((following p46))
Paulus, an envoy of Anointed Jesus on account of God's wishes
and Timotheos the brother
To God's assembly which is in Korinth with all the holy ones that are in the whole of Achaia.
1:2 Hello to you, and peace from God our Father and Lord Anointed Jesus.
Worthy of praise is God; that is, the Father of our Lord Anointed Jesus, the father of compassion and god of all comforting advice, the one who comforts us in all our affliction to the point where we are able to comfort those who are in all kinds of affliction on account of the comfort with which we ourselves have been comforted by God. Because just as the Anointed One's sufferings are abundant for us, in the same way, on account of the Anointed One, our comfort is abundant also.
Now whether we are afflicted, it is on behalf of that comfort and salvation of yours, or whether we are comforted, it is on behalf of your comfort which is working in your enduring the same sufferings as we are also suffering. And our hope on your behalf is firm. We know that as you are partners in the suffering, in the same way also you are partners in the comfort.
8 For, brothers, we don't want you to be ignorant over the matter of that affliction of ours that is happening in Asia, because we were pressed to excess beyond our power, so that we were even in despair about our lives. But we ourselves had in ourselves the death sentence, so that we would not be persuaded by ourselves but by that God who raises the dead. He has rescued us and does rescue us from such a great number of deaths. We have also hoped in him to still rescue us. You too have been working together on our behalf by your prayers, so that in many faces thanks might be given on your behalf for our gift that was given to us by many.
12 For our boasting (the testimony of our consciences) is this: that we conducted ourselves in creation with God's holiness and sincerity and not with fleshly wisdom but by God's generosity. Now we did so more abundantly toward you. For we are writing no other things to you than what you are now reading; now I hope you will recognize it until the end, just as also you recognized us partially. Because we are your boasting, just as you will be ours in the day of Lord Jesus.
And being persuaded of this, I planned to come to you earlier, so that you would experience a second favor. And I planned to come through your region into Makedonia, and again to come to you from Makedonia, and to be sent onward from you into Judea. So since I planned this, surely I didn't make light use of the matter! Or am I wanting what I want according to the flesh, so that the "yes" and the "no" would be with me together? But, as God is trustworthy, our message to you is not "yes and no." For God's son, Anointed Jesus--who was heralded among you by me and Silvanus and Timotheos--has not become "yes and no". On the contrary, he has become "yes" in him. For whatever God's promises are, they are "yes" in him and are "a-mein" to God on account of him, to his glory through us.
23 Now I call on God as a witness to my soul--that it is in sparing you that I have come no longer into Korinth. This is not because we are lords over you in the faith; on the contrary, we are your coworkers in joy. For you have been standing in trust. For I myself judged this: not to come to you again in sorrow. For if I cause you sorrow, then who would make me glad, but the very one who was made sorrowful by me?
2:3 And I wrote this same thing so that when I came I would not get sorrow from the ones by whom it is necessary for me to rejoice. I am persuaded that my joy is the joy of all of you. For I wrote to you out of much affliction and distress of the heart, through many tears--not so that you might be sorrowful but that you would know the love that I have abundantly for you. Now if anyone has caused sorrow, he has not caused me sorrow except partially, so that I would not be a burden to all of you.
That reproof which came by the majority is enough for such a person. And so, in opposition rather, you should forgive and advise him, lest such a person be swallowed up in abundant sorrow. So, I advise you to confirm God's love for him. For I wrote also for this reason: that I would know that you are in subjection in all things; which is your proof. Now I also forgive the one whom you have forgiven something. For also, whatever I have forgiven--if I have forgiven something--it is on account of you in the Anointed One's presence, so that we would not be overwhelmed by the Enemy. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.
12 Now when I came into Troas for the Anointed One's good message and when a door was opened to me in the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit when I could not find my brother Titus. But when I departed from them, I came into Makedonia.
Now thanks be to God, the one who always triumphs over us in the Anointed One, and who makes apparent through us in every place the scent of the knowledge of him. Because we are a fragrance of the Anointed One for God among those who are being saved, and among those who are being destroyed. To them indeed we are a scent from death to death, but to the former, we are a scent from life to life.
