|
2ND
CORINTHIANS
CHAPTER
1
1
Paul an Apostle of Iesu Christe, by the wyll of God, & brother Timotheus.
Unto ye Church
of
God
which is at Corinthus, with all the saintes which are in all Achaia:
2 Grace [be] with you, and peace from God our father and from the Lorde Iesus
Christe.
3 Blessed be God, the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe, whiche is the father of
mercies, & the God of al comfort:
4 Which comforted vs in all our tribulation, insomuch that we are able to
comfort them which are in any maner trouble, with the comfort wherwith we our
selues are comforted of God.
5 For as the afflictions of Christ are plenteous in vs: euen so is our
consolation plenteous by Christe.
6 Whether we be troubled [it is] for your consolation and saluation, which
saluation sheweth her power, in that ye suffer the same afflictions whiche we
also suffer: or whether we be comforted [it is] for your consolation &
saluation:
7 And our hope is stedfast, insomuch as we knowe howe that as ye are partakers
of ye afflictions, so ye be partakers also of the consolation.
8 For we woulde not brethren haue you ignoraunt of our trouble, whiche came vnto
vs in
Asia
: For we were greeued out of measure, passyng strength, so greatly, that we
dispayred euen of lyfe.
9 Yea, we receaued the sentence of death in our selues, that we should not put
our trust in our selues, but in God, whiche rayseth the dead:
10 Who delyuered vs from so great a death, and doth deliuer: On whom we trust
that yet hereafter he wyll deliuer,
11 By the helpe of your prayer for vs, that by ye meanes of many persons,
thankes may geuen of many on our behalfe, for the grace geuen vnto vs.
12 For our reioycyng is this, the testimonie of our conscience, that in
simplicitie & godly purenesse, and not in fleshely wisdome, but by the grace
of God, we haue had our conuersatio in the worlde, and most of all to you wardes.
13 We write none other thinges vnto you then that ye read, or also yt ye
acknowledge, and I trust ye shall acknowledge vs vnto the ende.
14 Euen as ye haue acknowledged vs partly: For we are your reioycing, euen as ye
are ours in the daye of our Lorde Iesus.
15 And in this confidence was I minded first to haue come vnto you, yt ye myght
haue had one pleasure more:
16 And to passe by you into
Macedonia
, and to haue come agayne out of
Macedonia
vnto you, and to be led foorth of you to Iurie.
17 When I therfore was thus mynded, did I vse lightnesse? or mynde I carnally
those thynges whiche I mynde, that with me shoulde be yea yea, & nay nay?
18 God is faythfull: For our preaching to you, was not yea and nay.
19 For Gods sonne Iesus Christe which was preached among you by vs, euen by me,
and Siluanus, and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in hym it was yea.
20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and are in him Amen, vnto the
glorie of God, through vs.
21 And God it is whiche stablysheth vs with you in Christe, and hath annoynted
vs.
22 Which hath also sealed vs, and hath geuen the earnest of the spirite in our
heartes.
23 I call God for a recorde vnto my soule, that to spare you I came not as yet
vnto Corinthus.
24 Not that we be Lordes ouer your fayth, but are helpers of your ioy. For by
fayth ye stande.
CHAPTER
2
1 But I determined this in my selfe, yt I would not come againe to you in
heauynesse.
2 For if I make you sorie, who is he yt shoulde make me glad, but the same which
is made sorie by me?
3 And I wrote this same vnto you, lest when I came, I shoulde take heauynesse of
them of whom I ought to reioyce. This confidence haue I toward you all, that my
ioy is [the ioy] of you all.
4 For in great affliction and anguishe of heart, I wrote vnto you with many
teares, not that ye shoulde be made sorie, but that ye myght perceaue the loue
which I haue, most specially vnto you.
5 But yf any man hath caused sorowe, the same hath not made me sorie, but
partly, lest I shoulde greeue you all.
6 It is sufficient vnto the same man that he was rebuked of many.
7 So that nowe contrarywise, ye ought rather to forgeue hym, and comforte hym,
lest that same person shoulde be swallowed vp with ouermuche heauynesse.
