath

Now it is God

who makes both us and you stand firm in the Anointed One.

He anointed us,

set His seal of ownership on us,

and gave us His Breath in our hearts

as a down payment of what is to come.

A Change Made in Love

I call God as witness against me—

that it was in order to spare you

that I did not return to Corinth.

Not that we lord it over your trust,

but we work with you for your joy,

because it is by trust that you stand firm.

———

Paul’s Painful Visit and Loving Restraint

So I made up my mind

that I would not make another painful visit to you.

For if I cause you sorrow,

who is left to cheer me but you—

the very ones I made sorrowful?

I wrote as I did

so that when I came

I would not be grieved by those

who ought to bring me joy.

I had confidence in you all,

that my joy would be shared by all of you.

I wrote to you out of great distress and anguish of heart,

with many tears—

not to grieve you,

but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

Forgive and Comfort the One Who Repents

If anyone has caused grief,

they have not so much grieved me

as they have grieved all of you—at least to some degree.

The punishment inflicted on such a person

by the majority is sufficient.

Now you ought instead to forgive and comfort them,

so that they will not be overwhelmed

by excessive sorrow.

So I urge you to reaffirm your love for them.

This is why I wrote—

to test you and see

if you would be obedient in everything.

Anyone you forgive, I also forgive.

And what I have forgiven—if I forgave anything—

I forgave it for your sake, in the presence of the Anointed One,

so that we would not be outwitted by the Accuser,

for we are not unaware of his schemes.

The Fragrance of the Anointed One

When I came to Troas

to proclaim the good news of the Anointed One,

and a door was opened for me by the Master,

I still had no peace of mind,

because I did not find my brother Titus there.

So I said goodbye to them

and went on to Macedonia.

But thanks be to God,

who always leads us

as captives in the Anointed One’s triumphal procession

and uses us to spread the fragrance

of the knowledge of Him everywhere.

For we are to God

the aroma of the Anointed One

among those who are being rescued

and those who are perishing.

To the one, we are a smell of death leading to death;

to the other, a fragrance of life leading to life.

And who is equal to such a task?

Unlike so many,

we do not peddle the word of God for profit.

On the contrary,

in sincerity, as those sent from God,

we speak before God

in the Anointed One.

———

You Are Our Letter

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again?

Or do we need—like some—letters of recommendation to you or from you?

You yourselves are our letter,

written on our hearts,

known and read by everyone.

You show that you are a letter from the Anointed One,

delivered by us—

not written with ink,

but with the Breath of the living God—

not on tablets of stone,

but on tablets of human hearts.

Confidence Through the Anointed One

Such is the confidence we have

through the Anointed One before God.

Not that we are competent in ourselves

to claim anything as coming from us,

but our competence comes from God.

He has made us competent

to be servants of a new covenant—

not of the letter but of the Breath.

For the letter kills,

but the Breath gives life.

The Glory of the New Covenant

Now if the ministry that brought death—

engraved in letters on stone—came with glory,

so that the children of Israel could not look steadily

at the face of Moses

because of its glory, fading though it was,

will not the ministry of the Breath

be even more glorious?

If the ministry that brought condemnation had glory,

how much more glorious

is the ministry that brings rightness?

For what once had glory

now has no glory at all,

because of the surpassing glory.

And if what was fading away came with glory,

how much greater is the glory

of what remains!

Boldness Through the Anointed One

Therefore, since we have such a hope,

we speak with great boldness.

We are not like Moses,

who would put a veil over his face

to keep the children of Israel

from gazing at the end of what was fading away.

But their minds were hardened.

For to this day the same veil remains

when the old covenant is read—

it has not been lifted,

because only in the Anointed One

is it taken away.

Even to this day,

when Moses is read,

a veil covers their hearts.

But whenever someone turns to the Master,

the veil is removed.

Freedom Through the Breath

Now the Master is the Breath,

and where the Breath of the Master is,

there is freedom.

And we all, with unveiled faces,

contemplate the glory of the Master,

and are being transformed into His image

with ever-increasing glory,

which comes from the Master, who is the Breath.

———

We Do Not Lose Heart

Therefore,

since through God’s mercy we have this ministry,

we do not lose heart.

