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BOOK 47

SECOND CORINTHIANS

CHAPTER 1
1 Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ by the will of God, and
Timothy our brother, unto the church
of God which is at Corinth, with all
the saints which are in all Achaia:
2 Grace be to you and peace from
God our Father, and from the Lord
Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, even the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies, and the God of all
comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our
tribulation, that we may be able to
comfort them which are in any
trouble, by the comfort wherewith we
ourselves are comforted of God.
5 For as the sufferings of
Christ abound in us, so our
consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted,
it is for your consolation and
salvation, which is effectual in the
enduring of the same sufferings which
we also suffer: or whether we be
comforted, it is for your consolation
and salvation.
7 And our hope of you is
stedfast, knowing, that as ye are
partakers of the sufferings, so shall
ye be also of the consolation.
8 For we would not, brethren,
have you ignorant of our trouble
which came to us in Asia, that we
were pressed out of measure, above
strength, insomuch that we despaired
even of life:
9 But we had the sentence of
death in ourselves, that we should
not trust in ourselves, but in God
which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so
great a death, and doth deliver: in
whom we trust that he will yet
deliver us;
11 Ye also helping together by
prayer for us, that for the gift
bestowed upon us by the means of many
persons thanks may be given by many
on our behalf.
12 For our rejoicing is this,
the testimony of our conscience, that
in simplicity and godly sincerity,
not with fleshly wisdom, but by the
grace of God, we have had our
conversation in the world, and more
abundantly to you-ward.
13 For we write none other
things unto you, than what ye read or
acknowledge; and I trust ye shall
acknowledge even to the end;
14 As also ye have acknowledged
us in part, that we are your
rejoicing, even as ye also are ours
in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 And in this confidence I was
minded to come unto you before, that
ye might have a second benefit;
16 And to pass by you into
Macedonia, and to come again out of
Macedonia unto you, and of you to be
brought on my way toward Judea.
17 When I therefore was thus
minded, did I use lightness? or the
things that I purpose, do I purpose
according to the flesh, that with me
there should be yea yea, and nay nay?
18 But as God is true, our word
toward you was not yea and nay.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus
Christ, who was preached among you by
us, even by me and Silvanus and
Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but
in him was yea.
20 For all the promises of God
in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto
the glory of God by us.
21 Now he which stablisheth us
with you in Christ, and hath anointed
us, is God;
22 Who hath also sealed us, and
given the earnest of the Spirit in
our hearts.
23 Moreover I call God for a
record upon my soul, that to spare
you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
24 Not for that we have dominion
over your faith, but are helpers of
your joy: for by faith ye stand.

CHAPTER 2
1 But I determined this with
myself, that I would not come again
to you in heaviness.
2 For if I make you sorry, who
is he then that maketh me glad, but
the same which is made sorry by me?
3 And I wrote this same unto
you, lest, when I came, I should have
sorrow from them of whom I ought to
rejoice; having confidence in you
all, that my joy is the joy of you
all.
4 For out of much affliction and
anguish of heart I wrote unto you
with many tears; not that ye should
be grieved, but that ye might know
the love which I have more abundantly
unto you.
5 But if any have caused grief,
he hath not grieved me, but in part:
that I may not overcharge you all.
6 Sufficient to such a man is
this punishment, which was inflicted
of many.
7 So that contrariwise ye ought
rather to forgive him, and comfort
him, lest perhaps such a one should
be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that
ye would confirm your love toward
him.
9 For to this end also did I
write, that I might know the proof of
you, whether ye be obedient in all
things.
10 To whom ye forgive any thing,
I forgive also: for if I forgave any
thing, to whom I forgave it, for your
sakes forgave I it in the person of
Christ;
11 Lest Satan should get an
advantage of us: for we are not
ignorant of his devices.
12 Furthermore, when I came to
Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and
a door was opened unto me of the
Lord,
13 I had no rest in my spirit,
because I found not Titus my brother:
but taking my leave of them, I went
from thence into Macedonia.
14 Now thanks be unto God, which
always causeth us to triumph in
Christ, and maketh manifest the
savour of his knowledge by us in
every place.
15 For we are unto God a sweet
savour of Christ, in them that are
saved, and in them that perish:
16 To the one we are the savour
of death unto death; and to the other
the savour of life unto life. And who
is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not as many, which
corrupt the word of God: but as of
sincerity, but as of God, in the
sight of God speak we in Christ.