8 Wherfore I pray you, that you would confirme your loue towardes hym.
9 For this cause veryly did I write, that I myght knowe the profe of you,
whether ye be obedient in all thynges.
10 To whom ye forgeue any thyng, I forgeue also. For if I forgaue any thing, to
whom I forgaue it, for your sakes forgaue I it, in the sight of Christe.
11 Lest Satan shoulde circumuent vs: For his thoughtes are not vnknowen vnto vs.
12 Furthermore, when I came to Troada, to [preache] Christes Gospell, and a
doore was opened vnto me of the lorde,
13 I had no rest in my spirite, because I founde not Titus my brother, but toke
my leaue of them, and went away into Macedonia.
14 Nowe thankes be vnto God, whiche alwayes geueth vs the victorie in Christe,
and openeth the sauour of his knowledge by vs in euery place.
15 For we are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christe in them that are saued, and
in them which perisshe.
16 To the one part [are we] the sauour of death, vnto death: and vnto the other
part [are we] the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe. And who is meete vnto these thynges?
17 For we are not as many are, whiche chop & chaunge with the word of God:
but as of purenesse of God, in the syght of God, so speake we in Christe.
CHAPTER
3
1 Do we begyn to prayse our selues agayne? Or neede we [as some other] of
epistles of recomendation vnto you? or [letters] of recommendation from you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in our heartes, whiche is vnderstande and read of
all men:
3 Forasmuche as ye declare that ye are the epistle of Christ ministred by vs,
and written, not with ynke, but with the spirite of the lyuyng God, not in
tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
4 Such trust haue we through Christe to Godwarde.
5 Not that we are sufficiet of our selues to thynke any thyng as of our selues:
but our ablenesse is of God,
6 Which hath made vs able ministers of the newe testament, not of the letter,
but of the spirite: For the letter kylleth, but the spirite geueth lyfe.
7 Yf the ministration of death, through the letters figured in stones, was in
glorie, so that the chyldren of Israel coulde not beholde the face of Moyses,
for the glorie of his countenaunce, whiche [glorie] is done away:
8 Howe shall not the ministration of the spirite be much more in glorie?
9 For yf the ministration of condempnation be glorie: much more doth the
ministration of ryghteousnes exceede in glorie.
10 For euen that which was glorified, is not glorified in respect of this
exceedyng glorie.
11 For yf that whiche is destroyed was glorious, much more that which remayneth
is glorious.
12 Seyng then that we haue such truste, we vse great boldnesse:
13 And not as Moyses, which put a vayle ouer his face, that the chyldren of
Israel
shoulde not see for what purpose that serued which is put away.
14 But their myndes were blynded: For vntyll this day remayneth the same
coueryng vntaken away in the reading of the olde testament, which [vayle] is put
away in Christe.
15 But euen vnto this day when Moyses is read, the vayle is layde vppon their
heart.
16 Neuerthelesse, when it shall turne to the Lorde, the vayle shalbe taken away.
17 The Lorde is a spirite: And where the spirite of the Lorde [is] there [is]
libertie.
18 But we all behold [as] in a mirrour, the glorie of the Lorde, with his face
open, and are chaunged vnto the same similitude, from glorie to glorie, euen as
of the spirite of the Lorde.
CHAPTER
4
1 Therfore, seyng that we haue such a ministerie, as we haue receaued mercie, we
faynt not:
2 But haue cast from vs the clokes of vnhonestie, and walke not in craftynesse,
neither handle we the word of God disceitefully, but in openyng of the trueth,
and report our selues to euery mans conscience in the syght of God.
3 Yf our Gospell be yet hyd, it is hyd in them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this worlde hath blinded the myndes of them whiche beleue
not, lest the lyght of the Gospell of the glorie of Christe (which is the image
of God) should shine vnto them.
5 For we preache not our selues, but Christe Iesus the Lord, and our selues your
seruauntes for Iesus sake.
6 For it is God that commaundeth the lyght to shine out of darknesse, whiche
hath shined in our heartes, for to geue the lyght of the knowledge of the glorie
of God, in the face of Iesus Christe.
7 But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie of the
power be Gods, and not ours.
8 We are troubled on euery syde, yet are we not without shyft. We are in
pouertie, but not vtterly without somewhat.