Rather, we have renounced shameful and hidden ways;

we do not act with deception

or distort the word of God.

Instead, by openly speaking the truth,

we commend ourselves to every person’s conscience

in the sight of God.

And even if our good news is veiled,

it is veiled to those who are perishing.

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers,

so they cannot see the light of the good news

that displays the glory of the Anointed One,

who is the image of God.

The Light of the Anointed One

For we do not proclaim ourselves,

but Jesus the Anointed One as Master,

and ourselves as your servants

for His sake.

For God, who said,

“Let light shine out of darkness,”

has shone in our hearts

to give the light of the knowledge

of the glory of God

in the face of the Anointed One.

Treasure in Clay Jars

But we have this treasure

in jars of clay,

to show that the all-surpassing power

belongs to God and not to us.

We are hard pressed on every side,

but not crushed;

perplexed,

but not in despair;

persecuted,

but not abandoned;

struck down,

but not destroyed.

We always carry in our body

the death of Jesus,

so that the life of Jesus

may also be revealed in our body.

For we who are alive

are always being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake,

so that His life may also be revealed

in our mortal bodies.

So then, death is at work in us,

but life is at work in you.

We Believe, So We Speak

It is written:

“I believed, therefore I have spoken.”

Since we have that same spirit of trust,

we also believe and therefore speak,

knowing that the One who raised the Master Jesus

will also raise us with Jesus

and present us with you to Himself.

All this is for your sake,

so that the grace that is reaching more and more people

may cause thanksgiving to overflow

to the glory of God.

Fix Your Eyes on the Unseen

Therefore we do not lose heart.

Though outwardly we are wasting away,

inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

For our light and momentary troubles

are producing for us

an eternal weight of glory

that far outweighs them all.

So we fix our eyes

not on what is seen,

but on what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary,

but what is unseen is eternal.

———

Our Eternal Dwelling

For we know

that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed,

we have a building from God—

an eternal house in the heavens,

not built by human hands.

Meanwhile, we groan,

longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,

because when we are clothed,

we will not be found naked.

For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened,

because we do not wish to be unclothed

but to be clothed with what is from above,

so that what is mortal

may be swallowed up by life.

Now the One who has prepared us for this very thing

is God,

who has given us the Breath as a down payment.

At Home in the Body — Longing for the Master

So we are always confident,

even though we know

that as long as we are at home in the body,

we are away from the Master.

For we walk by trust, not by sight.

We are confident, I say,

and would prefer to be away from the body

and at home with the Master.

So we make it our aim,

whether we are at home in the body or away,

to be pleasing to Him.

For we must all appear

before the judgment seat of the Anointed One,

so that each may receive what is due

for the things done in the body,

whether good or worthless.

Compelled by Love

Since then, we know what it is to fear the Master,

we try to persuade others.

What we are is plain to God,

and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.

We are not commending ourselves to you again,

but giving you an opportunity to take pride in us,

so that you can answer those

who take pride in outward appearance

rather than in what is in the heart.

If we are “out of our minds,”

it is for God;

if we are in our right mind,

it is for you.

For the love of the Anointed One compels us,

because we are convinced

that One died for all,

and therefore all died.

And He died for all,

that those who live

should no longer live for themselves

but for Him who died for them

and was raised.

A New Creation

So from now on,

we regard no one according to the flesh.

Though we once regarded the Anointed One this way,

we do so no longer.

Therefore,

if anyone is in the Anointed One,

they are a new creation.

The old has gone,

the new has come!

All this is from God,

who reconciled us to Himself through the Anointed One

and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

that God was in the Anointed One,

reconciling the world to Himself,

not counting people’s failures against them.

And He has entrusted to us

the message of reconciliation.

Ambassadors for the Anointed One

So we are ambassadors for the Anointed One,

as though God were making His appeal through us.

We beg you on behalf of the Anointed One:

Be reconciled to God.

God made Him who had no sin

to be sin for us,

so that in Him

we might become the rightness of God.

———

Now Is the Time

As co-workers with God,

we urge you not to receive His grace in vain.

For He says:

“In the acceptable time I heard you,

and in the day of rescue I helped you.”

Look! Now is the acceptable time;

now is the day of rescue.

We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path,

so that our service may not be discredited.