CHAPTER 3
1 Do we begin again to commend
ourselves? or need we, as some
others, epistles of commendation to
you, or letters of commendation from
you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in
our hearts, known and read of all
men:
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly
declared to be the epistle of Christ
ministered by us, written not with
ink, but with the Spirit of the
living God; not in tables of stone,
but in fleshy tables of the heart.
4 And such trust have we through
Christ to God-ward:
5 Not that we are sufficient of
ourselves to think any thing as of
ourselves; but our sufficiency is of
God;
6 Who also hath made us able
ministers of the new testament; not
of the letter, but of the spirit: for
the letter killeth, but the spirit
giveth life.
7 But if the ministration of
death, written and engraven in
stones, was glorious, so that the
children of Israel could not
stedfastly behold the face of Moses
for the glory of his countenance;
which glory was to be done away:
8 How shall not the ministration
of the spirit be rather glorious?
9 For if the ministration of
condemnation be glory, much more doth
the ministration of righteousness
exceed in glory.
10 For even that which was made
glorious had no glory in this
respect, by reason of the glory that
excelleth.
11 For if that which is done
away was glorious, much more that
which remaineth is glorious.
12 Seeing then that we have such
hope, we use great plainness of
speech:
13 And not as Moses, which put a
vail over his face, that the children
of Israel could not stedfastly look
to the end of that which is
abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded:
for until this day remaineth the same
vail untaken away in the reading of
the old testament; which vail is done
away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when
Moses is read, the vail is upon their
heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall
turn to the Lord, the vail shall be
taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit:
and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of
the Lord, are changed into the same
image from glory to glory, even as by
the Spirit of the Lord.

CHAPTER 4
1 Therefore seeing we have this
ministry, as we have received mercy,
we faint not;
2 But have renounced the hidden
things of dishonesty, not walking in
craftiness, nor handling the word of
God deceitfully; but by manifestation
of the truth commending ourselves to
every man's conscience in the sight
of God.
3 But if our gospel be hid, it
is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world
hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves,
but Christ Jesus the Lord; and
ourselves your servants for
Jesus'sake.
6 For God, who commanded the
light to shine out of darkness, hath
shined in our hearts, to give the
light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in
earthen vessels, that the excellency
of the power may be of God, and not
of us.
8 We are troubled on every side,
yet not distressed; we are perplexed,
but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken;
cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the
body the dying of the Lord Jesus,
that the life also of Jesus might be
made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are alway
delivered unto death for Jesus'sake,
that the life also of Jesus might be
made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us,
but life in you.
13 We having the same spirit of
faith, according as it is written, I
believed, and therefore have I
spoken; we also believe, and
therefore speak;
14 Knowing that he which raised
up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us
also by Jesus, and shall present us
with you.
15 For all things are for your
sakes, that the abundant grace might
through the thanksgiving of many
redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not;
but though our outward man perish,
yet the inward man is renewed day by
day.
17 For our light affliction,
which is but for a moment, worketh
for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not 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.

CHAPTER 5
1 For we know that if our
earthly house of this tabernacle were
dissolved, we have a building of God,
an house not made with hands, eternal
in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan,
earnestly desiring to be clothed upon
with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we
shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this
tabernacle do groan, being burdened:
not for that we would be unclothed,
but clothed upon, that mortality
might be swallowed up of life.
5 Now he that hath wrought us
for the selfsame thing is God, who
also hath given unto us the earnest
of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always
confident, knowing that, whilst we
are at home in the body, we are
absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by
sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and
willing rather to be absent from the
body, and to be present with the
Lord.
9 Wherefore we labour, that,
whether present or absent, we may be
accepted of him.
10 For we must all appear before
the judgment seat of Christ; that
every one may receive the things done
in his body, according to that he
hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror
of the Lord, we persuade men; but we
are made manifest unto God; and I
trust also are made manifest in your
consciences.
12 For we commend not ourselves
again unto you, but give you occasion
to glory on our behalf, that ye may
have somewhat to answer them which
glory in appearance, and not in
heart.
13 For whether we be beside
ourselves, it is to God: or whether
we be sober, it is for your cause.
14 For the love of Christ
constraineth us; because we thus
judge, that if one died for all, then
were all dead:
15 And that he died for all,
that they which live should not
henceforth live unto themselves, but
unto him which died for them, and
rose again.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we
no man after the flesh: yea, though
we have known Christ after the flesh,
yet now henceforth know we him no
more.
17 Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new.
18 And all things are of God,
who hath reconciled us to himself by
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us
the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in
Christ, reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them; and hath
committed unto us the word of
reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech
you by us: we pray you in Christ's
stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be
sin for us, who knew no sin; that we
might be made the righteousness of
God in him.

