consciences also. 12 [For] we commend not ourselves again to you, but give you occasion to boast on our account; that ye may have something to answer those, who boast in appearance, CH. VI. 1 Now, fellow-laand not in heart. 13 For, whe-bourers, we also beseech you ther we have been transported that ye receive not the favour beyond ourselves, it is to God: of God in vain: 2 (for Isaiah or whether we be sober, it is saith, "I have heard thee in a for you.* time accepted, and in the day of salvation I have assisted thee:" behold, now the wellaccepted time: behold, now, the day of salvation :) 3 giving no one offence in any thing, that our ministry be not blamed: 4 but in all things, recommending ourselves as the ministers of God; in much patience, in afflictions, in recessities, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in disturbances, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6 in purity, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in a holy spirit, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God; yea, through the right hand and left hand armour of righteousness:† 8 through honour and disgrace, through evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 as grieved, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 11 Our mouth is opened to you, O Corinthians, our heart 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us, judging this, that, [if] one died for all, then the whole were dead; 15 and he died for all, that the living should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died, and was raised, for them. 16 Wherefore, henceforth we know no one according to the desh: yea, though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we no longer know him. 17 Wherefore if any one be in Christ, this is a new creation: the old things are passed away; behold, [all things] are become new. 18 But all things are from God; who hath reconciled us to himself through [Jesus] Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their trespasses, and hath committed to us the doctrine of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore ambassadors for Christ, as though God besought you by us: we, in behalf of Christ, entreat you, "Be ye reconciled to God." 21 [For] God hath made him, who knew no sin, a sin-offering for us, that, in him, we may be made the righteousness of God. *So Thomson. "This is said in allusion to the armour of the ancients." Macknight. is enlarged. 12 Ye are not straitened in us; but ye are straitened in your own bowels. and to live together. 4 Great is my freedom of speech towards you, great is my boasting* concerning you: I am filled with comfort, I abound exceedingly in joy under all our affliction. :: 5 For when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: without were oppositions, within were fears. 6 Nevertheless, God, who comforteth those who are brought low, comforted us by the com 13 Now as a recompense for this, (I speak as to my children,) be ye also enlarged. 14 Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with iniquity? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 and what agree-ing ment hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, "I will dwell among them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separated," saith the Lord, "and touch not any unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 and will be a father to you, and ye shall be to me sons, and daughters," saith the Lord Almighty. of Titus: 7 and not by his coming only, but by the comfort with which he was comforted on your account, when he told us your earnest desire, your lamentation, your zeal for me: so that I rather rejoiced. 8 For though I grieved you by my letter, I do not repent; though indeed I did repent: for I perceive that my letter hath grieved you for a short time only. CH. VII. 1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us be 9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were grieved, but that ye were grieved to repentance: for ye were grieved in a godly manner, so that in nothing did ye received damage from us. 10 For cleanse ourselves from all de-a godly sorrow worketh repentfilement of flesh and of spirit, ance, to salvation, not to perfecting holiness in the fear regretted: but the grief of the of God. world worketh death. 11 For, behold, this very thing, ([your] being grieved in a godly mande-ner,) what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, apologizing, yea, indignation, yea, fear, yea, earnest desire, yea, zeal, yea, punishment !† in all things, ye have 2 RECEIVE us: we have wronged no one; we have corrupted no one, we have frauded no one. 3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts, to die together *See 1 Cor. xv. 31. ti. e. punishment of the incestuous person. See Macknight, and Parkhurst. Or the word Exdinnois may be rendered vindication, which, perhaps, is the sense in the text. proved yourselves to be clear [in] this matter. 12 Wherefore, though I wrote to you, I did it, not so much on account of him who had done the wrong, nor on account of him who had suffered the wrong, as that our care for you might be made manifest to you, in the sight of God. : 13 We, therefore, were comforted by your comfort and we rejoiced more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all. 14 For if I have boasted to him in any respect concerning you, I have not been put to shame but as we spake all things to you, in truth, so also our boasting which was before Titus, is found true. 15 And his tender affection is more abundant towards you; while he remembereth the obedience of you all, how ye received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice that in every thing I have confidence in you. the joint administration of it to the saints. 5 And this they did, not as we expected; but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and to us, by the will of God; 6 so that we desired Titus, that, as he had already begun to do this, so he would likewise finish in you also this work of liberality. yea, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves; 4 beseeching us with much intreaty, concerning their gift, and 7. Now as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us; see that ye abound also in this work of liberality. 