1 Corinthians 7:17 - 2 Corinthians 11:14

New Catholic Bible

¹⁷ Living Where Christ Calls Us. Everyone should accept the role in life assigned to each one by the Lord, continuing as he was when the Lord called him. This is the rule that I give to all the Churches. ¹⁸ Was a man called after he had been circumcised? Then he must remain circumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should remain uncircumcised. ¹⁹ To be circumcised is of no importance, and to be uncircumcised is of no importance. What matters is keeping God’s commandments. ²⁰ Everyone should remain as he was when he was called.

²¹ Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that concern you. But if you have an opportunity to gain your freedom, take it. ²² For whoever was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord, just as whoever was free when he was called is a slave of Christ. ²³ You were purchased at a price. Do not become slaves of men. ²⁴ Therefore, brethren, everyone should remain before God in the condition in which he was called.

²⁵ Virginity—Total Consecration to Christ.^[a] In regard to virgins, I have received no instructions from the Lord, but let me offer my own opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy can be considered trustworthy. ²⁶ I think that in this time of stress, a man should remain in his current state. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife. ²⁸ However, if you do marry, you do not sin, nor does a virgin sin if she marries. But those who marry will experience hardships in this life,^[b] and from these I would like to spare you.

²⁹ What I am saying, brethren, is that our time is short. From now on, those who have wives should live as though they had none, ³⁰ and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had nothing, ³¹ and those who make use of the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the world as we know it is passing away.

³² It is my wish that you be free of all anxieties. An unmarried man devotes himself to the Lord’s affairs and is concerned as to how he can please the Lord. ³³ However, a man who is married devotes himself to worldly matters and is concerned about how he can please his wife, ³⁴ and his interests are divided. In the same way, an unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the affairs of the Lord and strives to be holy in both body and spirit, whereas the married woman is concerned about worldly matters and how she may please her husband.

³⁵ I am speaking about this for your own good. I have no intention to impose any restraint upon you, but I wish you to be guided by a sense of propriety, to devote yourself to the Lord free from distraction.

³⁶ Freedom To Marry.^[c] If a man feels that he is behaving improperly toward his virgin because a critical moment has come^[d] and it seems that something should be done, let him do what he wills. He does not sin if there is a marriage. ³⁷ However, if he stands firm in his resolve and is under no obligation and, being free to carry out his will, decides in his heart to keep his virgin, he also does well. ³⁸ Therefore, the man who gives her in marriage does well, and the one who does not give her in marriage does better.

³⁹ A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But should the husband die, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only let it be in the Lord. ⁴⁰ However, in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is, and I believe that I too have the Spirit of God.

Christians and Pagan Customs^[e]

The Question of Meat Sacrificed to Idols

Chapter 8

An Idol Is Not Nothing. ¹ Now concerning the question of meat that has been sacrificed to idols, we are well aware that all of us possess knowledge. However, while knowledge puffs up, love builds up. ² Anyone who believes that his knowledge about something is complete will soon discover that his knowledge is flawed, ³ but anyone who loves God is known by him.

⁴ Now in regard to the eating of meat sacrificed to idols, we know that idols are nothing in the world and that there is only one God. ⁵ Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth—and there are in fact many gods and many lords— ⁶ for us there is

Do Not Cause a Brother To Fall. ⁷ However, not everyone possesses this knowledge. There are some who have become so accustomed to idolatry up until now that when they consume meat that has been sacrificed to an idol, their conscience in its weakness is defiled.

⁸ Obviously, food cannot bring us closer to God. We do not lack anything if we do not eat, and we have no advantage if we do. ⁹ Just take care that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰ If someone who regards you as knowledgeable observes you eating in an idol’s temple, will he not, burdened by a weak conscience, be influenced to eat food that has been sacrificed to idols?

¹¹ Therefore, through your knowledge, this weak believer is brought to destruction, the brother for whom Christ died. ¹² And when you sin against your brethren and wound their weak consciences, you sin against Christ. ¹³ Hence, if food can lead my brother to sin, I will never again eat meat lest I cause the downfall of one of my brethren.

Chapter 9

The Example of Paul’s Apostolate

A Missionary’s Rights. ¹ Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? ² Although others may not regard me as an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

³ To those who seek to pass judgment on me, my defense is this. ⁴ Do we not have the right to eat and drink? ⁵ Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife like the other apostles, the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?^{[g] 6} Are Barnabas^[h] and I the only ones who do not have the right to refrain from working? ⁷ What soldier would ever serve in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating its fruit? Or who tends a flock without consuming some of its milk?

⁸ I am not saying this based simply on human authority, for the Law says the very same thing. ⁹ In the Law of Moses it is written, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned, ¹⁰ or does he not rather say this for our sake? Without question it was written for our sake, for whoever plows should plow in hope and whoever threshes should thresh in hope, both in expectation of a share in the crop. ¹¹ If we have sown a spiritual crop for you, is it unreasonable for us to expect from you a material harvest? ¹² If others have this claim on you, do not we?

Despite this, we have never availed ourselves of any such right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than place an obstacle to the gospel of Christ. ¹³ Do you not know that those who perform the temple service receive their food from the temple, and that those who officiate at the altar share in the offerings? ¹⁴ In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the gospel should get their living from the gospel.^[i]

¹⁵ I Have Become All Things to All. However, I have never availed myself of any of these rights, and I have not written this to influence you to grant me such treatment; I would rather die first. No one shall deprive me of this boast! ¹⁶ If I proclaim the gospel, that is no reason for me to boast, for the obligation to do so has been given to me, and woe to me if I fail to fulfill it.