CHAPTER 6
1 We then, as workers together
with him, beseech you also that ye
receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 (For he saith, I have heard
thee in a time accepted, and in the
day of salvation have I succoured
thee: behold, now is the accepted
time; behold, now is the day of
salvation.)
3 Giving no offence in any
thing, that the ministry be not
blamed:
4 But in all things approving
ourselves as the ministers of God, in
much patience, in afflictions, in
necessities, in distresses,
5 In stripes, in imprisonments,
in tumults, in labours, in watchings,
in fastings;
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by
longsuffering, by kindness, by the
Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7 By the word of truth, by the
power of God, by the armour of
righteousness on the right hand and
on the left,
8 By honour and dishonour, by
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 sorrowful, yet alway
rejoicing; as poor, yet making many
rich; as having nothing, and yet
possessing all things.
11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth
is open unto you, our heart is
enlarged.
12 Ye are not straitened in us,
but ye are straitened in your own
bowels.
13 Now for a recompence in the
same, (I speak as unto my children,)
be ye also enlarged.
14 Be ye not unequally yoked
together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion
hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ
with Belial? or what part hath he
that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the
temple of God with idols? for ye are
the temple of the living God; as God
hath said, I will dwell in them, and
walk in them; and I will be their
God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among
them, and be ye separate, saith the
Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto
you, and ye shall be my sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

CHAPTER 7
1 Having therefore these
promises, dearly beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness
of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.
2 Receive us; we have wronged no
man, we have corrupted no man, we
have defrauded no man.
3 I speak not this to condemn
you: for I have said before, that ye
are in our hearts to die and live
with you.
4 Great is my boldness of speech
toward you, great is my glorying of
you: I am filled with comfort, I am
exceeding joyful in all our
tribulation.
5 For, when we were come into
Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but
we were troubled on every side;
without were fightings, within were
fears.
6 Nevertheless God, that
comforteth those that are cast down,
comforted us by the coming of Titus;
7 And not by his coming only,
but by the consolation wherewith he
was comforted in you, when he told us
your earnest desire, your mourning,
your fervent mind toward me; so that
I rejoiced the more.
8 For though I made you sorry
with a letter, I do not repent,
though I did repent: for I perceive
that the same epistle hath made you
sorry, though it were but for a
season.
9 Now I rejoice, not that ye
were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed
to repentance: for ye were made sorry
after a godly manner, that ye might
receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh
repentance to salvation not to be
repented of: but the sorrow of the
world worketh death.
11 For behold this selfsame
thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly
sort, what carefulness it wrought in
you, yea, what clearing of
yourselves, yea, what indignation,
yea, what fear, yea, what vehement
desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what
revenge! In all things ye have
approved yourselves to be clear in
this matter.
12 Wherefore, though I wrote
unto you, I did it not for his cause
that had done the wrong, nor for his
cause that suffered wrong, but that
our care for you in the sight of God
might appear unto you.
13 Therefore we were comforted
in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly
the more joyed we for the joy of
Titus, because his spirit was
refreshed by you all.
14 For if I have boasted any
thing to him of you, I am not
ashamed; but as we spake all things
to you in truth, even so our
boasting, which I made before Titus,
is found a truth.
15 And his inward affection is
more abundant toward you, whilst he
remembereth the obedience of you all,
how with fear and trembling ye
received him.
16 I rejoice therefore that I
have confidence in you in all things.