And who is enough for these things? For we are not like the rest, who sell God's message for money. On the contrary, as out of sincerity, we are speaking in the Anointed One as from God and next to God.
3:1 Are we beginning to recommend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You are our letter, written in our hearts, being made known to and being read by all people. It is being made apparent that you are the Anointed One's letter, being served by us and written not with ink but with the breath of the living God, not on stone tablets but on fleshly tablets of the heart.
4 Now we are persuaded of this toward God on account of Anointed Jesus: not that we are enough by ourselves to consider anything, as though our adequacy were from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God. He also made us adequate to be servants of a new co venant, not of writing but of spirit. For writing kills but the spirit makes alive.
7 Now if the service of death, in writings engraved on stones, happened in glory--so that the sons of Israel were not even able to gaze upon Moses' face on account of the glory of his face, which is fading away--how long rather should the service of the spirit be in glory? For if the service of condemnation was glory, how much rather more abundant is the glory of the service of right? For also, that which was glorified has no glory in this respect: on account of the surpassing glory. For if what is fading away does so with glory, what remains does so rather in more glory.
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are exercising a great amount of freedom of speech. And we are not like Moses who placed a veil on his face, so that the sons of Israel would not gaze upon the end of what was fading away. On the contrary, their minds were hardened, for to this day the same veil remains on those who read of the old covenant. It has not been revealed to them that it was taken away in the Anointed One. But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil is draped over their hearts. "But when he would turn to Yahweh, the veil would be taken from around it."
But the Lord is a spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Now we see clearly the Lord's glory as an uncovered face, as we are being transformed into the same image from one glory into another glory, just as from the spirit of the Lord.
4:1 On account of this, since we have this service just as we received mercy, we do not do a poor job. On the contrary, we refused the secret things of disgrace: we do not walk in craftiness, nor do we deceitfully present God's message, but by the appearing of the truth we recommend ourselves to every human conscience in God's presence.
Now if indeed our good message is covered up, it is covered up among those who are being destroyed. The god of this age has blinded the minds of those among them who do not trust, so that they would not see the shining brightness of the good message of the glory of the Anointed One, who is God's image.
For we are not heralding by ourselves, but with Jesus the Anointed Lord. But we ourselves are your slaves on account of Jesus. Because God, the one who spoke for light to shine out of darkness, is the one who shone in our hearts for the illumination of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Anointed Jesus.
7 Now we have this treasure in vessels of pottery, so that the overabundance of the power may be viewed as God's and not from ourselves. In all things we are afflicted, but we are not beaten down; we are confused, but we are not in despair; we are persecuted, but we are not being forsaken; we are being cast down, but we are not being destroyed. We always carry around in our bodies the dying of Jesus, so that also Jesus' life might appear in our bodies. For if we who are alive are delivered up to death on account of Jesus, it is so that Jesus' life might also be made to appear in our mortal flesh. And so, the death is working in us, but it is life in you.
13 Now we have the same spirit of trust, according to what was written, "I trusted, so I spoke." And we trust, and so we are speaking...knowing that the one who raised up Jesus will also raise us up through Jesus and will present us together with you. For all these things are on your account, so that the generosity which has been plentiful on account of many might make your thanksgiving superabundant, to God's glory.
16 So we do not do a poor job. On the contrary, even if our outer person is worn out, our inner one is still being renewed day by day. For the momentary light weight of affliction is working out for us according to an exceedingly excessive eternal weight of glory. We are not looking at the things that are seen but at the things that are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are not seen are eternal.
5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, our tent, should be brought down, we have a dwelling from God: an eternal house in the heavens which was not made with hands. For we are groaning in this also, wanting strongly to be clothed with that dwelling of ours that is from heaven. If indeed we have been clothed, then we will not be found naked. For indeed those who are in the tent are groaning since we are oppressed. We don't want to be unclothed from it, but to be clothed, so that the mortal thing would be swallowed up by the life.
Now the one who has worked us out for this same reason is God, the one who gave us the pledge of the breath. Therefore, since we are always confident, and since we know that while we are at home in the body we are not at home, away from the Lord (for we are walking through trust and not through sight), now we are confident and well-pleased to rather be away from home out of the body, and to be at home directed toward the Lord.