Rather, as servants of God,

we commend ourselves in every way:

In great endurance;

in troubles, hardships, and distresses;

in beatings, imprisonments, and riots;

in hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger;

in purity, understanding, patience, and kindness;

in the Set-Apart Breath and in genuine love;

in truthful speech and in the power of God;

with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;

through honor and dishonor,

bad report and good report;

genuine, yet regarded as impostors;

known, yet treated as unknown;

dying, yet look—we live;

beaten, yet not killed;

sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;

poor, yet making many rich;

having nothing, yet possessing everything.

Open Your Hearts

We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians;

our hearts are wide open.

We are not withholding our affection from you,

but you are withholding yours from us.

As a fair exchange—

I speak as to my children—

open wide your hearts also.

Do Not Be Unequally Joined

Do not be unequally joined

with those who do not trust.

For what partnership is there

between rightness and lawlessness?

What fellowship has light with darkness?

What harmony is there

between the Anointed One and the worthless one?

What does a believer have in common

with an unbeliever?

What agreement is there

between the temple of God and idols?

For we are the temple of the living God.

As God has said:

“I will live with them and walk among them,

and I will be their God,

and they will be My people.”

Therefore,

“Come out from among them

and be separate,” says the Master.

“Do not touch what is unclean,

and I will receive you.”

“I will be a Father to you,

and you will be My sons and daughters,”

says the Lord Almighty.

———

Purify Yourselves, Beloved

Since we have these promises, dear friends,

let us purify ourselves from everything

that defiles body and spirit,

perfecting set-apartness

in reverence for God.

Make room for us in your hearts.

We have wronged no one,

we have corrupted no one,

we have taken advantage of no one.

I do not say this to condemn you.

I have already said

that you have such a place in our hearts

that we would live or die with you.

I have great confidence in you;

I take great pride in you.

I am greatly encouraged;

in all our troubles, my joy overflows.

Comfort in Distress

When we came into Macedonia,

we had no rest,

but were harassed at every turn—

conflicts on the outside, fears within.

But God, who comforts the downcast,

comforted us by the arrival of Titus—

not only by his presence,

but also by the comfort you had given him.

He told us about your longing for me,

your sorrow, your concern for me—

so that my joy was greater than ever.

Godly Sorrow Brings Life

Even if I made you sorrowful with my letter,

I do not regret it.

Though I did regret it for a moment—

I see that my letter hurt you,

but only for a little while—

now I rejoice,

not because you were grieved,

but because your grief led you to change.

For you were sorrowful as God intended,

and so were not harmed by us in any way.

Godly sorrow brings a change that leads to rescue

and leaves no regret,

but worldly sorrow brings death.

See what this godly sorrow has produced in you:

what eagerness,

what earnestness to clear yourselves,

what indignation,

what alarm,

what longing,

what concern,

what readiness to see justice done.

At every point you proved yourselves

to be innocent in this matter.

So even though I wrote to you,

it was not just for the one who did wrong

or the one who was wronged,

but to show you—before God—

how earnestly you care for us.

That is what has encouraged us.

Titus' Joy and Your Refreshing Spirit

In addition to our own encouragement,

we were especially delighted

to see how happy Titus was,

because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.

I had boasted to him about you,

and you did not let me down.

Just as everything we said to you was true,

so our boasting about you to Titus has proved true as well.

And his affection for you is all the greater

when he remembers your obedience,

how you received him with respect and humility.

I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.

———

The Generosity of the Macedonians

Now, brothers and sisters,

we want you to know

about the grace that God has given

to the gatherings in Macedonia.

In the midst of a very severe trial,

their overflowing joy and deep poverty

overflowed in rich generosity.

For I testify that they gave

as much as they were able,

and even beyond their ability—

entirely on their own.

They urgently pleaded with us

for the privilege of sharing

in this service to the set-apart ones.

And they exceeded our expectations:

They gave themselves first of all to the Master,

and then by the will of God also to us.

Excel in This Grace Also

So we urged Titus,

just as he had begun,

to also complete among you

this act of grace.

But as you excel in everything—

in trust, in speech, in knowledge,

in eagerness, and in your love for us—

see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

I am not commanding you,

but I want to test the sincerity of your love

by comparing it with the earnestness of others.