¹⁷ If I proclaimed the gospel of my own volition, I would deserve a reward; but if I do not do so voluntarily, I am simply discharging the commission that has been given to me. ¹⁸ What then is my reward? It is simply that in my preaching I may offer the gospel free of charge and not make use of the rights that the gospel affords me.

¹⁹ Although I am free and belong to no man, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. ²⁰ To the Jews, I became like a Jew in order to win the Jews. To those under the Law, I became like one under the Law—although I myself am not under the Law—in order to win over those under the Law. ²¹ To those outside the Law, I became like one outside the Law—although I am not outside the Law of God but am subject to the Law of Christ—in order to win over those outside the Law. ²² To the weak, I have become weak in order to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, so that by every possible means I might save some. ²³ I do all this for the sake of the gospel so that I might share it with you.

Flee from Idolatry^[j]

²⁴ Discipline Yourself So As Not To Be Disqualified. You are well aware that while all the runners in the stadium compete in the race, only one wins the prize. Run in such a way as to win the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who seeks a prize submits himself to rigorous self-discipline in every respect. They do so to win a perishable crown, while we seek an imperishable one. ²⁶ Therefore, I do not run without purpose, nor do I fight like a man beating the air. ²⁷ Rather, I discipline my body and bring it under control, for fear that after preaching to others I myself may be disqualified.

Chapter 10

The Lesson of Israel’s Past.^{[k] 1} Brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, ² and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³ All ate the same spiritual food, ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink—for they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. ⁵ Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the desert.

⁶ These events occurred to offer examples for us so that we might not desire evil things as they did. ⁷ Do not become idolaters, as some of them did. It is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to engage in revelry.”

⁸ Let us not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand of them died in a single day. ⁹ Let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and they were destroyed by serpents. ¹⁰ And do not complain, as some of them did, and they were slain by the Destroyer.^{[l] 11} All these things happened to them to serve as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us upon whom the end of the ages has come.

¹² Therefore, if you think you are standing securely, take care that you do not fall ¹³ No trial has confronted you except what a person can stand. God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tried beyond your strength. But together with the trial he will also provide a way out and the strength to bear it.

¹⁴ The Eucharist Versus Pagan Sacrifices.^[m] Therefore, my dear friends, avoid idolatry at all costs.^{[n] 15} I am talking to you as sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶ The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

¹⁸ Consider the people of Israel.^[o] Are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? ¹⁹ What then am I implying? That meat sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

²⁰ No, I simply mean that pagan sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to become partners with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. ²² Do we truly wish to provoke the Lord to jealous anger?^[p] Are we stronger than he is?

²³ Concerning Idol Offerings.“All things are lawful,” you may say—but not all things are beneficial. All things may be lawful—but not all things are constructive. ²⁴ No one should seek his own advantage in preference to that of his neighbor. ²⁵ You may eat whatever meat is sold in the market without raising questions on grounds of conscience, ²⁶ for “the earth and all it contains belong to the Lord.”

²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you decide to accept, eat whatever is set before you without raising any questions on the grounds of conscience. ²⁸ However, if someone says to you, “This food was offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who informed you and for the sake of conscience— ²⁹ I mean the other person’s conscience, not your own. For why should my freedom be governed by someone else’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake of the meal with thankfulness, why should I be criticized for eating food for which I give thanks?

³¹ Give No Offense. Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. ³² Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God, ³³ just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own good but that of the many, so that they may be saved.

Chapter 11

¹ Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Liturgical Assemblies and Their Problems^[q]

Propriety in Worship^[r]

The Question of Head Coverings. ² I praise you because you remember me in everything and you maintain the traditions just as I handed them down to you.

³ But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the husband is the head of his wife, and God is the head of Christ. ⁴ Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered brings disgrace on his head. ⁵ And any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled brings disgrace upon her head, for it is just as though she had her head shaved. ⁶ Indeed, if a woman refuses to wear a veil, then she might as well have her hair cut off. If it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should wear a veil.

⁷ It is not right for a man to have his head covered, since he is the image of God and the reflection of his glory, whereas woman is the reflection of the glory of man. ⁸ For man was not made from woman, but woman was made from man. ⁹ Nor was man created for the sake of woman, but woman was created for the sake of man.

¹⁰ Therefore, a woman should have on her head a sign^[s] of her dependence, because of the angels. ¹¹ Nevertheless, in the Lord, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. ¹² Although woman came from man, so does every man come from a woman, and all things come from God.

¹³ The Question of Long Hair. Judge for yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head unveiled? ¹⁴ Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, he is disgraced, ¹⁵ whereas if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair was given to her as a covering. ¹⁶ However, if anyone wishes to argue further on this point, we have no such custom to do so, nor do any of the Churches of God.

The Lord’s Supper, Sign of Unity^[t]

¹⁷ Do You Despise the Church of God? Now in giving you this instruction I cannot praise you, because your meetings tend to do more harm than good. ¹⁸ To begin with, when you come together in your assembly, I hear that there are divisions among you, and to some extent I am inclined to believe it. ¹⁹ There must be such factions among you so that it will become clear to you which groups should be trusted.

^20 [u]When you do assemble, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper, ²¹ for each of you goes ahead with his own supper, and one goes hungry while another has too much to drink. ²² Do you not have homes in which you can eat and drink? Or do you have such contempt for the Church of God that you humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? In this matter, I cannot praise you.

²³ You Proclaim the Death of the Lord.^[v]For what I received from the Lord I handed on to you: the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and after giving thanks he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

²⁵ In the same fashion, after the supper,^[w] he also took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ And so, whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

²⁷ God’s Judgment on the Community.^[x] Therefore, anyone who eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner is guilty of an offense against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Everyone should examine himself about eating the bread and drinking from the cup. ²⁹ For a person who eats and drinks without discerning the body of the Lord is eating and drinking judgment on himself.

