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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: 2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation; 4who 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. 5Because, as the sufferings of Christ abound toward us, so through Christ abounds also our consolation.
6But 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. 7And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so are ye also of the consolation.
8For 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. 9Yea, we ourselves had in ourselves the sentence of death, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom is our hope that he will still deliver; 11ye 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.
12For 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. 13For we write no other things to you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I trust ye will acknowledge even to the end; 14as 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.
15And in this confidence I was desirous to come to you before, that ye might have a second benefit; 16and 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. 17When 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? 18But God is faithful, our word to you is not yea and nay. 19For 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. 20For however many are the promises of God, in him is the yea, and in him the Amen, to the glory of God through us. 21Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; 22he who also sealed us, and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
23But I invoke God for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I came not yet to Corinth. 24Not 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. 2For if I make you sorry, who then is he that makes me glad, but the same who is made sorry by me? 3And 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. 4For 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.
5But 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. 6Sufficient for such a one is this punishment, which was inflicted by the many. 7So that, on the contrary, ye ought rather to forgive and console him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him.
9For to this end also I wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things. 10To 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, 11that no advantage might be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
12And when I came to Troas to preach the good news of Christ, and a door was opened to me in the Lord, 13I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother; but taking leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia. 14But 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. 15Because we are to God a sweet savor of Christ, in those who are saved, and in those who perish; 16to the one a savor of death unto death, to the other a savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17For 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? 2Ye are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3being 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.
4And such confidence have we through Christ, toward God. 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6who 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.
7But 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; 8how shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious? 9For if the ministration of condemnation is glory, much more does the ministration of righteousness abound in glory. 10For even that which was made glorious has no glory in this respect, on account of the glory that excels. 11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which abides is glorious.
12Having therefore such hope, we use great plainness of speech; 13and 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. 14But 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. 15But even unto this day, when Moses is read, a vail lies upon their heart. 16But whenever it turns to the Lord, the vail is taken away.
17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But 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. 2But 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. 3But if our gospel is vailed, it is vailed in those who perish; 4in 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 God4. 5For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord; and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6Because 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.
7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be God's, and not of us; 8being pressed in every way, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not despairing; 9persecuted, yet not forsaken; cast down, yet not destroyed; 10always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that also the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11For 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. 12So that death works in us, but life in you.
13But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I believed, therefore did I speak, we also believe, therefore also speak; 14knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise up us also with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15For 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.
16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is renewed day by day: 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works out for us a far more exceeding, an eternal weight of glory; 18while 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 were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven; 3seeing that we shall be found clothed, not naked. 4For 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.
5Now he who wrought us out for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the earnest of the Spirit. 6Being 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), 8we are confident, and are well pleased rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.
9Wherefore we also strive, that, whether at home or absent, we may be well pleasing to him. 10For 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.
11Knowing 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. 12For 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. 13For whether we were beside ourselves, it was for God; or whether we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judged, that if one died for all, then they all died. 15And he died for all, that they who live should live no longer to themselves, but to him who for them died and rose again. 16So 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. 17So that if any one is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18And all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19as 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.
20We are then ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were beseeching by us; on behalf of Christ we pray: Be reconciled to God! 21Him 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;) 3giving no cause of offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed; 4but as God's ministers, commending ourselves in everything, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; 6in pureness, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, 7in the word of truth, in the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8through glory and dishonor, through evil report and good report; as deceivers, and true; 9as unknown, and well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and possessing all things.
11O Corinthians, our mouth is open to you, our heart is enlarged. 12Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 13Now as a recompense in the same kind (I speak as to my children), be ye also enlarged.
14Be not yoked unequally with unbelievers; for what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15And what concord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16And 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.
17Wherefore, come out from among them, and be separated, saith the Lord, and touch not anything unclean; and I will receive you, 18and 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.
2Receive us; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we defrauded no one. 3I say it not for condemnation; for I have before said, that ye are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4Great 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.
5For 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. 6But God, who consoles those who are cast down, consoled us by the coming of Titus; 7and 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. 8Because, 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. 9Now 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. 10For godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world works out death.