6 So also, we are striving ambitiously to be well-pleasing to him, whether we are at home or whether we are away from home. For it is necessary for all of us to appear before the Anointed One's tribunal, so that each one would receive the things belonging to his own body, relating to what was practiced, whether it was good or bad. Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, we are persuading people. Now we have been made to appear to God, and I hope we have appeared also in your consciences.
We are not recommending ourselves again to you. On the contrary, we are giving you an opportunity of boasting on our behalf, so that you would have something for those who are boasting in a face and not in a heart.
For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. If we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the Anointed One's love is holding us, since we have judged this: that if one died on behalf of all, then all died, and he died on behalf of all so that the ones who are living would live no longer for themselves but for the one who died on their behalf and who was raised up.
16 And so, from this moment we don't know anyone according to the flesh, even if we knew the Anointed One according to the flesh. But now we know this way no longer. And so if someone is in the Anointed One, he is a new creation. The earlier things have passed away. Look, they have become new! Now all the things are from God, the one who reconciled himself to us through the Anointed One and who gave us the service of reconciliation. We have this because God was reconciling creation to himself in the Anointed One, not recording their wanderings against them. And he has placed in us the good message of the reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors on behalf of the Anointed One, as if God were advising through us. On behalf of the Anointed One we are begging: "Be reconciled to God."
21 For he made the one who knew no sin to be a sin-offering on our behalf, so that we might become God's ethics in him. Now since we are also working together with him, we are advising you not to receive God's generosity in vain. For he says, "In an acceptable season I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you." Look, now is the well-accepted season; now is the day of salvation! We give no one a cause of stumbling in anything, so that the service would not be stained, but in all things we set ourselves down as God's servants, with much endurance, with times of affliction, with times of distress, with times of hardship, with whippings, with jails, with times of chaos, with labors, with times of watching, with times of fasting, with purity, with knowledge, with longsuffering, with gentleness, with holy breath, with love without hypocrisy, with a message of truth, with God's power, through those right and left arms of what is right, through glory and dishonor, through bad reputations and good reputations:
6:11 Our mouths are opened to you. Korinthians, our hearts have been enlarged. You are not being beaten down by us, but you are being beaten down by your own deep feelings. Now as a repayment for this very thing, also be enlarged. (I am speaking as to children.)
14 Do not become yoked in different directions with those who do not trust. For what
partnership do right and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with
darkness? Now what harmony does the Anointed One have with Beliar? Or what part does one
who trusts have with one who does not trust? Now what agreement does God's temple have
with idols? For you are God's living temple, just as God said that,
"I will dwell among them and I will walk among them.
And I will be their God, and they will be my people."
So, "come out from their midst and separate yourselves," says Yahweh. And "touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you in." And, "I will be a Father" to you, and you will be "sons" and daughters "to me, says Yahweh Almighty."
7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, beloved, we should cleanse ourselves from all physical and spiritual pollution as we make holiness complete in the fear of God.
2 Take us in. We have been unjust to no one. We have corrupted no one. We have defrauded no one. I am not speaking for condemnation, for I said before that "It is in our hearts to die together and to live together." My freedom of speech toward you is great. My boasting on your behalf is great. I have been filled with comfort. I am overabundant with joy in all our affliction. For also, when we came into Makedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in all things. There were outward fights and inward fears. But the one who comforts the humble ones, God, comforted us with the presence of Titus. But not only with his presence, but also with the comfort with which Titus was comforted regarding you. He announced to us your longing, your lamentation, your jealousy on my behalf. And so, rather, I rejoiced, because even if I caused you sorrow with the letter, I do not regret it. If I did regret it also, seeing that the letter made you sorrowful for but an hour, I now rejoice--not because you were made sorrowful, but because you were made sorrowful to the point of mental change. For you were sorrowful according to God, so that you might forfeit nothing from us. For the sorrow which is according to God works out mental change to the point of a salvation which is not to be regretted.
For, look at how much diligence this same thing--your being sorrowful according to God--has produced in you! What a defense! What indignation! What fear! What longing! What jealousy! What vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be pure in practice. If after all I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who was wronged, nor on account of the one who did wrong, but on account of that diligence of yours on our behalf, that it might appear to you in God's presence. On account of this, we were comforted.