³⁰ That is why many of you are weak and ill, and a number of you have fallen asleep. ³¹ If we were to examine ourselves, we would not be condemned. ³² However, when we are judged by the Lord, he is disciplining us to save us from being condemned together with the world.

³³ Practical Conclusion. Therefore, brethren, when you come together for the meal, wait for one another. ³⁴ If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that in assembling you may not incur condemnation. As for the other matters, I will resolve them when I come.

The Gifts of the Spirit in the Service of the Church^[y]

Chapter 12

Discerning the Gifts of the Spirit. ¹ Now in regard to the gifts of the Spirit, brethren, I do not want you to be uninformed. ² You know that when you were still pagans you were constantly being enticed and led astray to the worship of mute idols. ³ Therefore, I wish you to understand that no one speaking under the influence of the Spirit of God says, “May Jesus be cursed.”^[z] Likewise, no one can say “Jesus is Lord,” except under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit Distributes the Gifts for the Common Good.^{[aa] 4} There are different varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different forms of activity, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.

⁷ To each of us, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one, is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom; and to another, the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit. ⁹ Another by the same Spirit is granted faith, while still another is granted the gift of healing by the same Spirit.

¹⁰ To one, is granted the gift of mighty deeds;^[ab] to another, the gift of prophecy; and to yet another, the gift to discern spirits. One receives the gift of tongues and another the ability to interpret them. ¹¹ One and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing them individually to each person as he wills.

¹² You Are the Body of Christ.^[ac] The body is one, although it has many parts; and all the parts, though many, form one body. So it is with Christ. ¹³ For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as free men, and we were all given the same Spirit to drink.

¹⁴ Now the body is one, although it has many parts. ¹⁵ If the foot were to say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it nevertheless still belongs to the body. ¹⁶ Or if an ear were to say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it nevertheless still belongs to the body.

¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, how would we be able to hear? If the whole body were an ear, how would we exercise a sense of smell? ¹⁸ But God arranged each part in the body as he intended. ¹⁹ If all the members were identical, where would the body be?

²⁰ As it is, there are many members, but one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” any more than the head can say to the feet, “I do not need you.” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are in fact indispensable, ²³ and those parts of the body that we regard as less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable parts are treated with greater propriety, ²⁴ whereas our more respectable members have no need of this.

But God has so designed the body as to give greater honor to the more humble parts, ²⁵ in order that there may be no dissension within the body and each part may have equal concern for all the others. ²⁶ If one member suffers, all suffer together with it. If one member is honored, all the members rejoice together with it.

²⁷ You therefore are the body of Christ, and each of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And those whom God has appointed in the Church are first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then doers of mighty deeds, those who have the gifts of healing, helping others, administering, and various kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all doers of mighty deeds? ³⁰ Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ Set your hearts on the greater gifts.

Hymn to Love.^[ad] Now I will show you a more excellent way.

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Seek the Gifts That Build Up the Community.^{[ag] 1} Make love your aim, but strive earnestly after the spiritual gifts, especially for that of prophecy. ² If anyone speaks in tongues, he is speaking not to men but to God, and no one understands him, for he is speaking mysteries in the Spirit. ³ On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to men for their building up, their encouragement, and their consolation.

⁴ Whoever speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but whoever prophesies builds up the Church. ⁵ I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would much prefer that you could prophesy. For the one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless the latter can interpret what he is saying so that the Church may be built up.

⁶ Now suppose, brethren, that I should come to you and speak in tongues. Of what value would I be to you if you were unable to discern from my words any revelation or knowledge or prophecy or instruction? ⁷ Even inanimate things produce sound, such as a flute or a harp. If they do not produce distinct notes, how can anyone tell what tune is being played?

⁸ Or again, if the bugle call is unclear, who will get ready for battle? ⁹ Similarly, if you speak in tongues and your speech is unintelligible, how will anyone be able to understand what you are saying? For you will be talking to empty air.

¹⁰ There are many different languages that are used in the world, and none of them is without meaning. ¹¹ But if I do not comprehend the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and he will be a foreigner to me. ¹² Since you are eager to acquire spiritual gifts, try to excel in those that build up the Church.

¹³ Therefore, anyone who speaks in tongues should pray for the ability to interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit is at prayer but my mind derives no benefit. ¹⁵ What then should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

¹⁶ If you are praising only with the spirit, how will the uninstructed person who is present be able to answer “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not comprehend what you are saying? ¹⁷ Your thanksgiving may be inspiring, but the other person has not been edified.

¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you, ¹⁹ but when I am in the church I would prefer to speak five intelligible words to instruct others rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

²⁰ Brethren, do not be childish in your thinking. Be like infants in regard to evil, but in your thinking be mature. ²¹ In the Law^[ah] it is written,

²² Clearly, then, tongues are intended as a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is designed not for unbelievers but for believers.

²³ Therefore, if the whole Church has assembled and everyone is speaking in tongues, would not any uninstructed person or any unbeliever on entering conclude that you are all out of your minds? ²⁴ However, if everyone is prophesying and an unbeliever or uninstructed person should enter, he would be reproved by all and judged by all, ²⁵ and the secrets of his heart would be revealed. Then he would fall down and worship God, declaring, “God is truly in your midst.”