CHAPTER 8
1 Moreover, brethren, we do you
to wit of the grace of God bestowed
on the churches of Macedonia;
2 How that in a great trial of
affliction the abundance of their joy
and their deep poverty abounded unto
the riches of their liberality.
3 For to their power, I bear
record, yea, and beyond their power
they were willing of themselves;
4 Praying us with much intreaty
that we would receive the gift, and
take upon us the fellowship of the
ministering to the saints.
5 And this they did, not as we
hoped, but first gave their own
selves to the Lord, and unto us by
the will of God.
6 Insomuch that we desired
Titus, that as he had begun, so he
would also finish in you the same
grace also.
7 Therefore, as ye abound in
every thing, in faith, and utterance,
and knowledge, and in all diligence,
and in your love to us, see that ye
abound in this grace also.
8 I speak not by commandment,
but by occasion of the forwardness of
others, and to prove the sincerity of
your love.
9 For ye know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he
was rich, yet for your sakes he
became poor, that ye through his
poverty might be rich.
10 And herein I give my advice:
for this is expedient for you, who
have begun before, not only to do,
but also to be forward a year ago.
11 Now therefore perform the
doing of it; that as there was a
readiness to will, so there may be a
performance also out of that which ye
have.
12 For if there be first a
willing mind, it is accepted
according to that a man hath, and not
according to that he hath not.
13 For I mean not that other men
be eased, and ye burdened:
14 But by an equality, that now
at this time your abundance may be a
supply for their want, that their
abundance also may be a supply for
your want: that there may be
equality:
15 As it is written, He that had
gathered much had nothing over; and
he that had gathered little had no
lack.
16 But thanks be to God, which
put the same earnest care into the
heart of Titus for you.
17 For indeed he accepted the
exhortation; but being more forward,
of his own accord he went unto you.
18 And we have sent with him the
brother, whose praise is in the
gospel throughout all the churches;
19 And not that only, but who
was also chosen of the churches to
travel with us with this grace, which
is administered by us to the glory of
the same Lord, and declaration of
your ready mind:
20 Avoiding this, that no man
should blame us in this abundance
which is administered by us:
21 Providing for honest things,
not only in the sight of the Lord,
but also in the sight of men.
22 And we have sent with them
our brother, whom we have oftentimes
proved diligent in many things, but
now much more diligent, upon the
great confidence which I have in you.
23 Whether any do enquire of
Titus, he is my partner and
fellowhelper concerning you: or our
brethren be enquired of, they are the
messengers of the churches, and the
glory of Christ.
24 Wherefore shew ye to them,
and before the churches, the proof of
your love, and of our boasting on
your behalf.

CHAPTER 9
1 For as touching the
ministering to the saints, it is
superfluous for me to write to you:
2 For I know the forwardness of
your mind, for which I boast of you
to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was
ready a year ago; and your zeal hath
provoked very many.
3 Yet have I sent the brethren,
lest our boasting of you should be in
vain in this behalf; that, as I said,
ye may be ready:
4 Lest haply if they of
Macedonia come with me, and find you
unprepared, we (that we say not, ye)
should be ashamed in this same
confident boasting.
5 Therefore I thought it
necessary to exhort the brethren,
that they would go before unto you,
and make up beforehand your bounty,
whereof ye had notice before, that
the same might be ready, as a matter
of bounty, and not as of
covetousness.
6 But this I say, He which
soweth sparingly shall reap also
sparingly; and he which soweth
bountifully shall reap also
bountifully.
7 Every man according as he
purposeth in his heart, so let him
give; not grudgingly, or of
necessity: for God loveth a cheerful
giver.
8 And God is able to make all
grace abound toward you; that ye,
always having all sufficiency in all
things, may abound to every good
work:
9 (As it is written, He hath
dispersed abroad; he hath given to
the poor: his righteousness remaineth
for ever.
10 Now he that ministereth seed
to the sower both minister bread for
your food, and multiply your seed
sown, and increase the fruits of your
righteousness;)
11 Being enriched in every thing
to all bountifulness, which causeth
through us thanksgiving to God.
12 For the administration of
this service not only supplieth the
want of the saints, but is abundant
also by many thanksgivings unto God;
13 Whiles by the experiment of
this ministration they glorify God
for your professed subjection unto
the gospel of Christ, and for your
liberal distribution unto them, and
unto all men;
14 And by their prayer for you,
which long after you for the
exceeding grace of God in you.
15 Thanks be unto God for his
unspeakable gift.

