Month: February 2020

Living Letters

1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, recognized and read by everyone.

3 It is clear that you are Christ’s letter,producedby us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God— not on stone tabletsbut on tablets that are hearts of flesh.

Paul’s Competence

4 We have this kind of confidence toward God through Christ.

5 It is not that we are competent inourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God.

6 He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant,not of the letter,but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life.

New Covenant Ministry

7 Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory,so that the Israelites were not able to look directly at Moses’ face because of the glory from his face — a fading glory —

8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?

9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness overflows with even more glory.

10 In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it.

11 For if what was fading awaywas glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.

12 Therefore, having such a hope,we use great boldness.

13 We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his faceso that the Israelites could not stare at the end of what was fading away,

14 but their minds were closed.For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant,the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ.

15 Even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts,

16 but whenever a person turnsto the Lord, the veil is removed.

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror atthe glory of the Lordand are being transformedinto the same imagefrom glory to glory;this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CO/3-edc4bc3d041a24926dd13d5d6a10599c.mp3?version_id=72—

The Light of the Gospel

1 Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy,we do not give up.

2 Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walkingin deceit or distorting God’s message,but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth.

3 But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

4 In their case, the god of this agehas blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,who is the image of God.

5 For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord,and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus.

6 For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledgeof God’s gloryin the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Clay Jars

7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary powermay be from God and not from us.

8 We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair;

9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.

10 We always carry the death of Jesusin our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

11 For we who live are always given over to deathbecause of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.

12 So death works in us, but life in you.

13 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,we also believe, and therefore speak.

14 We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesusand present us with you.

15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgivingto increase to God’s glory.

16 Therefore we do not give up.Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner personis being renewed day by day.

17 For our momentary light afflictionis producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.

18 So we do not focus on what is seen,but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CO/4-df45fcf44b9fd2f0dc00dc4319dd28ec.mp3?version_id=72—

Our Future after Death

1 For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwellingis destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwellingin the heavens,not made with hands.

2 Indeed, we groan in this body, desiringto put on our dwelling from heaven,

3 since, when we are clothed,we will not be found naked.

4 Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortalitymay be swallowed up by life.

5 And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

6 So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.

7 For we walk by faith,not by sight,

8 and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.

9 Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasingto Him.

10 For we must all appear before the tribunalof Christ,so that each may be repaidfor what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.

11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord,we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well.

12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearancerather than in the heart.

13 For if we are out of our mind,it is for God; if we have a sound mind,it is for you.

14 For Christ’s love compelsus, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all,then all died.

15 And He died for allso that those who live should no longer live for themselves,but for the Onewho died for them and was raised.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

16 From now on, then, we do not knowanyone in a purely human way.Even if we have knownChrist in a purely human way,yet now we no longer knowHim in this way.

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;old things have passed away, and look,new thingshave come.

18 Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the worldto Himself,not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

20 Therefore, we are ambassadorsfor Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf,“Be reconciled to God.”

21 He made the One who did not know sinto be sinfor us,so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CO/5-59370ea3c2438c66a5a6c580a3ca0ea0.mp3?version_id=72—

1 Working togetherwith Him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive God’s grace in vain.”

2 For He says:

I heard you in an acceptable time,

and I helped you in the day of salvation.

Look, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.

The Character of Paul’s Ministry

3 We give no opportunity for stumbling to anyone, so that the ministry will not be blamed.

4 But as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything:

by great endurance, by afflictions,

by hardship, by difficulties,

5 by beatings, by imprisonments,

by riots, by labors,

by sleepless nights, by times of hunger,

6 by purity,by knowledge,

by patience,by kindness,

by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,

7 by the message of truth,

by the power of God;

through weapons of righteousness

on the right hand and the left,

8 through gloryand dishonor,

through slander and good report;

as deceivers yet true;

9 as unknown yet recognized;

as dying and look — we live;

as being disciplined yet not killed;

10 as grieving yet always rejoicing;

as poor yet enriching many;

as having nothing yet possessing everything.

11 We have spoken openlyto you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide.

12 You are not limited by us, but you are limited by your own affections.

13 I speak as to my children. As a proper response, you should also be open to us.

Separation to God

14 Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness?Or what fellowship does lighthave with darkness?

15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial?Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

16 And what agreement does God’s sanctuary have with idols?For weare the sanctuary of the living God, as God said:

I will dwell among them

and walk among them,

and I will be their God,

and they will be My people.

17 Therefore, come out from among them

and be separate, says the Lord;

do not touch any unclean thing,

and I will welcome you.

18 I will be a Fatherto you,

and you will be sonsand daughters to Me,

says the Lord Almighty.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CO/6-2af82d0107ca412478cc37fded60d081.mp3?version_id=72—

1 Therefore, dear friends, since we have such promises,let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit,completing our sanctificationin the fear of God.