For you know the grace

of our Master, Jesus the Anointed One—

that though He was rich,

yet for your sake He became poor,

so that through His poverty

you might become rich.

Finish What You Started

And here is my judgment

about what is helpful for you in this matter:

Last year,

you were the first not only to give,

but also to desire to do so.

Now finish the work,

so that your eager willingness to begin it

may be matched by your completion of it,

according to your means.

For if the willingness is there,

the gift is acceptable

according to what one has,

not according to what one does not have.

A Matter of Fairness

Our desire is not that others might be relieved

while you are burdened,

but that there might be equality.

At the present time,

your abundance can meet their need,

so that in turn their abundance

might meet your need.

The goal is equality.

As it is written:

“The one who gathered much did not have too much,

and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”

Titus and the Brothers

Thanks be to God,

who put into the heart of Titus

the same concern I have for you.

For not only did he welcome our appeal,

but he is coming to you with great eagerness

and on his own initiative.

And we are sending with him the brother

who is praised among all the gatherings

for his work in the good news.

More than that,

he was chosen by the gatherings

to accompany us

as we carry the offering.

We are taking this precaution

to avoid any criticism

for how we handle this generous gift.

For we are careful to do what is right,

not only in the eyes of the Master

but also in the eyes of people.

Honoring Those Who Serve

We are also sending with them another brother

whose zeal we have tested many times

and who is now even more eager

because of his great confidence in you.

As for Titus—he is my partner and co-worker among you.

As for our brothers—they are representatives of the gatherings

and an honor to the Anointed One.

Therefore, show these men the proof of your love

and the reason for our pride in you,

so that the gatherings can see it.

———

Be Ready with Generosity

There is no need for me to write to you

about this service to the set-apart ones,

for I know your eagerness to help.

I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians,

telling them that since last year

you in Achaia were ready to give—

and your enthusiasm stirred most of them to action.

But I am sending the brothers

in order that our boasting about you in this matter

may not prove hollow,

but that you may be ready,

just as I said you would be.

For if any Macedonians come with me

and find you unprepared,

we—not to mention you—would be ashamed of having been so confident.

So I thought it necessary

to urge the brothers to go on ahead

and finish arranging in advance

the generous gift you promised,

so that it will be ready as a willing gift—

not something given under pressure.

Sow Bountifully, Reap Bountifully

Remember this:

Whoever sows sparingly

will also reap sparingly,

and whoever sows generously

will also reap generously.

Each one should give

what they have decided in their heart to give—

not reluctantly or under compulsion,

for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to bless you abundantly,

so that in all things at all times,

having all that you need,

you will abound in every good work.

As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;

their rightness endures forever.”

God Supplies Both Seed and Harvest

Now He who supplies seed to the sower

and bread for food

will also supply and increase your store of seed

and enlarge the harvest of your rightness.

You will be enriched in every way

so that you can be generous on every occasion,

and through us

your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Overflowing Thanks to God

This service that you perform

is not only supplying the needs of the set-apart ones,

but it is also overflowing

in many expressions of thanks to God.

Because of the proof given by this ministry,

others will praise God

for the obedience that accompanies your confession

of the good news of the Anointed One,

and for your generosity in sharing

with them and with everyone else.

And in their prayers for you,

their hearts will go out to you,

because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

Thanks be to God

for His indescribable gift!

———

Gentle in Person, Bold in Spirit

By the humility and gentleness of the Anointed One,

I, Paul, appeal to you—

I who am “timid” when face to face with you,

but “bold” toward you when away!

I beg you that when I come

I may not have to be as bold

as I expect toward some

who think we live by the standards of the flesh.

For though we live in the world,

we do not wage war as the world does.

The weapons we fight with

are not of the flesh,

but have divine power

to tear down strongholds.

We demolish arguments

and every proud obstacle

that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,

and we take captive every thought

to make it obey the Anointed One.

And we are ready to punish every act of disobedience,

once your obedience is complete.

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

You are judging by appearances.

If anyone is confident that they belong to the Anointed One,

let them consider again

that we belong to the Anointed One just as much as they do.

So even if I boast somewhat freely

about the authority the Master gave us—

for building you up, not for tearing you down—

I will not be ashamed.