9 We suffer persecution, but are not forsaken therin. We are cast downe, but we
perisshe not.
10 We alwayes beare about in the body the dying of the Lorde Iesus, that the
lyfe of Iesus myght also appeare in our bodie.
11 For we which lyue, are alwayes deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake, that the
lyfe also of Iesu myght appeare in our mortall flesshe.
12 So then, death worketh in vs, but life in you.
13 Seing then that we haue the same spirite of fayth (accordyng as it is
written, I beleued, and therefore haue I spoken) We also beleue, and therefore
speake.
14 For we knowe, that he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus, shall rayse vp vs also
by the meanes of Iesus, and shall set vs with you.
15 For all thynges [do] for your [sakes,] that the plenteous grace, by thankes
geuyng of many, may redounde to the prayse of God.
16 Wherefore we are not weryed: But though our outwarde man perishe, yet the
inwarde man is renued day by day.
17 For our exceedyng tribulation which is momentanie & lyght, prepareth an
exceedyng and an eternall wayght of glorie vnto vs.
18 Whyle we loke not on the thynges whiche are seene, but on the thynges which
are not seene. For the thynges which are seene, are temporall: but the things
which are not seene, are eternal.
CHAPTER
5
1 For we knowe, that yf our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were destroyed,
we haue a building of God, an habitation not made with handes, but eternall in
heauen.
2 For therfore sygh we, desiryng to be clothed with our house whiche is from
heauen:
3 So yet, yf that we be founde clothed, and not naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle sigh, & being burdened because we would
not be vnclothed, but would be clothed vpo, that mortalitie might be swalowed vp
of lyfe.
5 He that hath ordeyned vs for this thyng [is] God, which hath also geuen vnto
vs the earnest of the spirite.
6 Therfore we are alway of good cheare, and knowe, that as long as we are at
home in the body, we are absent from the Lorde.
7 (For we walke by fayth, not after outwarde appearaunce.)
8 Neuerthelesse, we are of good comfort, and had rather to be absent from the
body, and to be present with the Lorde.
9 Wherfore, whether we be at home, or from home, we endeuour our selues to be
accepted vnto hym.
10 For we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe, that euery man
may receaue the workes of his bodie according to that he hath done, whether it
be good or bad.
11 Seing then that we knowe the feare of the Lorde, we fare fayre with men: For
we are knowen well enough vnto God. I trust also that we are knowen in your
consciences.
12 For we prayse not our selues agayne vnto you, but geue you an occasion to
reioyce of vs, that ye may haue somwhat agaynst them which reioyce in the face,
and not in the heart.
13 For yf we be to feruent, to God are we to feruent: Or yf we kepe measure, for
your cause kepe we measure.
14 For the loue of Christe constrayneth vs, because we thus iudge, that yf one
dyed for all, then were all dead.
15 And he dyed for all, that they which lyue, shoulde not hencefoorth lyue vnto
them selues, but vnto hym which dyed for them, and rose agayne.
16 Wherefore hencefoorth knowe we no man after the flesshe: Insomuche, though we
haue knowen Christe after the flesshe, nowe yet hencefoorth knowe we hym so no
more.
17 Therfore yf any man be in Christe, he is a newe creature. Olde thynges are
passed awaye, beholde all thynges are become newe.
18 And all thynges are of God, whiche hath reconciled vs vnto hym selfe by Iesus
Christe, and hath geuen to vs the ministerie of reconciliation.
19 For God was in Christe, reconciling the worlde to hym selfe, not imputyng
their sinnes vnto them, and hath committed to vs the preachyng of the atonement.
20 Nowe then are we messengers in the rowme of Christe, euen as though God dyd
beseche you through vs. So praye we you in Christes steade, that ye be
reconciled vnto God.
21 For he hath made him to be sinne for vs, whiche knewe no sinne, that we
shoulde be made the ryghteousnesse of God in hym.