CHAPTER 10
1 Now I Paul myself beseech you
by the meekness and gentleness of
Christ, who in presence am base among
you, but being absent am bold toward
you:
2 But I beseech you, that I may
not be bold when I am present with
that confidence, wherewith I think to
be bold against some, which think of
us as if we walked according to the
flesh.
3 For though we walk in the
flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of
strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought
to the obedience of Christ;
6 And having in a readiness to
revenge all disobedience, when your
obedience is fulfilled.
7 Do ye look on things after the
outward appearance? If any man trust
to himself that he is Christ's, let
him of himself think this again,
that, as he is Christ's, even so are
we Christ's.
8 For though I should boast
somewhat more of our authority, which
the Lord hath given us for
edification, and not for your
destruction, I should not be ashamed:
9 That I may not seem as if I
would terrify you by letters.
10 For his letters, say they,
are weighty and powerful; but his
bodily presence is weak, and his
speech contemptible.
11 Let such an one think this,
that, such as we are in word by
letters when we are absent, such will
we be also in deed when we are
present.
12 For we dare not make
ourselves of the number, or compare
ourselves with some that commend
themselves: but they measuring
themselves by themselves, and
comparing themselves among
themselves, are not wise.
13 But we will not boast of
things without our measure, but
according to the measure of the rule
which God hath distributed to us, a
measure to reach even unto you.
14 For we stretch not ourselves
beyond our measure, as though we
reached not unto you: for we are come
as far as to you also in preaching
the gospel of Christ:
15 Not boasting of things
without our measure, that is, of
other men's labours; but having hope,
when your faith is increased, that we
shall be enlarged by you according to
our rule abundantly,
16 To preach the gospel in the
regions beyond you, and not to boast
in another man's line of things made
ready to our hand.
17 But he that glorieth, let him
glory in the Lord.
18 For not he that commendeth
himself is approved, but whom the
Lord commendeth.

CHAPTER 11
1 Would to God ye could bear
with me a little in my folly: and
indeed bear with me.
2 For I am jealous over you with
godly jealousy: for I have espoused
you to one husband, that I may
present you as a chaste virgin to
Christ.
3 But I fear, lest by any means,
as the serpent beguiled Eve through
his subtilty, so your minds should be
corrupted from the simplicity that is
in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh
preacheth another Jesus, whom we have
not preached, or if ye receive
another spirit, which ye have not
received, or another gospel, which ye
have not accepted, ye might well bear
with him.
5 For I suppose I was not a whit
behind the very chiefest apostles.
6 But though I be rude in
speech, yet not in knowledge; but we
have been throughly made manifest
among you in all things.
7 Have I committed an offence in
abasing myself that ye might be
exalted, because I have preached to
you the gospel of God freely?
8 I robbed other churches,
taking wages of them, to do you
service.
9 And when I was present with
you, and wanted, I was chargeable to
no man: for that which was lacking to
me the brethren which came from
Macedonia supplied: and in all things
I have kept myself from being
burdensome unto you, and so will I
keep myself.
10 As the truth of Christ is in
me, no man shall stop me of this
boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Wherefore? because I love you
not? God knoweth.
12 But what I do, that I will
do, that I may cut off occasion from
them which desire occasion; that
wherein they glory, they may be found
even as we.
13 For such are false apostles,
deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of
Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan
himself is transformed into an angel
of light.
15 Therefore it is no great
thing if his ministers also be
transformed as the ministers of
righteousness; whose end shall be
according to their works.
16 I say again, Let no man think
me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a
fool receive me, that I may boast
myself a little.
17 That which I speak, I speak
it not after the Lord, but as it were
foolishly, in this confidence of
boasting.
18 Seeing that many glory after
the flesh, I will glory also.
19 For ye suffer fools gladly,
seeing ye yourselves are wise.
20 For ye suffer, if a man bring
you into bondage, if a man devour
you, if a man take of you, if a man
exalt himself, if a man smite you on
the face.
21 I speak as concerning
reproach, as though we had been weak.
Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I
speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
22 Are they Hebrews? so am I.
Are they Israelites? so am I. Are
they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ?
(I speak as a fool) I am more; in
labours more abundant, in stripes
above measure, in prisons more
frequent, in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times
received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with
rods, once was I stoned, thrice I
suffered shipwreck, a night and a day
I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in
perils of waters, in perils of
robbers, in perils by mine own
countrymen, in perils by the heathen,
in perils in the city, in perils in
the wilderness, in perils in the sea,
in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness,
in watchings often, in hunger and
thirst, in fastings often, in cold
and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are
without, that which cometh upon me
daily, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not
weak? who is offended, and I burn
not?
30 If I must needs glory, I will
glory of the things which concern
mine infirmities.
31 The God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed
for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
32 In Damascus the governor
under Aretas the king kept the city
of the Damascenes with a garrison,
desirous to apprehend me:
33 And through a window in a
basket was I let down by the wall,
and escaped his hands.