I do not want to seem as if I am trying to frighten you with my letters.

For some say,

“His letters are weighty and forceful,

but in person he is unimpressive

and his speaking amounts to nothing.”

Such people should realize

that what we are in our letters when we are absent,

we will be in action when we are present.

Boast Only in What God Has Assigned

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves

with those who commend themselves.

When they measure themselves by themselves

and compare themselves with themselves,

they are not wise.

We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits,

but will confine our boasting

to the sphere of service God Himself has assigned to us—

a field that also includes you.

We are not going too far in our boasting,

as would be the case

if we had not come to you—

but we did reach you with the good news of the Anointed One.

We do not boast beyond our limits

about other people’s work.

Our hope is that,

as your trust continues to grow,

our sphere of influence among you

will greatly expand,

so that we may proclaim the good news

in regions beyond you,

without boasting about work already done

in someone else’s territory.

Let the Master Commend

“Let the one who boasts

boast in the Master.”

For it is not the one who commends themselves

who is approved,

but the one whom the Master commends.

———

A Godly Jealousy

I hope you will bear with me

in a little foolishness—yes, please bear with me.

I am jealous for you

with a godly jealousy.

I promised you to one husband—

to the Anointed One—

so that I might present you

as a pure virgin to Him.

But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve

by his cunning,

your minds may be led astray

from the simplicity and purity

that is in the Anointed One.

For if someone comes and proclaims

a different Jesus than the one we proclaimed,

or you receive a different spirit than the one you received,

or a different good news than the one you accepted,

you put up with it too easily.

I consider that I am not in the least

inferior to these “super-apostles.”

Even if I am untrained in speech,

I am not lacking in knowledge.

We have made this clear to you in every way.

Paul Refused to Be a Burden

Did I sin by humbling myself

so that you could be lifted up,

because I preached God’s good news to you free of charge?

I “robbed” other gatherings

by receiving support from them

so I could serve you.

And when I was with you and needed something,

I was not a burden to anyone,

for the brothers who came from Macedonia

supplied what I needed.

I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way,

and will continue to do so.

As surely as the truth of the Anointed One is in me,

this boasting of mine will not be silenced

in the regions of Achaia.

Why? Because I do not love you?

God knows I do!

And I will continue doing what I am doing,

so that I may cut off the opportunity

of those who want to be seen as equal to us

in the things they boast about.

False Apostles Disguise Themselves

For such people are false apostles,

deceitful workers,

masquerading as apostles of the Anointed One.

And no wonder—

for even the Accuser masquerades as a messenger of light.

So it is no surprise

if his servants also disguise themselves

as servants of rightness.

Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Paul’s “Foolish” Boasting

I repeat:

Let no one think I am foolish.

But if you do,

then tolerate me as you would a fool,

so that I too may boast a little.

What I am saying here,

I am not saying with the Master’s authority,

but as a fool—

in this self-confident boasting.

Since many boast according to the flesh,

I will too.

You gladly put up with fools,

since you are so wise!

In fact, you even put up with

anyone who enslaves you,

exploits you,

takes advantage of you,

puts on airs,

or slaps you in the face.

To my shame I admit

we were too “weak” for that.

Credentials of Suffering

But whatever anyone else dares to boast about—

I am speaking as a fool—

I also dare to boast.

Are they Hebrews? So am I.

Are they Israelites? So am I.

Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

Are they servants of the Anointed One?

—I am out of my mind to talk like this—

I am more.

In labors more abundant,

in prisons more frequent,

in beatings beyond measure,

often near death.

Five times I received from the Jews

the forty lashes minus one.

Three times I was beaten with rods.

Once I was pelted with stones.

Three times I was shipwrecked.

I spent a night and a day in the open sea.

I have been constantly on the move,

in danger from rivers,

in danger from bandits,

in danger from my own people,

in danger from Gentiles;

in danger in the city,

in danger in the wilderness,

in danger at sea,

and in danger among false brothers.

I have labored and toiled

and often gone without sleep.

I have known hunger and thirst

and have often gone without food.

I have been cold and naked.

Besides everything else,

I face daily the pressure

of my concern for all the gatherings.

Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?

Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

If I must boast,

I will boast of the things

that show my weakness.