In our comfort, we rejoiced rather more abundantly in Titus' joy, because if I have boasted anything to him on your behalf, I am not ashamed. On the contrary, as we said all things to you in truth, in the same way also our boasting to Titus became truth. And his deep feelings are abundant for you as he remembers how you all were listening as you received him with fear and trembling. I rejoice that I have confidence in you in all things.
8:1 Now, brothers, we are making known to you that free gift of God which has been given among the assemblies in Makedonia. Because in a time of much proving and affliction, the abundance of their joy and the depth of their poverty was abundant to the point of being the wealth of their simplicity. Because I am testifying that voluntarily and with much begging they were asking us for the favor of sharing in the service for the holy ones--according to their power and beyond their power. And it was not just as we were hoping, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, then to us on account of what God wanted, to the point where we called Titus aside, so that just as he had begun earlier, similarly he would also complete this favor among you as well.
But just as you are abundant in all things--trust, and the message, and knowledge, and all diligence, and love from you to us--may you also be abundant in this favor also. I am not saying this as an arrangement, but on account of the diligence of others I am also examining the reality of your love. For you know the generosity of our Lord Anointed Jesus: that, though he was wealthy, on your account he was empoverished, so that by his poverty you might become wealthy.
10 And I give an opinion in this matter. For this makes sense for you, who previously (since last year) began not only to do it but also to want it. But now also make the doing complete, so that just as you want it with eagerness, so also you would have the completion. For if the eagerness is put first, it is well received according to what he might have, not according to what he doesn't have. For this is not so that others will be at rest and you will be in affliction; on the contrary, this is out of the concept of equality. In the present season, your abundance should be for what they lack, so that also their abundance would be for what you lack--so that there would be equality, just as it was written, "The one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little."
16 Now thanks be to God, the one who has been placing in Titus' heart the same diligence on your behalf. Because indeed he got the advice, but since he was extremely earnest, he was going out to you of his own accord. Now we sent with him the brother whose praise in the good message rings out through all of the assemblies. Now not only this, but also he was hand-picked by the assembly to be our fellow traveller with this free gift, the one that we are serving at the table in our eagerness for the Lord's glory.
We are withdrawing from anyone who stains us in this abundance that is being served at the table by us. For we are directing our thoughts toward nice things, not only in God's presence, but also in the presence of human beings. Now with them we have sent our brother, whom we have proven to be diligent many times in many things. But now he is much more diligent because of the great persuasion he has for you. On Titus' behalf: he is my partner and is a fellow-worker for you. As for our brothers, they are envoys of the assemblies, to the Anointed One's glory. Therefore, point out to them in the presence of the assemblies the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.
9:1 For indeed, about the food service for the holy ones, it is too much for me to write to you. For I know your eagerness, about which I am boasting on your behalf to Makedonia, because Achaia has been prepared since last year, and that jealousy from you has stirred up many. But I sent the brothers so that our boasting on your behalf would not be worthless about this part, so that (as I said) you may be prepared, so that when the Makedonians come with me, they would not find you unprepared. We (I am not saying "you") would be disgraced in this conviction.
Therefore, I regarded it as a necessity to advise the brothers, so that they would go on ahead to you and make ready the "praise" that you previously announced, that in this way it would be ready as a thing of praise and not as a thing of greed. But there is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows with praises will also reap with praises. Each one should give just as he chose in his heart earlier: not out of sorrow or out of necessity. For "God" loves "a cheerful giver." Now God is able to make every generous thing abundant for you, so that in all things, always, you may have all that is enough for you to be abundant in every good deed, just as it was written, "He has scattered. He gave to the poor. His just thing remains for the age."
Now the one who supplies seed (and bread for food) to the sower will supply you and will multiply your sowing, and he will increase the products of your ethics. You are being made wealthy for every liberality, which is working out thanksgiving to God through us. Because the service at the table of this religious service is not only fulfilling what the holy ones lack, but it is also being made abundant, through the thanksgiving of many to God.
On account of the proof of this service, they are glorifying God: at the submissiveness of your acknowledgement for the good message of the Anointed One and at the liberality of your sharing for them and for all. They are glorifying God also by their supplication on your behalf. They long for you on account of God's surpassing favor, which was bestowed upon you. Thanks to God for his inexpressible gift!