11For 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. 12So 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.
13For this cause we were consoled; but in our consolation, we rejoiced abundantly more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14For 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. 15And his tender affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
16I 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; 2that in much trial of affliction was the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality. 3For according to their power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves; 4with much entreaty beseeching of us the grace, and the participation in the ministering to the saints; 5and not as we expected, but themselves they gave first to the Lord, and to us by the will of God. 6So that we exhorted Titus, that as he had before begun, so he would also finish among you this grace also.
7But, 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. 8I say it not by way of command, but through the forwardness of others proving also the sincerity of your love. 9For 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. 10And 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. 11And 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.
12For if there be first the willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man has, not according to what he has not. 13For it is not that others may be eased, and ye burdened; 14but, 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: 15He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little did not lack.
16But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 17For he accepted indeed the exhortation; but being very zealous, he went to you of his own accord. 18And together with him we sent the brother, whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the churches; 19and not that only, but who was also appointed by the churches, as our fellow-traveler with this gift which is administered by us, to further the glory of the Lord, and our zeal; 20being careful of this, that no one should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us; 21for we provide for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22And we sent with them our brother, whom we have often in many things proved to be diligent, but now much more diligent, through the great confidence which he has toward you. 23As to Titus, he is my partner, and in regard to you a fellow-laborer; as to our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24Therefore show toward them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
IX.
For concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. 2For I know your readiness of mind, of which I boast for you to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been prepared since a year ago; and your zeal stirred up the greater part of them. 3But I sent the brethren, that our boasting of you might not be made in vain in this respect; that, as I said, ye may be prepared; 4lest haply, if Macedonians come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in respect to this confidence.
5I thought it necessary, therefore, to exhort the brethren, that they should go before to you, and make up beforehand your bounty before promised, that this may be ready, in manner as a bounty and not as covetousness. 6But as to this, he that sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he that sows with blessings shall also reap with blessings; 7but each as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8And God is able to make every grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound toward every good work; 9(as it is written:
He dispersed abroad, he gave to the poor;
His righteousness abides forever;)
10and he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; 11being enriched in everything to all liberality, which works through us thanksgiving to God. 12Because the ministration of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints, but also abounds through many thanksgivings to God; 13while by the proof of this ministration they glorify God for the obedience to your profession of the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of the contribution to them, and to all; 14they also, with supplication for you, longing after you on account of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!
X.
Now I, Paul, myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence indeed am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you; 2but I entreat, that I may not when I am present be bold with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, who think of us as walking according to the flesh. 3For though walking in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; 4(for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty before God to the pulling down of strongholds) 5casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; 6and being in readiness to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is made perfect.
7Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trusts to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself consider this again, that, as he is Christ's, so also are we. 8For even if I should boast somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification, and not for your destruction, I shall not be put to shame; 9that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. 10For his letters, says one, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. 11Let such a one consider this, that such as we are in word by letters when absent, such will we be also in deed when present.
12For we venture not to reckon ourselves among, or to compare ourselves with, some of those who commend themselves; but they, measuring themselves among themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise. 13But we will not boast of things without measure, but according to the measure of the line which God apportioned to us, a measure to reach even to you. 14For we do not stretch ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not to you; for as far as to you also did we come, in the gospel of Christ; 15not boasting of things without measure in other men's labors; but having hope, when your faith increases, that we shall be enlarged among you according to our line abundantly, 16to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, not to make our boast, in another's line, of things made ready to our hand. 17But he that boasts, let him boast in the Lord. 18For not he that commends himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.
XI.
Would that ye could bear with me in a little folly! Nay, ye do bear with me. 2For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy; for I espoused you to one husband, that I may present a chaste virgin to Christ. 3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve by his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from your simplicity toward Christ. 4For if indeed he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we preached not, or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye received not, or a different gospel, which ye accepted not, ye might well bear with it. 5For I reckon that I am in no respect behind these overmuch apostles. 6And though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in everything we have been made manifest among all, in respect to you.