CHAPTER
6
1 We also as helpers exhorte you, that ye receaue not the grace of God in vayne.
2 For he saith: I haue heard thee in a tyme accepted, and in the day of
saluation haue I suckoured thee. Beholde, nowe is that accepted tyme, beholde
nowe is that day of saluation:
3 Let vs geue none occasion of euyll in any thyng, that the ministerie be not
blamed:
4 But in all thynges let vs behaue our selues as ye ministers of God, in much
pacience, in afflictions, in necessities, in anguisshes,
5 In stripes, in prisonmentes, in strifes, in labours,
6 In watchynges, in fastinges, in purenesse, in knowledge, in long suffryng, in
kyndnesse, in the holy ghost, in loue vnfaigned:
7 In the worde of trueth, in the power of God, by the armour of righteousnes, of
the ryght hande and on the lefte,
8 By honour and dishonour, by euyll report and good report, as deceauers and yet
true,
9 As vnknowen, and yet knowen, as dying, and beholde we lyue, as chastened, and
not kylled,
10 As sorowyng, and yet alway merie: as poore, and yet make many riche: as
hauyng nothyng, and yet possessyng all thynges.
11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open vnto you, our heart is made large:
12 Ye are in no strayte in vs, but are in a straite in your owne bowels.
13 I promise you lyke rewarde as vnto children: Set your selues at large,
14 And beare not ye a straunge yoke with the vnbeleuers. For what felowship hath
righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse? Or what communion hath lyght with
darkenesse?
15 Or what concorde hath Christe with belyall? Eyther what part hath he that
beleueth, with an infidell?
16 Or howe agreeth the
temple
of
God
with images? For ye are the temple of the lyuing God, as saide God, I wyll
dwell in them, & walke in [them] & wyll be their God, & they shalbe
my people.
17 Wherfore come out fro among them, and separate your selues from them (saith
the Lorde) and touche none vncleane thyng, and I wyll receaue you,
18 And wyll be a father vnto you, and ye shalbe my sonnes and daughters, saith
the Lorde almightie.
CHAPTER
7
1 Seyng that we haue these promises (dearely beloued) let vs clense our selues
from all fylthynesse of the flesshe & spirite, and growe vp to full
holynesse in the feare of God.
2 Understande vs, we haue wronged no man, we haue corrupt no man, we haue
defrauded no man.
3 I speake not this to condempne you: for I haue shewed you before, that ye are
in our heartes to dye and lyue with you.
4 I am very bolde ouer you, I reioyce greatly in you. I am fylled with comfort,
and am exceedyng ioyous in all our tribulation.
5 For when we were come into
Macedonia
, our flesshe had no rest, but we were troubled on euery syde: Outward was
fyghtyng, inward was feare.
6 Neuerthelesse, God that comforteth the humble, comforted vs by the commyng of
Titus.
7 And not by his comming only, but also by the consolatio whiche we receaued of
you, when he tolde vs your desire, your wepyng, your feruent mynde towarde me,
so that I reioyced the more.
8 For though I made you sorie with a letter, I repent not, though I dyd repent.
For I perceaue, that the same epistle made you sorie, though it were but for a
season.
9 I nowe reioyce, not that ye were sorie, but that ye so sorowed to repent: for
ye sorowed godly, so that in nothyng ye were hurt by vs.
10 For godly sorowe, causeth repentaunce vnto saluatio, not to be repented of:
but the sorowe of the world causeth death.
11 For beholde this thing, what carefulnesse this godly sorow that ye toke, hath
wrought in you: yea [what] clearing of your selues, yea [what] indignation, yea
[what] feare, yea [what] vehemet desire, yea [what] zeale, yea [what]
punishment. For in all thynges ye haue shewed your selues that ye were cleare in
ye matter.
12 Wherefore, though I wrote vnto you, I dyd it not for his cause that had done
the hurt, neither for his cause that was hurt: but that your good minde to
vswarde myght appeare among you in the syght of God.
13 Therfore we are comforted, because ye are comforted: yea and exceedyngly the
more ioyed we, for the ioy that Titus had, because his spirite was refreshed by
you all.
14 I am therefore not nowe ashamed, though I boasted my selfe to hym of you. For
as all thinges which we spake vnto you are true: euen so our boastyng that I
made vnto Titus is made true.