Joy and Repentance

2 Accept us.We have wronged no one, corruptedno one, defrauded no one.

3 I don’t say this to condemn you, for I have already said that you are in our hearts, to live together and to die together.

4 I have great confidence in you; I have great pride in you. I am filled with encouragement; I am overcome with joy in all our afflictions.

5 In fact, when we came into Macedonia,wehad no rest. Instead, we were troubled in every way: conflictson the outside, fearsinside.

6 But God, who comforts the humble,comforted us by the arrival of Titus,

7 and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he received from you. He told us about your deep longing, your sorrow,and your zealfor me, so that I rejoiced even more.

8 For even if I grieved you with my letter,I do not regret it — even though I did regret it since I saw that the letter grieved you, yet only for a little while.

9 Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us.

10 For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death.

11 For consider how much diligence this very thing — this grieving as God wills — has produced in you: what a desire to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what deep longing, what zeal, what justice! In every way you showed yourselves to be purein this matter.

12 So even though I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did wrong, or because of the one who was wronged, but in order that your diligence for us might be made plain to you in the sight of God.

13 For this reason we have been comforted.

In addition to our comfort, we rejoiced even more over the joy Titushad,because his spirit was refreshed by all of you.

14 For if I have made any boast to him about you, I have not been embarrassed; but as I have spoken everything to you in truth,so our boasting to Titus has also turned out to be the truth.

15 And his affection toward you is even greater as he remembers the obedience of all of you, and how you received him with fear and trembling.

16 I rejoice that I have complete confidence in you.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CO/7-76d9317b8c76062e49b6ebe0eec692ba.mp3?version_id=72—

Appeal to Complete the Collection

1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God granted to the churchesof Macedonia:

2 During a severe testing by affliction, their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed into the wealth of their generosity.

3 I testify that, on their own, according to their ability and beyond their ability,

4 they begged us insistently for the privilege of sharingin the ministry to the saints,

5 and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves especially to the Lord, then to us by God’s will.

6 So we urged Titus that just as he had begun, so he should also complete this grace to you.

7 Now as you excel in everything — faith, speech, knowledge,and in all diligence, and in your love for us— excel also in this grace.

8 I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love.

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though He was rich,for your sake He became poor,so that by His poverty you might become rich.

10 Now I am giving an opinion on this because it is profitable for you, who a year ago began not only to do something but also to desire it.

11 But now finish the taskas well, that just as there was eagerness to desire it, so there may also be a completion from what you have.

12 For if the eagerness is there, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

13 It is not that there may be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality—

14 at the present time your surplus is available for their need, so their abundance may also become available for our need, so there may be equality.

15 As it has been written:

The person who gathered much

did not have too much,

and the person who gathered little

did not have too little.

Administration of the Collection

16 Thanks be to God who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus.

17 For he accepted our urging and, being very diligent, went out to you by his own choice.

18 We have sent with him the brotherwho is praised throughout the churches for his gospel ministry.

19 And not only that, but he was also appointed by the churches to accompany us with this giftthat is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.

20 We are taking this precaution so no one can criticize us about this large sum administered by us.

21 For we are making provisionfor what is right,not only before the Lord but also before men.

22 We have also sent with them our brother. We have often tested him in many circumstances and found him to be diligent — and now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you.

23 As for Titus, he is my partnerand coworkerserving you; as for our brothers, they are the messengersof the churches, the glory of Christ.

24 Therefore, show them proof before the churches of your love and of our boastingabout you.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CO/8-106f077deba3414bcc5f367e4ac75578.mp3?version_id=72—

Motivations for Giving

1 Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you.

2 For I know your eagerness, and I brag about you to the Macedonians:“Achaiahas been prepared since last year,” and your zealhas stirred up most of them.

3 But I sent the brothers so our boasting about you in the matter would not prove empty, and so you would be prepared just as I said.

4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be embarrassed in that situation.

5 Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous giftyou promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.

6 Remember this:The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.

7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart — not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God lovesa cheerful giver.

8 And God is ableto make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.

9 As it is written:

He scattered;

He gave to the poor;

His righteousness endures forever.

10 Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

11 You will be enrichedin every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us.

12 For the ministry of this serviceis not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God.

13 They will glorify God for your obedience to the confession ofthe gospel of Christ, and for your generosityin sharing with them and with others through the proof provided by this service.

14 And they will have deep affection foryou in their prayers on your behalf because of the surpassing grace of God in you.

15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CO/9-0f532d701925664a759bf9e52e6422ba.mp3?version_id=72—

Paul’s Apostolic Authority

1 Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ — I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent.

2 I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way.

3 For though we live in the body,we do not wage war in an unspiritual way,

4 since the weapons of our warfareare not worldly,but are powerfulthrough God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments

5 and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledgeof God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ.