God Knows the Truth

The God and Father of the Master Jesus,

who is to be praised forever,

knows that I am not lying.

In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas

had the city guarded to arrest me.

But I was lowered in a basket

from a window in the wall

and slipped through his hands.

———

Visions and Revelation

Boasting is necessary, though it gains nothing.

But I will go on to visions and revelations from the Master.

I know a man in the Anointed One

who fourteen years ago

was caught up to the third heaven—

whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know—God knows.

And I know that this man—

whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—

was caught up into paradise,

and heard inexpressible words,

things that no human is permitted to speak.

I will boast about someone like that,

but about myself I will not boast,

except in my weaknesses.

Even if I should choose to boast,

I would not be a fool,

because I would be speaking the truth.

But I refrain,

so that no one will think more of me

than is warranted by what I do or say.

A Thorn to Keep Him Humble

To keep me from becoming proud

because of these surpassingly great revelations,

a thorn in my flesh was given to me—

a messenger of the Adversary,

to torment me.

Three times I pleaded with the Master

to take it away from me.

But He said to me:

“My grace is enough for you,

for My power is made perfect in weakness.”

Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly

about my weaknesses,

so that the power of the Anointed One

may rest on me.

That is why, for the Anointed One’s sake,

I delight in weaknesses,

in insults, in hardships,

in persecutions, in difficulties.

For when I am weak,

then I am strong.

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

I have made a fool of myself,

but you forced me to it.

I ought to have been commended by you,

for I am not the least inferior to these “super-apostles,”

even though I am nothing.

I persevered in demonstrating among you

the marks of a true sent one—

signs, wonders, and powerful works.

How were you treated any worse

than the other gatherings,

except that I did not burden you?

Forgive me for this wrong!

A Father for His Children

Now I am ready to visit you a third time,

and I will not be a burden to you,

because what I want is not your possessions but you.

After all, children should not have to save up for their parents,

but parents for their children.

So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have

and even give myself completely for your sake.

If I love you more,

will you love me less?

Be that as it may,

I have not been a burden to you.

Yet some say,

“Paul was crafty and caught you by trickery.”

Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you?

I urged Titus to go,

and I sent our brother with him.

Did Titus exploit you?

Did we not walk in the same Spirit

and follow the same path?

Building You Up, Not Tearing You Down

Have you been thinking all along

that we are defending ourselves to you?

We are speaking before God in the Anointed One,

and everything we do, dear friends,

is for your strengthening.

For I fear that when I come,

I may not find you as I want you to be,

and you may not find me as you want me to be.

I fear there may be discord, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.

I am afraid that when I come again,

my God may humble me before you,

and I may grieve over many

who have sinned earlier

and have not repented

of the impurity, sexual immorality,

and sensuality they have practiced.

———

Final Warnings

This will be my third visit to you.

As the Scripture says:

“Every matter must be established

by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”

I already warned those who sinned earlier,

and I warn them again now—while absent—

just as I did when I was with you the second time:

If I come again, I will not spare anyone,

since you are demanding proof

that the Anointed One is speaking through me.

He is not weak in dealing with you,

but is powerful among you.

For He was crucified in weakness,

but now lives by the power of God.

We too are weak in Him,

yet we will live with Him by God's power

in our dealings with you.

Examine Yourselves

Examine yourselves

to see whether you are in the trust.

Test yourselves.

Do you not realize that the Anointed One, Jesus, is in you—

unless, of course, you fail the test?

And I hope you will find

that we have not failed the test.

Now we pray to God

that you will not do anything wrong—

not so that people will see we have passed the test,

but so that you will do what is right,

even if it seems we have failed.

For we cannot do anything against the truth,

but only for the truth.

We are glad whenever we are weak

but you are strong—

and our prayer is that you may be made whole.

That is why I write these things while I am away,

so that when I come

I may not have to be harsh

in my use of authority—

the authority the Master gave me

for building you up,

not for tearing you down.

Final Words

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice.

Be made whole.

Encourage one another.

Be of one mind.

Live in peace.

And the God of love and peace

will be with you.

Greet one another with a set-apart kiss.

All God’s set-apart people send you their greetings.

May the grace of the Master, Jesus the Anointed One,

and the love of God,

and the unity brought by the Set-Apart Breath

be with you all.