7Did I commit an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God without charge. 8I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, in order to do you service. 9And when I was present with you, and in want, I was a charge to no one; for what was lacking to me the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied; and in every thing I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will keep myself.
10As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting shall not be shut up against me in the regions of Achaia. 11Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knows. 12But what I do, and will do, is that I may cut off the occasion of those who desire an occasion, that wherein they boast they may be found even as we. 13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder; for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15It is no great thing then, if also his ministers transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
16I say again, let no one think me foolish; but if it can not be so, yet receive me even if as foolish, that I too may boast myself a little. 17What I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. 18Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I also will boast. 19For ye gladly bear with the foolish, being yourselves wise. 20For ye bear with it, if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes you, if one exalts himself, if one smites you on the face.
21I say it as a reproach, that we were weak. But in whatever any one is bold (I say it in foolishness), I also am bold. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's seed? So am I. 23Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as beside myself,) I am more; in labors more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in prisons more abundantly, in deaths often; 24of the Jews five times I received forty stripes save one; 25thrice I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; thrice I suffered shipwreck; a night and a day I have spent in the deep; 26by journeyings often, by perils of rivers, by perils of robbers, by perils from my countrymen, by perils from the heathen, by perils in the city, by perils in the wilderness, by perils in the sea, by perils among false brethren; 27by weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28Beside those things that are without, there is that which comes upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I do not burn? 30If I must needs boast, I will boast of things which belong to my infirmity. 31God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forevermore, knows that I lie not. 32In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king kept guard over the city of the Damascenes, wishing to apprehend me; 33and through a window I was let down in a basket through the wall, and escaped his hands.
XII.
To boast is surely not expedient for me; for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2I know a man in Christ, above fourteen years ago (whether in the body I know not, or whether out of the body I know not, God knows) such a one caught up even to the third heaven. 3And I know such a man (whether in the body or without the body I know not, God knows), 4that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
5Of such a one I will boast; but of myself I will not boast, save in my infirmities. 6For if I should desire to boast, I shall not be foolish, for I shall speak truth; but I forbear, lest any one should reckon of me above what he sees me to be, or hears from me.
7And that I might not be exalted overmuch through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I might not be exalted overmuch. 8Concerning this I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9And he said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee; for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may abide upon me.
10Wherefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am powerful.
11I have become foolish; ye compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind these overmuch apostles, though I am nothing. 12Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, by signs, and wonders, and miracles. 13For what is there, wherein ye were inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself was not a charge to you? Forgive me this wrong.
14Behold, I am ready to come to you the third time; and I will not be a charge to you; for I seek not yours, but you; for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. 16But be it so, I was not myself a charge to you; but yet, being crafty, I caught you with guile. 17Did I make gain of you, by any of those whom I have sent to you? 18I exhorted Titus [to go], and sent with him the brother. Did Titus make gain of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit; did we not in the same steps?
19Do ye again suppose that we are excusing ourselves to you? Before God in Christ we speak; and all, beloved, for your edification. 20For I fear, lest haply, when I come, I shall find you not such as I would, and I too shall be found by you such as ye would not; lest there be wranglings, envyings, wraths, rivalries, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults; 21lest, when I come again, my God shall humble me among you, and I shall bewail many of those who have sinned before, and repented not of the uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness, which they committed.
XIII.
This third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two witnesses, and of three, shall every word be established. 2I have before said, and now say beforehand, as when present the second time, so also now when absent, to those who heretofore have sinned, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare; 3since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who toward you is not weak, but is mighty in you. 4For even if he was crucified through 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.
5Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye are reprobate? 6But I trust that ye shall know, that we are not reprobate.
7Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye may do what is good, though we be as reprobate. 8For we have no power against the truth, but for the truth. 9For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are powerful; this also we pray for, even your perfection.
10For this cause I write these things being absent, that when present I may not use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord gave me for edification, and not for destruction.
11Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of the same mind, be at peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
12Salute one another with a holy kiss. 13All the saints salute you.
14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