²⁶ Let Everything Be Done Properly and in an Orderly Fashion. And so, what then should be done, brethren? When you assemble, each of you should bring a psalm or some lesson or a revelation, or speak in a tongue, or offer an interpretation. Everything should be done with the goal in mind of building up. ²⁷ If any of you speak in a tongue, let only two or at most three come forward, one at a time, and someone must interpret. ²⁸ If no one is available to interpret, let those who speak in tongues be silent in the church and speak only to themselves and to God.

²⁹ As for the prophets, let two or three speak, and let the rest weigh their words. ³⁰ Should a revelation be made to someone else who is sitting there, let the one who is speaking stop. ³¹ You can all prophesy, but one at a time, so that all may receive instruction and encouragement. ³² Indeed, the spirits of the prophets are subject to their prophets’ control, ³³ for God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

As in all the Churches of the saints, ^34 [ai]women are to keep silent at the assemblies. For they are not permitted to speak, since the Law asserts that they are to be subordinate. ³⁵ If there is anything they wish to know, they should ask their husbands at home. It is improper for them to speak in the church.

³⁶ Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones to whom it has come? ³⁷ Anyone who claims to be a prophet or to have spiritual powers must recognize that what I am writing to you is a commandment of the Lord. ³⁸ Anyone who does not acknowledge this should be ignored.

³⁹ Therefore, brethren, be eager to prophesy and do not forbid speaking in tongues. ⁴⁰ But ensure that everything is done properly and in an orderly fashion.

The Resurrection^[aj]

The Resurrection of Christ

Chapter 15

The Risen Christ, Foundation of Our Faith.^{[ak] 1} And now, brethren, I want to remind you of the gospel I proclaimed to you, which you received and in which you stand firm. ² Through it you are also being saved, provided that you are holding fast to what I proclaimed to you. If not, then you have believed in vain.

^3 [al]For I handed on to you as of primary importance what I received: that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried and that he was raised to life on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, and later to the Twelve. ⁶ Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, although some have fallen asleep.^{[am] 7} After that he appeared to James,^[an] and then to all the apostles.

⁸ Last of all, he appeared to me, as to one born abnormally. ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles. I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. ¹⁰ However, by the grace of God I am what I am, and the grace he has bestowed upon me has not proved to be fruitless. Indeed, I have worked harder than any of them—although that should not be credited to me but to the grace of God within me. ¹¹ But whether it was I or they, this is what we preach and what you have come to believe.

The Resurrection of the Dead

¹² The Resurrection and Faith.^[ao] Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is useless, and so is your faith. ¹⁵ We are even false witnesses to God, for we testified that he raised Christ when he did not raise him up, assuming it is true that the dead are not raised.

¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is without any foundation, and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are utterly lost. ¹⁹ If it is for just this life that we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable of all men.

²⁰ Christ, the Firstfruits.^[ap] But Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death came into the world through a man, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a man.

²² Just as in Adam all die, so all will be brought to life in Christ, ²³ but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward, at his coming, those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every sovereignty and authority and power.^{[aq] 25} For he is destined to reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For he has put all things under his feet. But when it says “all things are put under,” it is obvious that this excludes the one who subjected everything to him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who made all things subject to him, so that God may be all in all.

²⁹ Practical Faith. Otherwise, what will people accomplish when they have themselves baptized for the dead?^[ar] If the dead are not raised at all, why should anyone be baptized for them? ³⁰ And why should we be placing ourselves in danger every hour? ³¹ I face death every day—that is as sure as the pride that I have in you, brethren, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

³² With only human hopes, what would I have gained by fighting those wild beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised,

³³ Do not let anyone lead you astray. “Bad company corrupts good morals.” ³⁴ Come to your senses and sin no more. For some of you have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

The Mode of the Resurrection

³⁵ The Resurrected Body. Someone may ask, “How are the dead raised? What sort of body will they have when they come back?” ³⁶ This is foolish. What you sow must die before it is given new life, ³⁷ and what you sow is not the body that is to be but a bare grain of wheat or of something else. ³⁸ God gives to it a body that he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own particular body.

³⁹ Not all flesh is alike. There is one kind for human beings, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. ⁴⁰ There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The splendor of heavenly bodies is of one kind, and that of earthly bodies is another. ⁴¹ The sun has a splendor of its own, the moon another splendor, and the stars still another. Indeed, the stars differ among themselves in splendor.

⁴² So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. ⁴³ What is sown in dishonor is raised as glorious. What is sown in weakness is raised in power. ⁴⁴ What is sown is a physical body; what is raised is a spiritual body.

The Natural and the Spiritual Body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ As it is written, the first man, Adam, became a living being; the last Adam has become a lifegiving spirit. ⁴⁶ But the spiritual body did not come first. Rather the natural body came first, and then the spiritual.

⁴⁷ The first man was formed from the dust of the earth; the second man is from heaven. ⁴⁸ The man formed from dust is the pattern for earthly people; the heavenly man is the pattern for those who are of heaven. ⁴⁹ Just as we have borne the image of the man formed from dust, so shall we also bear the likeness of the heavenly one.

⁵⁰ Where, O Death, Is Your Victory?^[as] What I am asserting, brethren, is that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor can the perishable inherit what is imperishable.

⁵¹ Listen while I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed ⁵² in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.^{[at] 53} For this perishable body must be clothed with the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

⁵⁴ When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then will the words that are written be fulfilled:

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren, stand firm and immovable, devoting yourselves completely to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

VIII: Final Recommendations and Greetings^[au]

Chapter 16

The Collection. ¹ Now in regard to the collection for the saints,^[av] you should follow the instructions I gave to the churches of Galatia. ² On the first day of every week,^[aw] each of you should set aside and save whatever you can spare, so that when I come to you, no collections will have to be taken. ³ And when I arrive, I shall send those who have been approved by you with letters of recommendation to deliver your gift to Jerusalem. ⁴ If it seems advisable that I should also go, they will accompany me.