6 And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience has been confirmed.

7 Look at what is obvious.If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ,he should remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to Christ, so do we.

8 For if I boast some more about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you upand not for tearing you down, I am not ashamed.

9 I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters.

10 For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable.”

11 Such a person should consider this: What we are in the words of our letters when absent, we will be in actions when present.

12 For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commendthemselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves,they lack understanding.

13 We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assignedto us, which reaches even to you.

14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we had not reached you, since we have come to you with the gospel of Christ.

15 We are not bragging beyond measure about other people’s labors. But we have the hopethat as your faith increases, our area of ministry will be greatly enlarged,

16 so that we may proclaim the good news to the regions beyond you,not boasting about what has already been done in someone else’s area of ministry.

17 So the one who boasts must boast in the Lord.

18 For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CO/10-d8ee6a0fb84ec3f4f89ca3972a349001.mp3?version_id=72—

Paul and the False Apostles

1 I wish you would put up with a little foolishnessfrom me. Yes, do put up with me.

2 For I am jealousover you with a godly jealousy,because I have promised you in marriage to one husband — to present a purevirgin to Christ.

3 But I fear that, as the serpentdeceivedEveby his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a complete and puredevotion to Christ.

4 For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus,whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit,which you had not received, or a different gospel,which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!

5 Now I consider myself in no way inferior to the “super-apostles.”

6 Though untrained in public speaking,I am certainly not untrained in knowledge.Indeed, we have always made that clear to you in everything.

7 Or did I commit a sin by humblingmyself so that you might be exalted,because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

8 I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to minister to you.

9 When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedoniasupplied my needs.I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from burdening you in any way.

10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stoppedin the regions of Achaia.

11 Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows I do!

12 But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to denythe opportunity of those who want an opportunity to be regarded just as our equals in what they boast about.

13 For such people are false apostles,deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

14 And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

15 So it is no great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their destinywill be according to their works.

Paul’s Sufferings for Christ

16 I repeat: No one should consider me a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool, so I too may boast a little.

17 What I say in this matterof boasting, I don’t speak as the Lord would, but foolishly.

18 Since many boast in an unspiritual way,I will also boast.

19 For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools!

20 In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devoursyou, if someone captures you, if someone dominates you, or if someone hitsyou in the face.

21 I say this to our shame: We have been weak.

But in whatever anyone dares to boast — I am talking foolishly — I also dare:

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 servants of Christ?

I’m talking like a madman — I’m a better one:

with far more labors,

many more imprisonments,

far worse beatings, near deathmany times.

24 Five times I received 39 lashes from Jews.

25 Three times I was beaten with rods by the Romans.

Once I was stoned by my enemies.

Three times I was shipwrecked.

I have spent a night and a day

in the open sea.

26 On frequent journeys, I faced

dangers from rivers,

dangers from robbers,

dangers from my own people,

dangers from the Gentiles,

dangers in the city,

dangers in the open country,

dangers on the sea,

and dangers among false brothers;

27 labor and hardship,

many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst,

often without food, cold, and lacking clothing.

28 Not to mentionother things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble,and I do not burn with indignation?

30 If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses.

31 The God and Fatherof the Lord Jesus, who is praised forever, knows I am not lying.

32 In Damascus,the governor under King Aretasguarded the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me,

33 so I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CO/11-769c8c91b63c0a287da0a550b889e5d7.mp3?version_id=72—

Sufficient Grace

1 Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visionsand revelationsof the Lord.

2 I know a man in Christ who was caught upinto the third heaven 14 years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don’t know, God knows.

3 I know that this man — whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know, God knows —

4 was caught up into paradise.He heard inexpressible words, which a man is not allowed to speak.

5 I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses.

6 For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth.But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me,

7 especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the fleshwas given to me, a messengerof Satanto torment me so I would not exalt myself.

8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me.

9 But He said to me,“My grace is sufficient for you, for poweris perfected in weakness.”Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ.For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Signs of an Apostle

11 I have become a fool; you forced it on me. I should have been endorsed by you, since I am not in any way inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.

12 The signsof an apostlewere performed with great endurance among you — not only signs but also wondersand miracles.

13 So in what way were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

14 Now I am ready to come to you this third time.I will not burden you, for I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for you.If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

16 Now granted, I have not burdenedyou; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit!

17 Did I take advantage of you by anyone I sent you?

18 I urged Titusto come, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spiritand in the same footsteps?

19 You have thought all along that we were defending ourselves to you.No, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up.

20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and I may not be found by you to be what you want;there may be quarreling,jealousy,outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions,slander,gossip, arrogance, and disorder.

21 I fear that when I come my God will againhumiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repentedof the moral impurity, sexual immorality,and promiscuitythey practiced.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CO/12-550a515c85d68ec1069e7c6b3cf99c78.mp3?version_id=72—