15 And his inwarde affection is more aboundaunt towarde you, when he remembred
the obedience of you all, howe with feare and tremblyng ye receaued hym.
16 I reioyce that I may be bolde in you in all thynges.
CHAPTER
8
1 Moreouer, we do you to wite brethren, of the grace of God, which was geuen in
the Churches of Macedonia.
2 Howe that ye aboundance of their reioycing is, that they are tryed with muche
tribulation. And though they were exceedyng poore, yet haue they geuen exceedyng
rychlye, and that in singlenesse.
3 For to their powers (I beare them recorde) yea & beyonde their powers,
they were wyllyng.
4 And prayed vs with great instaunce that we woulde receaue this grace and
societie of the ministerie to ye saintes.
5 [And this they dyd] not as we loked for: but gaue their owne selues first to
the Lorde, and [after] vnto vs by the wyll of God.
6 So that we coulde not but desire Titus to accomplyshe ye same grace among you
also, euen as he had begun.
7 Nowe therefore as ye are riche in all thinges, in fayth, in worde, in
knowledge, in all feruentnesse, and in loue, which ye haue to vs: euen so, see
that ye be plenteous in this grace also.
8 This say I not by commaundement, but because of ye feruentnesse of other,
& alowing the vnfaynednes of your loue.
9 For ye knowe the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet
for your sakes he became poore, that ye through his pouertie might be made rich.
10 And I geue councell hereto: For this is expedient for you, which haue begun
not to do only, but also to wil a yere ago.
11 Nowe therfore perfourme the thyng which ye began to do: that as ther was in
you a redines to wyll, euen so ye may performe ye dede of that which ye haue.
12 For if there be first a wyllyng mynde, it is accepted accordyng to that a man
hath, and not accordyng to that he hath not.
13 Truly, not that other be set at ease, & ye brought into combraunce:
14 But that there be equalnesse nowe at this tyme, and that your aboundaunce may
succour their lacke, and that their aboundaunce maye supplie your lacke, that
there may be equalitie.
15 As it written: He that had much, had not the more aboundaunce, and he that
had litle, had not the lesse.
16 Thankes be vnto God, which put the same good mynde for you in the heart of
Titus,
17 Because he accepted the exhortation, yea rather he was so well wylling, that
of his owne accorde he came vnto you.
18 We haue sent with hym that brother whose praise is in the Gospel through out
all the Churches.
19 (And not that only, but is also chosen of the Churches to be a felowe with vs
in our iourney, concernyng this grace that is ministred by vs vnto the glorie of
the same Lorde, and to stirre vp your redie mynde)
20 For this we eschewe, that any man shoulde rebuke vs in this plenteous
distribution that is ministred by vs:
21 And make prouisio for honest thinges, not only in the syght of the Lorde, but
also in the syght of men.
22 We haue sent with them a brother of ours, whom we haue oftentymes proued
diligent in many thinges, but nowe much more diligent, for the great confidence
[whiche I haue] in you:
23 Partly for Titus sake, which is my felowe & helper concernyng you: partly
because of other which are our brethren and the messengers of the Churches,
[and] the glorie of Christe.
24 Wherfore shewe ye vnto them ye profe of your loue, & of our reioycyng of
you in the syght of the Churches.
CHAPTER
9
1 Of the ministryng to the saintes, it is but superfluous for me to write vnto
you:
2 For I knowe the redinesse of your mynde, whereof I boast my selfe of you, vnto
them of
Macedonia
, that Achaia was prepared a yere a go: and your zeale hath prouoked many.
3 Yet haue I sent the brethren, lest our boastyng which I make of you, should be
in vayne in this behalfe, that ye (as I haue sayde) may prepare your selues.
4 Lest yf they of
Macedonia
come with me, and fynde you vnprepared, we (I wyll not say you) shoulde be
ashamed in this matter of boastyng.
5 Therfore, I thought it necessarie to exhort the brethren, to come beforehand
vnto you, and to prepare your good blessyng promised afore, that it myght be
redy, so that it be as a blessyng, and not a defraudyng.
6 This yet [I say] he which soweth litle, shall reape litle: and he that soweth
in geuyng largely and freely, shall reape plenteouslie.