Paul’s Plans. ⁵ I shall come to visit you after passing through Macedonia—for I am going to pass through Macedonia. ⁶ I may stay for some time with you, perhaps even for the entire winter, and then you can send me forth on my journey, wherever I may be going. ⁷ I do not want to see you now in passing. If the Lord permits, I hope to spend some time with you. ⁸ However, I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost, ⁹ because a wide door for productive work has been opened for me, although there are also many adversaries to face.

¹⁰ News of Other Missionaries. If Timothy comes, put him at ease, for he is doing the work of the Lord just as I am. ¹¹ Therefore, let no one treat him with disdain. Rather, send him on his way in peace when he leaves you to come to me, for the brethren and I are expecting him.

¹² As for our brother Apollos, I urged him strongly to visit you with the others, but he was determined not to go at this particular time. He will come to you when he has the opportunity.

¹³ Keep alert; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. ¹⁴ Everything that you do should be done in love.

¹⁵ As you know, brethren, the members of the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. ¹⁶ I urge you to put yourselves at the service of such people and of all those who work and toil with them.

¹⁷ I was delighted at the arrival of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence. ¹⁸ For they have raised my spirits as well as yours. Such men deserve recognition.

¹⁹ Salutations and Best Wishes. The Churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, together with the Church that meets in their house. ²⁰ All the brethren send their greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

²¹ I, Paul, have written this greeting with my own hand. ²² If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed.^[ax] O Lord, come! ²³ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. ²⁴ My love to you all in Christ Jesus.

Address

Chapter 1

Greeting to the Church. ¹ Paul, an apostle^[ay] of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the Church of God in Corinth, and to all the saints throughout Achaia: ² grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sufferings and Consolation.^{[az] 3} Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercy and the God of all consolation.^{[ba] 4} He consoles us in all our afflictions and thereby enables us to console others in their tribulations, offering them the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.

⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so too, through Christ, do we receive our consolation. ⁶ If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation. If we are being consoled, it is to help us to console you and give you the patience and the strength to endure the same sufferings that we endure. ⁷ Our hope for you is unshaken, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, you also share in the consolations.

⁸ Brethren, we do not want you to be unaware of the hardships we experienced^[bb] in Asia. The burden we endured was far too heavy for us to bear, to such an extent that we even despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, in our hearts we felt that we were under a sentence of death. This was so that we not put our trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.

¹⁰ He delivered us from this deadly peril, and he will continue to so deliver us. He on whom we have set our hopes will deliver us again, ¹¹ as you assist us with your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many to God on our behalf for the blessing granted to us through the prayers of so many.

Apostle by the Power of Jesus and for Jesus^[bc]

A Visit Not Made^[bd]

¹² You Are Our Boast. Indeed, this is our boast: the testimony of our conscience that in our dealings with the world, and especially with you, we have conducted ourselves with simplicity and godly sincerity, depending not on worldly wisdom but on the grace of God. ¹³ For we write nothing to you that you cannot read and comprehend. It is my hope that you will come to understand fully, ¹⁴ as you have already understood in part, that on the day of the Lord Jesus we will have as much reason to boast of you as you will have reason to boast of us.

¹⁵ Our Language Is Not “Yes” and “No.”^[be] So certain am I of this that I had originally intended to come to you first of all and thereby reward you with a double benefit. ¹⁶ I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and then to come to you again on my return from Macedonia and have you send me forth to Judea.

¹⁷ Since that was my original intention, was I being impulsive, or do you believe that my plans are based on human considerations, ready to say “Yes, Yes” and “No, No” at the same time? ¹⁸ As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been “Yes” and “No.” ¹⁹ The Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed to you by us, that is, by Silvanus^[bf] and Timothy and me, was not a mixture of “Yes” and “No.” He was never anything but “Yes.”

²⁰ In him is the “Yes” to every one of the promises of God. Indeed, it is through him that we say “Amen” to give glory to God. ²¹ However, it is God who enables both us and you to stand firm in Christ. He has anointed us ²² and marked us with his seal and given us the Spirit in our hearts, as a down payment of what is to come.

²³ The Delay Was Intended Merely To Spare Them.^[bg] I call upon God as a witness that it was only to spare you that I did not come again to Corinth. ²⁴ We do not wish to lord it over your faith, but to work together with you for your joy, because you are standing firm in your faith.

Chapter 2

¹ Therefore, I made up my mind not to have you endure another painful visit. ² For if I cause you pain, then who would be there to cheer me up aside from you whom I offended? ³ And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not suffer distress from those who should have made me rejoice. I know all of you well enough to be certain that we both share the same joy. ⁴ It was with great distress and anguish of heart and many tears that I wrote to you, not to grieve you but to let you know how abundant is the love I have for you.

Forgiveness for the Offender. ⁵ If anyone has caused distress, he has done so not only to me but to some extent—not to exaggerate—to all of you. ⁶ The punishment that was imposed by the majority was appropriate. ⁷ But now you should forgive and encourage him so that he may not be overwhelmed by the burden of his distress. ⁸ Therefore, I urge you to reassure him of your love.

⁹ I wrote to you to test your obedience in all matters. ¹⁰ Anyone whom you forgive I forgive as well. Whatever I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I have done for your sake in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ so that we may avoid being outwitted by Satan, for we are not unaware of his schemes.

¹² Paul’s Anguish.^[bh] When I came to Troas to proclaim the gospel of Christ, and a door of opportunity was opened for me in the Lord, ¹³ my mind knew no relief because I could not find my brother Titus in that place. And so I said farewell to them and moved on to Macedonia.