CHAPTER 12
1 It is not expedient for me
doubtless to glory. I will come to
visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I knew a man in Christ above
fourteen years ago, (whether in the
body, I cannot tell; or whether out
of the body, I cannot tell: God
knoweth;) such an one caught up to
the third heaven.
3 And I knew such a man,
(whether in the body, or out of the
body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into
paradise, and heard unspeakable
words, which it is not lawful for a
man to utter.
5 Of such an one will I glory:
yet of myself I will not glory, but
in mine infirmities.
6 For though I would desire to
glory, I shall not be a fool; for I
will say the truth: but now I
forbear, lest any man should think of
me above that which he seeth me to
be, or that he heareth of me.
7 And lest I should be exalted
above measure through the abundance
of the revelations, there was given
to me a thorn in the flesh, the
messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest
I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the
Lord thrice, that it might depart
from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace
is sufficient for thee: for my
strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather
glory in my infirmities, that the
power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christ's sake: for
when I am weak, then am I strong.
11 I am become a fool in
glorying; ye have compelled me: for I
ought to have been commended of you:
for in nothing am I behind the very
chiefest apostles, though I be
nothing.
12 Truly the signs of an apostle
were wrought among you in all
patience, in signs, and wonders, and
mighty deeds.
13 For what is it wherein ye
were inferior to other churches,
except it be that I myself was not
burdensome to you? forgive me this
wrong.
14 Behold, the third time I am
ready to come to you; and I will not
be burdensome to you: for I seek not
yours, but you: for the children
ought not to lay up for the parents,
but the parents for the children.
15 And I will very gladly spend
and be spent for you; though the more
abundantly I love you, the less I be
loved.
16 But be it so, I did not
burden you: nevertheless, being
crafty, I caught you with guile.
17 Did I make a gain of you by
any of them whom I sent unto you?
18 I desired Titus, and with him
I sent a brother. Did Titus make a
gain of you? walked we not in the
same spirit? walked we not in the
same steps?
19 Again, think ye that we
excuse ourselves unto you? we speak
before God in Christ: but we do all
things, dearly beloved, for your
edifying.
20 For I fear, lest when I come,
I shall not find you such as I would,
and that I shall be found unto you
such as ye would not: lest there be
debates, envyings, wraths, strifes,
backbitings, whisperings, swellings,
tumults:
21 And lest, when I come again,
my God will humble me among you, and
that I shall bewail many which have
sinned already, and have not repented
of the uncleanness and fornication
and lasciviousness which they have
committed.

CHAPTER 13
1 This is the third time I am
coming to you. In the mouth of two or
three witnesses shall every word be
established.
2 I told you before, and
foretell you, as if I were present,
the second time; and being absent now
I write to them which heretofore have
sinned, and to all other, that, if I
come again, I will not spare:
3 Since ye seek a proof of
Christ speaking in me, which to
you-ward is not weak, but is mighty
in you.
4 For though he was crucified
through weakness, yet he liveth by
the power of God. For we also are
weak in him, but we shall live with
him by the power of God toward you.
5 Examine yourselves, whether ye
be in the faith; prove your own
selves. Know ye not your own selves,
how that Jesus Christ is in you,
except ye be reprobates?
6 But I trust that ye shall know
that we are not reprobates.
7 Now I pray to God that ye do
no evil; not that we should appear
approved, but that ye should do that
which is honest, though we be as
reprobates.
8 For we can do nothing against
the truth, but for the truth.
9 For we are glad, when we are
weak, and ye are strong: and this
also we wish, even your perfection.
10 Therefore I write these
things being absent, lest being
present I should use sharpness,
according to the power which the Lord
hath given me to edification, and not
to destruction.
11 Finally, brethren, farewell.
Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of
one mind, live in peace; and the God
of love and peace shall be with you.
12 Greet one another with an
holy kiss.
13 All the saints salute you.