7 Let euery man do, accordyng as he hath purposed in his heart, not grudgyngly,
or of necessitie: For God loueth a chearefull geuer.
8 God is able to make you riche in all grace, that ye in all thynges hauyng
sufficient vnto the vtmost, may be riche vnto all maner of good workes,
9 As it is written: He hath sparsed abrode, and hath geuen to the poore, his
ryghteousnesse remayneth for euer.
10 He that ministreth seede vnto ye sower, ministreth bread also for foode, and
multiplieth your seede, and encreaseth the fruites of your ryghteousnesse:
11 That in all thynges ye may be made riche into all singlenesse, which causeth
through vs, that thankes are geuen vnto God.
12 For the administration of this seruice, not only supplieth ye neede of the
saintes: but also is aboundaunt by the thankes geuyng of many vnto God,
13 Which by the experiment of this ministration, prayse God for the obedience of
your consentyng to the Gospell of Christe, and for your singlenesse in
distributyng to them, and to all men:
14 And by their prayers for you, which long after you, for the aboundaunt grace
of God in you.
15 Thankes be vnto God, for his vnspeakeable gyft.
CHAPTER
10
1 I Paul my selfe beseche you by the mekenesse & gentlenesse of Christ,
whiche when I am present among you, am lowlye: but am bolde towarde you beyng
absent.
2 I beseche you, that I neede not to be bolde when I am present, with that same
boldnesse, wherwith I am supposed to haue ben bolde, agaynst some, which repute
vs as though we walked accordyng to the fleshe.
3 For though we walke in the fleshe, yet we do not warre according to ye flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall, but myghtie through God, to
cast downe strong holdes,
5 Wherwith we ouerthrowe counsels, and euery hye thyng, that is exalted agaynst
the knowledge of God, & bryng into captiuitie all imagination, to the
obedience of Christe,
6 And are readie to take vengeaunce on all disobedience, when your obedience is
fulfylled.
7 Loke ye on thynges after the vtter appearaunce? If any man trust in hym selfe
that he is Christes, let hym consider this agayne of hym selfe, that as he [is]
of Christe, euen so [are] we of Christe.
8 For though I shoulde boast my selfe somwhat more of our auctoritie, which the
Lorde hath geuen to vs for edification, and not for your destruction, it shal
not be to my shame:
9 Lest I should seeme as though I wet about to make you afrayde by letters.
10 For the letters sayth he, are sore and strong: but his bodyly presence is
weake, and his speache rude.
11 Let hym that is such, thynke on this wise: that as we are in worde by
letters, when we are absent, such are we in deede when we are present.
12 For we dare not make our selues of the number of them, or to compare our
selues to them which praise themselues. Neuerthelesse, whyle they measure them
selues, with them selues, and compare them selues with them selues, they
vnderstande not.
13 But we wyll not reioyce aboue measure: but accordyng to the measure of the
rule, which God hath distributed vnto vs, a measure to reache euen vnto you.
14 For we stretch not out our selues beyonde measure, as though we reached not
vnto you: For euen to you also haue we come with the Gospell of Christe:
15 And we boast not our selues out of measure in other mens labours: Yea, and we
hope, when your fayth is increased among you, to be magnified accordyng to our
measure aboundauntly,
16 And that I shall preache the Gospell, in those [regions] which [are] beyonde
you: and not to glorie of those thynges, which by another mans measure are
prepared alredy.
17 But let hym that glorieth, glorie in the Lorde.
18 For he that prayseth hymselfe, is not alowed, but whom the Lorde prayseth.
CHAPTER
11
1 Would to God ye coulde haue suffred me a litle in my foolishnesse: and in dede
ye do forbeare me.
2 For I am gelous ouer you, with Godly gelousie: For I haue coupled you to one
man, to present [you] a chaste virgin vnto Christe.
3 But I feare lest by any meanes, that as the serpent begyled Eue through his
subtiltie, euen so your myndes shoulde be corrupted fro the singlenesse that is
towarde Christe.
4 For yf he that commeth, preacheth another Iesus, whom we haue not preached: or
yf ye receaue another spirite whom ye haue not receaued: either another Gospell
which ye haue not receaued, you woulde well haue suffered [hym].