Greatness and Weakness of the Apostles^[bi]

¹⁴ Ambassadors of God. But thanks be to God, for he brings us to victory in Christ and through us he manifests the fragrance of the knowledge of him throughout the world. ¹⁵ We are indeed the aroma of Christ to God both among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing: ¹⁶ to the latter, the odor of death that leads to death; to the former, a fragrance of life leading to life.

Who is truly qualified for such a task? ¹⁷ For we are not like so many others who adulterate the word of God for profit. When we speak, we do so in Christ and in all sincerity, as men sent from God and standing in God’s presence.

Chapter 3

A Letter from God.^{[bj] 1} Are we beginning once again to commend ourselves to you? Surely, as is true in some cases, we do not need letters of recommendation to you or from you. ² You yourselves are our letter, one that is written on our hearts, so that it may be known and read by all. ³ And you make it clear that you are a letter from Christ entrusted to our care, a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, and written not on tablets of stone^[bk] but on tablets of the human heart.

⁴ Such is the complete confidence in God that we have through Christ. ⁵ Obviously, we are not competent of ourselves to take credit for anything as coming from us. Our competence comes from God ⁶ who has empowered us to be the ministers of a new covenant, not written but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Ministers of a New Covenant.^{[bl] 7} Now if the ministry of death, engraved with letters on stone, was so glorious that the Israelites could not fix their glance on the face of Moses because of its glory, a glory that would soon fade, ⁸ how much greater will be the glory of the ministry of the Spirit?

⁹ For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much richer in glory will be the ministry of righteousness! ¹⁰ Indeed, what was once glorious is now without any glory in comparison with the surpassing glory. ¹¹ For if what was destined to fade away was glorious, how much greater will be the glory of that which endures!

¹² The Lord Is the Spirit.^[bm] Therefore, since we have such hope, we can act with complete confidence, ¹³ and not like Moses who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not observe the radiance that was fading away. ¹⁴ However, their minds were hardened. Even to this very day, the same veil remains unlifted during the reading of the old covenant,^[bn] since only in Christ is it set aside. ¹⁵ Indeed, to this very day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts.

¹⁶ However, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹⁷ Now this Lord is the Spirit,^[bo] and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And as we gaze upon the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, all of us are being transformed into that same image from glory to glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Chapter 4

The Gospel of the Glory of Christ.^{[bp] 1} Therefore, since we are engaged in this ministry through the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. ² Rather, we have renounced all shameful and hidden ways. We do not engage in deception or falsify the word of God. By stating the truth in an open manner, we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.

³ If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴ those unbelievers whose minds have been blinded by the god of this world to prevent them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

⁵ We do not proclaim ourselves. Rather we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your servants for the sake of Jesus. ⁶ For the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has enabled his light to shine in our hearts in order to enlighten them with the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The State of an Apostle.^{[bq] 7} However, we hold this treasure in earthen vessels so that it may be clear that this immense power belongs to God and does not derive from us. ⁸ We are afflicted on all sides but not crushed, bewildered but not sunk in despair, ⁹ persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed.

¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For in our lives we are constantly being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh. ¹² As a result, death is at work in us, but life in you.

¹³ Therefore, since we have that spirit of faith about which it has been written: “I believed, and therefore I spoke,” we also believe, and therefore speak. ¹⁴ For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us side by side with you into his presence. ¹⁵ Indeed, everything is for your sake, so that the grace that is abundantly bestowed on more and more people may cause thanksgiving to superabound, to the glory of God.

¹⁶ An Eternal Dwelling in Heaven. Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outer self is continuing to decay, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ Our temporary light afflictions are preparing for us an incomparable weight of eternal glory, ¹⁸ for our eyes are fixed not on what is seen but rather on that which cannot be seen. What is visible is transitory; what is invisible is eternal.

Chapter 5

¹ Now we know that if the earthly tent in which we live is destroyed, we have a dwelling prepared for us by God, a dwelling in the heavens, not made with human hands, that will be eternal. ² While we are in this earthly tent, we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling; ³ for when we have put it on, we will not be naked.^[br]

⁴ While we are enclosed in this earthly tent we groan, burdened because we do not wish to be stripped naked but rather to be further clothed, so that our mortal state may be swallowed up by immortality. ⁵ God is the one who has prepared us for this destiny, and he has given us the Spirit as a pledge of this.

⁶ Therefore, we are always confident, even though we realize that as long as we are at home in the body, we are exiles from the Lord, ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Yet we are filled with confidence, even as we long to be exiled from the body and be at home with the Lord.

⁹ For this reason, whether at home or away, we strive to please him. ¹⁰ For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive suitable recompense for his conduct in the body, whether good or bad.

¹¹ Well Known to God. And so, with this fear of the Lord always foremost in our thoughts, we try to persuade others. We ourselves are well known to God, and I hope we are also well known to your consciences. ¹² We are not once again commending ourselves to you, but we are rather affording you an opportunity to boast about us. Then you will have an answer to those who boast of external appearances and not the heart. ¹³ If, indeed, we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are rational, it is for your sake.

¹⁴ The Ministry of Reconciliation. For the love of Christ urges us forward, once we conclude that one has died for all, and therefore all have died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who for their sakes died and was raised to life.

¹⁶ Therefore, from now on we will not regard anyone according to human standards. Even though we once judged Christ from a human point of view,^[bs] we no longer do so. ¹⁷ Consequently, anyone united to Christ is a new creation. The old order has passed away. Behold, all has become new.