8 I speak not by way of command; but to try the sincerity of your love also, by the diligence of others. 9 (For ye know the gracious goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for you he was poor, being rich, that ye, through his poverty, might be rich.) 10 And I give my judgment in this matter; for this is expedient for you, who have already begun, not only to do, but also to have a willing mind, a year ago. CH. VIII. 1 NOW we make known to you, brethren, the very liberal gift bestowed by the churches of Macedonia; 2 that, under a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy, the depth of their poverty, hath abounded to the riches of their liberality. 3 For 11 Now then, complete, also, the doing of it; that, as there was a readiness to will, so also there may be a fulfilment out of what ye possess. 12 For if there be first a ready mind, it is accepted according to what [any one] hath, and not accordto their power, (I bear witness,)ing to what he hath not. 13 For I mean not that others may be eased, and you burdened: 14 but that, by an equality, your abundance may be a supply at * Or, the godly gift. Or. the godlike gift. Literally, the favour of God. while he was rich-see Wakefield-λovorios WY, ENTWXEUσs. The construction requires it to be understood, not of a passage from a preceding state of wealth to a succeeding state of po verty, but of two contemporary states. He was rich and poor at the same time. this time, for their want; that of your love, and of our boasttheir abundance, also, may being on your account. a supply for your want: that gent care for you, into the heart CH. IX. 1 FOR, concerning your ministration to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. 2 For I know your readiness, for which I boast of you to those of Macedonia, that 16 But thanks be to God, Achaia was prepared a year who hath put the same dili-ago: and your zeal hath stirred up very many. 3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you in this respect, should be in vain; that, as I said of you, ye may be prepared: 4 lest, if those of Macedonia, come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not ye) should be put to shame for this confidence. 5 I have therefore thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before to you, and make up beforehand your bounty, before spoken of by me, that it might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. 22 And we have sent with them, our brother, (whom we have often found diligent in many things, but now much more diligent,) because of the great confidence which we have in you. 23 If any inquire of Titus, he is my partner, and fellow-labourer towards you: or if our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. 24 Wherefore show ye to them, before the churches, the proof 6 However, this I say, He who soweth sparingly, will also reap sparingly; and he who soweth bountifully, will also reap bountifully. 7 Let every one give, according as he chooseth in his heart; not with pain, or by constraint: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make every gift abound towards you; that, having always all sufficiency in all things, ye may abound to every good work: 9 (as it is written, "He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness maineth to the age.") re false reasonings, and every high thing which exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity, to the obedience of Christ; 6 and being ready to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is complete. 7 Do ye look on things according to the outward appearance? If any one trust in himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this also, that, as he is Christ's, so are we likewise. 8 For though I should boast in a somewhat extraordinary manner of our authority, which the Lord hath given to us for your edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 9 but I forbear, that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. 10 For his letters, it is said, CH. X. 1 NOW I, the same are weighty and powerful; but Paul, who, when present, in- his bodily presence is weak, and deed, am humble among you,, his speech contemptible. 11 Let but when absent am bold to such an one think this, that as wards you, beseech you by we are in word, by letters, the mildness and clemency of when absent, such we will be Christ, 2 and I request, that, in deed also, when present. when present, I may not be 12 For we dare not place bold, with that confidence, ourselves in the same rank, or wherewith I conclude to be compare ourselves, with some bold against some, who con- who commend themselves: but clude us to be really persons they, measuring themselves by who walk according to the themselves, and comparing flesh. 3 For though we walk themselves with themselvest, in the flesh, we do not war [are not wise. 13 But we] [will according to the flesh; 4 (for boast] not of things without the weapons of our warfare are measure; but according to the not carnal, but mighty, through measure of the line which God God, to the casting down of hath allotted to us, that we strong holds ;) 5 casting down should reach even to you. 10 Now may he who supplieth seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; 11 ye being enriched in all things to all liberality, which causeth thanksgiving by us to God. 12 For the ministration of this service not only supplieth the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also in many thanksgivings to God; 13 (for through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for your professed subjection to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal contribution to them, and to all;) 14 and in their prayer for you, ardently loving you for the exceedingly bountiful gift bestowed by you. 15 [Now] thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.* This applies to Christ, who "may well be called God's unspeakable gift." Macknight. Or, they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves. [But we will] not [boast] of things, but, etc. See Newcome's note. |