THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL 1 Gr. the brother. 2 Or, God and the Father 8 Or, but we ourselves 4 Gr. answer. • Some ancient authorities read set our hope; and still will he deliver us. TO THE CORINTHIANS. PAUL, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of 1 God, and Timothy 'our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 3 Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may 4 be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound 5 unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ. But whether we are afflicted, it is for your 6 comfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: and 7 our hope for you is stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye of the comfort. For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, con- 8 cerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life: yea, we 9 ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead: who delivered us out of 10 so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us; ye also 11 helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf. 3 For our glorying is this, the testimony of our con- 12 science, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in Some read joy. fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly to you13 ward. For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I hope ye 14 will acknowledge unto the end: as also ye did acknowledge us in part, that we are your glorying, even as ye also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus. 15 And in this confidence I was minded to come first unto you, that ye might have a second 'benefit; Or, grace 16 and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from ancient Macedonia to come unto you, and of you to be set authorities 17 forward on my journey unto Judæa. When I therefore was thus minded, did I shew fickleness? 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 18 nay? But as God is faithful, our word toward you is 19 not yea and nay. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Gr.through. Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in 20 him is yea. For how many soever are the promises of God, in him is the yea: wherefore also through him is the Amen, unto the glory of God through us. 21 Now he that stablisheth us with you in Christ, and 22 anointed us, is God; who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 23 6 Gr. into. that he both Or, your faith read For. authorities But I call God for a witness upon my soul, that to 24 spare you I forbare to come unto Corinth. Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are helpers of 2 your joy for in faith ye stand fast. But I determined this for myself, that I would not come again to you Some 2 with sorrow. For if I make you sorry, who then is ancient he that maketh me glad, but he that is made sorry 3 by me? And I wrote this very thing, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that 4 my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be made sorrry, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 5 But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow, 1 Gr. the omit rather. up not to me, but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all. Sufficient to such a one is this punish-6 ment which was inflicted by 'the many; so that con- 7 trariwise should 2 ye rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed with his overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I8 beseech you to confirm your love toward him. For to 9 this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, 3 whether ye are obedient in all things. But to 10 whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for what I read whereby. also have forgiven, if I have forgiven any thing, for 4 Or, presence your sakes have I forgiven it in the person of Christ; that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: 11 for we are not ignorant of his devices. 3 Some ancient authorities 4 Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, 12 and when a door was opened unto me in the Lord, I had no relief for my spirit, because I found not 13 Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia. 5 But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us 14 in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savour of his knowledge in every place. For we 15 5 Or, that are are a sweet savour of Christ unto God, in them being saved, that are saved, and in them that perish; to the one 16 a savour from death unto death; to the other a savour from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as the many, corrupting 17 the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ. and in them that are perishing Or, making merchandise of the word of God 6 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or 3 need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you? Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, 2 known and read of all men; being made manifest that 3 ye are an 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 tables that are hearts of flesh. And such confidence have we through Christ to God-4 ward: not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to ac- 5 count any thing as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; who also made us sufficient as ministers 6 of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: 3 1 Gr. 2 Gr. in. away 7 for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, 'written, and engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away: Or, was 8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be being done 9 with glory? For if the ministration of condemnation Many hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of right- authorities 10 eousness exceed in glory. For verily that which hath read For if been made glorious hath not been made glorious in tion of conthis respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth. 11 For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory. 12 5 6 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness 3 ancient the ministra demnation is glory. Or, is being done away Or, remainbeing revealed that it eth, it not 13 of speech, and are not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing 7 Or, unto 14 away but their minds were hardened: for until this Gr. thoughts. very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil 'remaineth unlifted; which veil is done away in 15 Christ. But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, 16 a veil lieth upon their heart. But whensoever 10 it shall is done away 17 turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the 10 Or, a man Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord shall turn 18 is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. 11 11Or, reflect- 12 Or, that ing 13 Or, age 14 Or, that not see the 4 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we 2 obtained mercy, we faint not: but we have renounced are perishthe hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to they should 3 every man's conscience in the sight of God. But and light...image if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them 12 that of God 4 perish in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, 14 that the 15 light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image 5 of God, should not dawn upon them. For we preach ancient not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves authorities 16 8 17 6 as your servants for Jesus' sake. Seeing it is God, Jesus. that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined 1Gr. illumi- in our hearts, to give the 'light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. nation. 2 Or, left behind to death. 3 2 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that 7 the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves; we are pressed on every side, 8 yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair; pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not 9 destroyed; always bearing about in the body the 10 3 Gr. putting dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. For we who live are alway 11 delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So 12 then death worketh in us, but life in you. But having 13 the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, I believed, and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we speak; knowing that he 14 who raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all 15 things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God. 4 Some ancient authorities omit the Lord. 5 Gr. • Or, bodily frame 4 Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward 16 man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is for the 17 moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the 18 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 the earthly house of our taber- 5 nacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon 2 with our habitation which is from heaven: if so be 3 that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For 4 indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, 'being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but would not be that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal but would be may be swallowed up of life. Now he that wrought 5 us for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the 7 Or, being burdened, in that we unclothed, clothed upon |