¹⁸ All this has been done by God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and entrusted us with the ministry of reconciliation. ¹⁹ In other words, God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, and not holding people’s transgressions against them, and he committed to us the message of reconciliation.

²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is appealing to you through us. We implore you through Christ to be reconciled to God. ²¹ He made him who did not know sin to be sin for our sake, so that through him we might become the righteousness of God.^[bt]

Chapter 6

¹ As his coworkers, we urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ² For he says,

Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.^[bu]

Ministers of God. ³ We avoid placing obstacles in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry. ⁴ On the contrary, in everything we do we present ourselves as ministers of God: in steadfast perseverance; in afflictions, hardships, and distress; ⁵ in floggings, imprisonments, and riots; in labors, sleepless nights, and fasts; ⁶ in purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in holiness of spirit, genuine love, ⁷ truthfulness, and the power of God.

We wield weapons of righteousness with right hand and left,^{[bv] 8} in times of honor or dishonor, praise or insult. We are regarded as impostors, and yet we speak the truth; ⁹ as unknown men, and nevertheless we are well known; as dying, and behold we live on; as scourged, but we are not put to death; ¹⁰ as sorrowful, and yet we are always rejoicing; as poor, and yet we make many rich;^[bw] as having nothing, and yet we possess everything.

Relations Have Been Established^[bx]

¹¹ Paul’s Heart Is Wide Open. O Corinthians, we have spoken frankly to you, and we have opened our heart to you. ¹² We are not withholding our love from you, but you have withheld yours from us. ¹³ I speak to you as my children. In return, also open wide your hearts to us.

¹⁴ What Relation Can There Be between Righteousness and Iniquity? Do not associate with unbelievers.^[by] For what basis can there be for a partnership between righteousness and lawlessness? What do light and darkness have in common? ¹⁵ Can Christ ever be in accord with Beliar?^[bz] What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ Can there be an agreement between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God, and for this we have God’s word:

Chapter 7

¹ Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from anything that can defile flesh or spirit, and thereby make our holiness perfect in the fear of God.

Trust Reestablished. ² Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. ³ I do not say this to condemn you, for I have already told you that your place in our hearts is secure, so that we will live together and we will die together. ⁴ I have great confidence in you, and I boast about you with intense pride. Despite all of our afflictions, I am greatly encouraged and overflowing with joy.

^5 [ca]Even when we arrived in Macedonia, we were unable to rest our bodies, for we were afflicted in every way: conflicts on the outside and fears on the inside. ⁶ But God, who comforts the downcast, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus— ⁷ and not merely by his arrival but also by the encouragement he received from you. He told us of your longing for me, your deep regrets, and your zeal for me, all of which cause me even greater joy.

⁸ Even if I did cause you sorrow with my letter, I do not regret it. I did regret this letter briefly, but, having come to realize that you were sorrowful only for a short time, ⁹ I now am able to rejoice, not because you were grieved but because your sorrow led to repentance. For you were sorrowful in a godly way and so received no harm because of us. ¹⁰ Such godly sorrow results in repentance that leads to salvation and causes no regret, whereas worldly sorrow produces death.

¹¹ For see what earnestness this godly sorrow has produced for you, what eagerness to repent, what indignation, what fear, what yearning, what zeal, what desire to see justice done. In every way, you have proved your innocence in this matter.

¹² Therefore, even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who committed the offense or on account of the one who was wronged, but rather that you should be fully aware of your zeal for us in the sight of God. ¹³ In this we have been greatly encouraged.

In addition to being encouraged ourselves, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his mind has been completely refreshed by all of you. ¹⁴ Anything I may have said to him in boasting about you has not caused me to feel ashamed. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus has proved equally true. ¹⁵ And his affection for you grows even more as he recalls the obedience of all of you and how you welcomed him in fear and trembling. ¹⁶ I rejoice because I can rely completely on you.

The Collection for the Christians of Jerusalem^[cb]

Chapter 8

Example of Christians of Macedonia. ¹ Now we want you to know, brethren, about the grace of God that has been bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia. ² In a period of severe affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in rich generosity on their part. ³ I can testify that they contributed to the limit of their resources, and even beyond, ⁴ begging us insistently for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

⁵ Far exceeding our expectations, they gave themselves first to the Lord, and then, by the will of God, to us. ⁶ As a result, we urged Titus that, inasmuch as he had already begun this work of charity, he should bring this enterprise to a successful completion among you.

The Example of Christ. ⁷ Now, inasmuch as you excel in everything—in your faith, your eloquence, your knowledge, your concern for others, and your love for us^[cc]—so we want you also to excel in this generous undertaking.

⁸ I am not saying this to you as a command, but rather I am testing the genuine character of your love by the concern you show for others. ⁹ For you are well aware of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Although he was rich, he became poor for your sake so that by his poverty you might become rich.^[cd]

¹⁰ I will now give you my advice about what I believe is appropriate in this matter. Last year, you were the first not only to engage in this good work but also to do so willingly. ¹¹ Now finish it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. ¹² As long as the goodwill is present, the gift will be acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

¹³ I am not suggesting that others should have relief while you are reduced to difficult straits. Rather, there should be an equitable balance. ¹⁴ Your surplus at the present time should relieve the needs of others, so that at another time their surplus may relieve your needs, and in this way there will be equality. ¹⁵ As it is written,

¹⁶ Paul Recommends the Delegates. Thanks be to God for putting into the heart of Titus a concern for you that is the equal of mine. ¹⁷ For he not only welcomed our request, but, because of his great concern, he is coming to you of his own accord. ¹⁸ Together with him, we are sending the brother who is praised by all the Churches for his proclamation of the gospel.^{[ce] 19} In addition, he has also been appointed by the Churches to be our traveling companion as we engage in our charitable work for the glory of the Lord and to show our eagerness to be of service.