5 Ueryly I suppose that I was not behynde the chiefe Apostles.
6 But though [I be] rude in speakyng, yet not in knowledge, but in all thynges
among you, we haue ben well knowen to the vtmost.
7 Dyd I sinne because I submitted my selfe, that ye myght be exalted, &
because I preached to you the Gospell of God freely?
8 I robbed other Churches, takyng wages of them, to do you seruice.
9 And when I was present with you, and had nede, I was chargeable to no man: for
that which was lackyng vnto me, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied,
and in all thynges I haue kept my selfe so that I shoulde not be chargeable to
any man, and [so] wyll I kepe my selfe.
10 The trueth of Christe is in me, that this reioycyng shall not be shut vp
agaynst me in the regions of Achaia.
11 Wherfore? Because I loue you not? God knoweth.
12 But what I do, that wyll I do, to cut away occasion from them which desire
occasion, that they myght be founde lyke vnto vs, in yt wherin they gloried.
13 For such false Apostles [are] disceiptfull workers, transfourmed into ye
Apostles of Christe.
14 And no maruayle, for Satan himselfe is transfourmed into an angel of lyght.
15 Therfore it is no great thyng though his ministers be transfourmed as the
ministers of righteousnesse, whose ende shalbe accordyng to their workes.
16 I say agayne, let no man thynke that I am foolyshe: or els euen nowe take ye
me as a foole, that I also may boast my selfe a litle.
17 That I speake, I speake it not after the Lorde: but as it were foolishly, in
this maner of boastyng.
18 Seyng that many glorie after ye fleshe, I wyll glorie also.
19 For ye suffer fooles gladly, seyng ye your selues are wyse.
20 For ye suffer, yf a man bryng you into bondage, yf a man deuoure, yf a man
take, yf a man exalt hym selfe, yf a man smite you on the face.
21 I speake concernyng reproche, as though we had ben weake: Howbeit, wherin
soeuer any man is bolde, (I speake foolishly) I am bolde also.
22 They are Ebrues, euen so am I. They are Israelites, euen so am I. They are
the seede of Abraham, euen so am
I.
23 They are the ministers of Christe, (I speake as a foole) I am more: in
labours more aboundant, in stripes aboue measure, in pryson more plenteouslie,
in death oft.
24 Of the Iewes fyue tymes receaued I fourtie [stripes] saue one.
25 Thryse was I beaten with roddes, once stoned, thrise I suffred shipwracke,
nyght and day haue I ben in ye depth:
26 In iourneying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of
myne owne nation, in perils among the heathen, in perils in the citie, in perils
in the wildernesse, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren,
27 In labour & trauayle, in watchinges often, in hunger and thirst, in
fastinges often, in colde and nakednesse,
28 Besides the thynges which outwardlye come vnto me: my dayly encombraunce [is]
the care of all the Churches.
29 Who is weake, and I am not weake? who is offended, and I burne not?
30 If I must needes glory, I wyll glory of the thynges that concerne myne
infirmities.
31 The God and father of our Lorde Iesus Christe, which is blessed for euermore,
knoweth that I lye not.
32 In [the citie of]
Damascus
, Aretas the kynges gouernour of the people, layde watche in the citie of the
Damascens, and woulde haue caught me:
33 And at a wyndowe was I let downe in a basket through the wall, and scaped his
handes.
CHAPTER
12
1 It is not expedient doubtles, for me to glorie, I wyl come to visions &
reuelations of the Lorde.
2 For I knew a ma in Christe, aboue xiiij. yeres ago, (whether [he were] in the
body I can not tell, or whether [he were] out of the body, I can not tell, God
knoweth) that he was taken vp into the thirde heauen:
3 And I knewe the same man (whether in the body or out of the body, I can not
tell, God knoweth)
4 Howe that he was take vp into paradise, & hearde vnspeakeable wordes,
which is not lawfull for man to vtter.
5 Of such a man wyll I glorie, yet of my selfe wyll I not glorie, but in myne
infirmities.
6 For though I woulde desire to glorie, I shall not be a foole, for I wyll say
the trueth: but I nowe refrayne, lest any man shoulde thynke of me, aboue that
which he seeth me to be, or yt he heareth of me.