10:1 Now I am the same Paulus who is indeed humble among you when in your presence but who is bold toward you while absent--I advise you on account of the meekness and gentleness of the Anointed One. Now I ask that while I am present I might not be bold with the persuasion with which I consider myself to be courageous toward those certain people who consider us as though we are walking according to the flesh. For although we are walking physically, we are not engaging in combat according to the physical nature.
For the weapons of our combatants are not physical, but are powerful enough to God for the casting down of fortresses! They cast down speculations and every high thing that raises itself up against the knowledge of God, bringing every mind captive into the listening to the Anointed One, and it has the preparation to punish every negligence whenever your time of listening should be fulfilled.
You are seeing things according to appearance. If anyone has persuaded himself that he is the Anointed One's, he should consider this again for himself: that in the same way he is the Anointed One's, so also are we. For I would not be ashamed if I should boast somewhat more abundantly about our authority that God gave us (for edifying and not for tearing you down), so that I would not seem as though I would frighten you through the letters. Because indeed one says, "The letters are weighty and strong, but the bodily presence is weak, and the message was despised." Such a person should consider this: that such as we are when we are absent, in word through letters, such people are also in work while present.
12 For we do not dare to rank or compare ourselves with some of those who are recommending themselves. On the contrary, these who are measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves have no understanding. Now we will not boast about unmeasured things, but according to the measure of the ruler which was assigned to us (to reach as far as even you) by the god of measure. For we are not overstretching ourselves, as if it did not reach to you, for we also reached as far as you in the good message of the Anointed One. This was not for us to boast in unmeasured things, in others' labors, but we had a hope that when your trust increased, we would be greatened among you according to our ruler to the point of abundance, to the point of announcing the good message into the parts beyond you--not to boast about things that have been made ready with another's ruler. Now, "the one who boasts should boast in Yahweh." For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord recommends.
11:1 I wish you would bear with me for a short time in something dumb. (But also you are bearing with me). For I am jealous for you with God's jealousy. For I engaged you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to the Anointed One. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eva with his craftiness, your minds would be corrupted away from that simplicity and that purity which is for the Anointed One.
4 For if indeed someone comes and heralds another Jesus which we did not herald, or if you receive a different breath which you did not receive with us or a different good message which you did not embrace with us, bear with this well.
For I consider myself to be not at all behind those most superb envoys. But even if I am an idiot in speech; on the contrary, I am not an idiot in knowledge. [But in all things we have appeared in all ways to you.] Or did I do a sin, humbling myself so that you would be exalted? Because I announced as a gift to you God's good message. I robbed other assemblies, taking expenses for your service. And while I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone by being lazy. For the brothers who came from Makedonia had previously filled my need. And in everything, I have kept myself--and will keep myself--from being a burden to you.
It is the Anointed One's truth in me that this boasting about me in the regions of Achaia will not be stopped. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! But what I am doing, also I will do, so that I would cut off the opportunity for boasting from those who want an opportunity, so that they would be found in what they are boasting, just as we are also.
13 For such false envoys are deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the Anointed One's envoys. And this is no wonder, for the Enemy himself is transformed into a messenger of Light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his servants also are transformed as servants of right. Their end will be according to their deeds.
16 Again I say: No one should think me to be unwise. But if you think otherwise, receive me also as an unwise person, so that I may also boast a little. What I am saying, I am not saying according to the Lord, but as with a lack of wisdom. Since many people are boasting according to the flesh, I will boast too.
For you willingly bear with the unwise, since you are unwise. For you bear with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes from you, if someone elevates himself, if someone punches you in the face. I am speaking according to dishonor, because we were weak in that. But in whatever anyone is courageous, I am also courageous. (I'm speaking in a lack of wisdom.)
22 They are Hebrews? I am too. They are Israelites? I am too. They are Abraham's seed? I am too. They are the Anointed One's servants? Being completely unwise, I say, "I am more so:" more abundant in labors, beyond measure in scars, more abundantly in jails, often in death situations. Five times I received from Jews forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. One time I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the deep sea.
I am often on the road, in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from kinsmen, in danger from gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the desert, in danger at sea, in danger among false brothers. For labor and toil often in watching, in hunger and thirst, often in fastings, in cold and nakedness.
