Home -> Major Sections of the Bible -> 2 Corinthians 1:12 - 2 Corinthians 7:4
Paul Defends His Ministry As an Apostle
2 Corinthians 1:12 - 2 Corinthians 7:4
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For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
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For we write no other things to you, than what you read or even acknowledge, and I hope you will acknowledge to the end;
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as also you acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
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In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit;
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and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea.
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When I therefore was thus determined, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the "Yes, yes" and the "No, no?"
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But as God is faithful, our word toward you was not "Yes and no."
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For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not "Yes and no," but in him is "Yes."
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For however many are the promises of God, in him is the "Yes." Therefore also through him is the "Amen", to the glory of God through us.
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Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God;
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who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.
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But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn't come to Corinth to spare you.
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Not that we control your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.
Reaffirm Your Love for the Sinner; We speak in Christ
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But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow.
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For if I make you sorry, then who will make me glad but he who is made sorry by me?
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And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn't have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you.
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For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be made sorry, but that you might know the love that I have so abundantly for you.
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But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I not press too heavily) to you all.
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This punishment which was inflicted by the many is sufficient for such a one;
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so that on the contrary you should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his excessive sorrow.
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Therefore I beg you to confirm your love toward him.
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For to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things.
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Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,
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that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
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Now when I came to Troas for the Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord,
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I had no relief for my spirit, because I didn't find Titus, my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went out into Macedonia.
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Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place.
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For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God, in those who are saved, and in those who perish;
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to the one a stench from death to death; to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
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For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.
Ministers and Glory of the New Covenant
1
Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?
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You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;
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being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.
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Such confidence we have through Christ toward God;
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not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
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who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
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But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face, which was passing away;
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won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory?
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For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
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For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
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For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
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Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,
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and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel wouldn't look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.
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But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.
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But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
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But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
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Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
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But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Treasures in Jars of Clay
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Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don't faint.
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But we have renounced the 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 every man's conscience in the sight of God.
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Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who are dying;
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in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.
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For we don't preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake;
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seeing it is God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.Genesis 1:3
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But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.
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We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;
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pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;
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always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
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For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.
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So then death works in us, but life in you.
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But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, "I believed, and therefore I spoke." We also believe, and therefore also we speak;Psalm 116:10
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knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will present us with you.
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For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
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Therefore we don't faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.
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For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;
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while we don't look 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.
Walk by Faith, and Not Sight; Christ's Love Compels us to Ministry
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For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.
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For most certainly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven;
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if so be that being clothed we will not be found naked.
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For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened; not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
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Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit.
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Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;
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for we walk by faith, not by sight.
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We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.
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Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.
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For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
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Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God; and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences.
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For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart.
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For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you.
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For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.
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He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
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Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.
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Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
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But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;
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namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.
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We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
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For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Paul's Sufferings; Do Not be Unequally Yoked
1
Working together, we entreat also that you not receive the grace of God in vain,
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for he says,"At an acceptable time I listened to you,in a day of salvation I helped you."Isaiah 49:8Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.
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We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,
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but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
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in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;
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in pureness, in knowledge, in perseverance, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love,
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in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
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by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
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as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed;
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as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
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Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged.
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You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
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Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also be open wide.
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Don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
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What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever?
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What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people."Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27
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Therefore"'Come out from among them,and be separate,' says the Lord.'Touch no unclean thing.I will receive you.Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34,41
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I will be to you a Father.You will be to me sons and daughters,'says the Lord Almighty."2 Samuel 7:14; 7:8
We have opened our hearts to you; Godly Sorrow Brings Repentance
1
Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2
Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one.
3
I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.
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Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction.