7 And lest I shoulde be exalted out of measure through the aboundaunce of the
reuelations, there was geuen vnto me a pricke to the fleshe, the messenger of
Satan to buffet me, because I should not be exalted out of measure.
8 For this thyng besought I the Lorde thryse, that it myght depart from me.
9 And he sayde vnto me: My grace is sufficient for thee. For my strength is made
perfect in weakenesse. Most gladly therfore, I wyll rather glorie in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ myght dwell in me.
10 Therfore haue I delectation in infirmities, in rebukes, in necessities, in
persecutions, in anguishes for Christes sake: For when I am weake, then am I
strong.
11 I am become a foole [in] gloriyng. Ye haue compelled me: for I ought to haue
ben commended of you. For nothyng was I inferiour vnto the chiefe Apostles,
though I be nothyng,
12 Truely the signes of an Apostle were wrought among you, in all patience, and
signes, and wonders, and myghtie deedes.
13 For what is it, wherin ye were inferiour vnto other Churches, except [it be]
that I was not chargeable vnto you? Forgeue me this wrong.
14 Beholde, nowe the thirde tyme I am redy to come vnto you, and yet wyll I not
be chargeable vnto you: For I seke not yours, but you. For the children ought
not to lay vp for the fathers and mothers: but the fathers and mothers for the
chyldren.
15 I wyll very gladly bestowe, & wylbe bestowed for your sakes, though the
more aboundauntly I loue you, the lesse I am loued agayne.
16 But be it, [that] I was not chargeable vnto you: Neuerthelesse, when I was
craftie, I caught you with guile.
17 Dyd I pyll you by any of them who I sent vnto you?
18 I desired Titus, and with hym I sent a brother: Dyd Titus defraude you of any
thyng? Haue we not walked in the same spirite? not in the same steppes?
19 Agayne, thynke you that we excuse our selues vnto you? We speake in Christ in
the syght of God: but [we do] all thinges dearely beloued, for your edifiyng.
20 For I feare lest when I come, I shall not fynde you such as I woulde: and
that I shalbe founde vnto you, such as ye woulde not: lest there be debates,
enuyinges, wrathes, strifes, backbitinges, whisperinges, swellinges, &
seditions:
21 And that when I come agayne, my God bryng me lowe among you, and I shall
bewayle many of the which haue sinned alredy, and haue not repented of the
vncleannesse, and fornication, and wantonnes, which they haue comitted.
CHAPTER
13
1 Nowe come I the third time vnto you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses
shall euery worde be stablisshed.
2 I tolde you before, and tell you before, as though I had ben present with you
the seconde tyme, so write I nowe beyng absent, to them which in time past haue
sinned, and to all other, that yf I come agayne, I wyll not spare,
3 Seyng yt ye seeke experience of Christe which speaketh in me, which to you
ward is not weake, but is mighty in you.
4 For though he was crucified of weakenesse, yet liueth he of the power of God.
And we no doubt, are weake in hym: but we shall lyue with hym, by ye might of
God towarde you.
5 Examine your selues, whether ye are in the fayth: Proue your owne selues.
Knowe ye not your owne selues, howe that Iesus Christe is in you? except ye be
reprobates.
6 I trust ye shal knowe that we are not reprobates.
7 Truely I pray to God that ye do none euyll, not that we shoulde seeme approued:
but yt ye shoulde do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
8 For we can do nothyng agaynst the trueth: but for the trueth.
9 For we are glad when we are weake, and ye are strong. Truely this also we
wishe, euen your perfection.
10 Therfore write I these thynges beyng absent, lest when I am present, I should
vse sharpenesse, accordyng to the power which the Lorde hath geuen me to
edification, and not to destruction.
11 Finally brethren, fare well, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mynde,
lyue in peace, and the God of loue and peace shalbe with you.
12 Greete one another in an holy kisse.
13 All the saintes salute you.
14 The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ, and the loue of God, and the comunion of
the holy ghost, be with you all. Amen.
The ende of the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians. Sent from Philippos, a citie
in
Macedonia
, by Titus and Lucas.
|