Aside from those exceptional things that are crowding me every day, I have concern for each of the assemblies. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who stumbles, and I am not aflame? If it is necessary to boast, I will boast in weaknesses. The God and Father of Anointed Jesus our Lord, the one who is praiseworthy into all the ages, knows that I am not lying. In Damaskus, the Ethnarch of Aratus the King guarded the city of the Damaskines just to seize me, and I was lowered in a rope basket through a door in the wall, and I escaped their hands.
12:1 Is it necessary to boast? Indeed, it makes no sense. But I will come to the point of visions and revelations of Yahweh. I know a person, in the Anointed One, who was snatched fourteen years ago up to the third heaven--whether he was in a body I don't know; or if without the body, I don't know...God knows. And I know that this person was snatched into Paradise--whether in a body or if without the body, I don't know...God knows. And he heard indescribable declarations, which it is impossible for a human being to speak. I will boast on behalf of such a person, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, unless it is in the weaknesses.
For if I should want to boast, I will not be unwise, for I will tell the truth. But I am sparing you, lest someone should record about me more than he sees me to be or hears from me. And due to the surpassing nature of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me so that I would not be highly exalted. It is an adversary's messenger, so that I would not be highly exalted.
I begged the Lord three times about this, so that it might be removed from me. And he said to me, "My generosity is enough for you. For power is made complete in weakness." Therefore, I will rather more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the Anointed One's power would dwell with me.
So I am well-pleased with weaknesses, with insults and times of distress, with persecutions and times of hardship on behalf of the Anointed One. For when I am weak, then I am powerful.
I have become an unwise person; you have made it necessary for me. For I am bound to be recommended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the most superb envoys, even though I am nobody. Indeed, the signs of an envoy were worked out among you with all endurance: signs and wonders and powers. For in what way is it that you were inferior to the remaining assemblies, except that I myself did not burden you? Freely forgive me of this injustice!
14 Look, this third time I have readiness to come to you, and I will not be a burden. For I am not seeking your things, but you. For the children are not bound to treasure up for the parents, but the parents for the children. Now I will gladly spend myself (and will be completely spent) on behalf of your souls. If I should love you more abundantly, will I be loved less?
Now whether it is or not, I did not burden you. But did I take from you by deceit by being crafty? Have I defrauded you through someone whom I sent? I advised Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did I defraud you with Titus? Didn't we walk in the same spirit? Didn't we walk in the same steps?
19 Do you think that we are defending ourselves again? We are speaking in the Anointed, next to God. Now beloved, all things are on your behalf, for building up. For I am afraid, lest perhaps when I come I would not find you to be as I want, and I would not be found by you to be as you want: lest perhaps there is strife, jealousy, rage, bigotries, mean talkings, gossipings, puffing up, chaos; lest when I come again, my God should humble me before you, and I should lament over many of those who sinned previously and who did not change their minds away from the uncleanness and prostitution and debauchery which they practiced.
13:1 I am coming to you this third time. "By the mouth of two or three witnesses every declaration will be established." I said previously, and I am telling you beforehand as when I was present the second time (though now I am absent), to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare you, since you are seeking proof of the Anointed One who is speaking in me. He is not weak toward you but is powerful among you.
For also he was crucified out of weakness, but he lives in God's power. For also, we are weak in him, but we live in him for you out of God's power.
5 Test yourselves, to see whether you are in trust. Examine yourselves. Or don't you yourselves recognize that Anointed Jesus is in you--except you are without proof! Now I hope that you will know that we are not without proof.
Now we wish to God that you do nothing bad, not so that we would appear proven, but so that you would do the nice thing--though we may be like unproven ones. For we have no power against the truth, but on behalf of the truth. For we rejoice when we are weak but you are powerful. This also we wish: your restoration. For this reason, I am writing these things while absent, so that when I am present I would not use severity according to the authority which the Lord gave me (for building up, and not for tearing down).
11 Brothers this remains: Rejoice, be restored, be comforted, have the same attitude, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All of the holy ones greet you. The generosity of the Lord, Anointed Jesus, and God's love, and the sharing of the breath be with you all.
Return to the NET Contents Page