²⁰ In this way, we want to ensure that no one will be able to criticize us for our handling of this generous collection. ²¹ For we intend to do what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of others.

²² And with them, we are also sending our brother^[cf] whose dedication we have tested in many ways and found to be exemplary. Now he is even more dedicated than before because of his great confidence in you.

²³ As for Titus, he is my partner and coworker in your service. And as for the others, they are the apostles of the Churches and the glory of Christ. ²⁴ Therefore, show these men, and all the Churches, the proof of your love and the legitimacy of our boasting about you.

Chapter 9

Let the Offering Be Ready. ¹ In regard to the ministry toward the saints, there really is no necessity for me to write to you. ² For I am fully aware of your eagerness to help, which has been the subject of my boasting about you to the Macedonians, telling them that Achaia has been ready since last year. Your ardor has excited most of them.

³ Nevertheless, I am sending the brethren to ensure that our boasts about you may not seem to have been offered in vain. I want you to be as prepared as I said you would be. ⁴ For if I bring some Macedonians with me and they come to the realization that you are not prepared, it would be a source of shame to us—to say nothing of you—because of our confidence in you. ⁵ Therefore, I thought it necessary to encourage the brethren to go on to you ahead of us and arrange in advance for the gift that you have promised, so that it may be ready as a genuine gift and not as something that has been granted grudgingly.

God Loves a Cheerful Giver. ⁶ Remember this: if you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly, and if you sow generously, you will reap generously as well. ⁷ Each person should give as much as he has decided in his heart, not with reluctance or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to enrich you with an abundance of every grace, so that, with all of your needs provided for, you may be able to produce a surplus of good works. ⁹ As it is written,

¹⁰ Generosity Will Prompt Thanksgiving. The one who provides seed for sowing and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ Enriched in every way, you will be able to practice all your acts of generosity, which, through our intervention, will result in thanksgiving to God.

¹² The administering of this public service not only helps to satisfy the needs of the saints but also overflows in countless acts of thanksgiving to God. ¹³ Through the evidence of such service, you are giving glory to God for your obedient profession of the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your contribution to them and to all others as well. ¹⁴ At the same time, their hearts will go out to you in their prayers for you, because of the surpassing grace that God has bestowed upon you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.^[cg]

Paul’s Self-Defense^[ch]

Chapter 10

Recommendation from Human Beings or from God?^{[ci] 1} I myself, Paul, exhort you by the gentleness and the mercy of Christ, I who am “timid” when I am face to face with you, but “bold” when I am at a distance! ² I beg you that when I am in your presence I will not have to act with boldness and the self-assurance that I consider necessary when I oppose some of those who accuse us of acting according to human standards.^[cj]

^3 [ck]Although we are human beings, we do not engage in battle according to human standards. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they possess the divine power to destroy strongholds. We demolish arguments ⁵ and every proud pretension against the knowledge of God, and we compel every thought to surrender in obedience to Christ. ⁶ What is more, once your obedience is complete, we are prepared to punish every disobedience.

^7 [cl]Face the facts squarely. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on the fact that we belong to Christ as much as he does. ⁸ It is possible that I tend to boast a bit too much about our authority, which the Lord has entrusted to us for building you up rather than for tearing you down, but I will not apologize for doing so.

⁹ Therefore, I do not want to seem to be someone who frightens you with my letters. ¹⁰ Some may assert, “His letters are impressive and forceful, but his personal appearance is insignificant, and he cannot speak well.” ¹¹ Let them understand that what we are in our letters when we are absent will be the same as what we are in our deeds when we are present.

¹² We do not dare to rank ourselves or to compare ourselves with any of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they only demonstrate their ignorance. ¹³ In contrast, we will not boast beyond the proper limits. Rather, we will measure ourselves according to the standard that God laid down for us, which enabled us to reach out all the way to you.

¹⁴ We are not overreaching ourselves as we would be if we had not come to you; indeed, we came to you with the gospel of Christ. ¹⁵ Neither are we boasting immoderately of the labors of others. Our hope is rather that, as your faith increases, our influence among you will be greater than ever, ¹⁶ so that we may preach the gospel to regions beyond you, rather than boasting about work already done in someone else’s region.

¹⁷ If anyone would boast, let him boast in the Lord.^{[cm] 18} For it is not the one who commends himself who is really approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

Chapter 11

Promised to One Spouse. ¹ I hope that you will put up with a little of my foolishness. Please bear with me. ² For I am jealous of you with a godly jealousy, since I promised all of you to one spouse, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

³ However, I am afraid that, just as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be led astray from a singlehearted fidelity to Christ. ⁴ For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus^[cn] than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with that readily enough!

⁵ I do not regard myself as being inferior to these “super-apostles.” ⁶ I may be untrained in the art of speaking, but the same is not true of me in regard to knowledge. In every way and in all respects, we have made this evident to you.

Paul’s Apostolate. ⁷ Did I make a mistake by preaching the gospel of God without charge, humbling myself^[co] so that you might be exalted? ⁸ I robbed other Churches, accepting support from them in order to serve you. ⁹ And when I was with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied my needs.

I refrained, and will continue to refrain, from burdening you in any way. ¹⁰ As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, this boast of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹ And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do.

¹² And I shall continue to do just as I am doing at present in order to thwart the efforts of those who are seeking the opportunity to be regarded as my equals in the aspects they boast about. ¹³ Such people are false apostles, dishonest workers who masquerade as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder! Even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.