2 Corinthians 10; 2 Corinthians 11; 2 Corinthians 12; 2 Corinthians 13

1 Now I Paul, myself beseech you, by the mildness and modesty of Christ: who in presence indeed am lowly 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 am thought to be bold, against some who reckon us as if we walked according to the flesh.

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty to God, unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels,

5 And every height that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God: and bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ:

6 And having in readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled.

7 See the things that are according to outward appearance. If any man trust to himself, that he is Christ’s let him think this again with himself, that as he is Christ’s, so are we also.

8 For if also I should boast somewhat more of our power, which the Lord hath given us unto edification and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed.

9 But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles,

10 (For his epistles indeed, say they, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible):

11 Let such a one think this, that such as we are in word by epistles when absent, such also we will be indeed when present.

12 For we dare not match or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but we measure ourselves by ourselves and compare ourselves with ourselves.

13 But we will not glory beyond our measure: but according to the measure of the rule which God hath measured to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as if we reached not unto you. For we are come as far as to you in the Gospel of Christ.

15 Not glorying beyond measure in other men’s labours: but having hope of your increasing faith, to be magnified in you according to our rule abundantly.

16 Yea, unto those places that are beyond you to preach the gospel: not to glory in another man’s rule, in those things that are made ready to our hand.

17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

18 For not he who commendeth himself is approved: but he, whom God commendeth.

1 Would to God you could bear with some little of my folly! But do bear with me.

2 For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

3 But I fear lest, as the serpent seduced Eve by his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted and fall from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Christ, whom we have not preached; or if you receive another Spirit, whom you have not received; or another gospel, which you have not received: you might well bear with him.

5 For I suppose that I have done nothing less than the great apostles.

6 For although I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge: but in all things we have been made manifest to you.

7 Or did I commit a fault, humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached unto you the Gospel of God freely?

8 I have taken from other churches, receiving wages of them for your ministry.

9 And, when I was present with you and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was wanting to me, the brethren supplied who came from Macedonia. And in all things I have kept myself from being burthensome to you: and so I will keep myself.

10 The truth of Christ is in me, that this glorying shall not be broken off in me in the regions of Achaia.

11 Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knoweth it.

12 But what I do, that I will do: that I may cut off the occasion from them that desire occasion: that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

13 For such false apostles are deceitful workmen, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no wonder: for Satan himself transformeth himself into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers be transformed as the ministers of justice, whose end shall be according to their works.

16 I say again (Let no man think me to be foolish: otherwise take me as one foolish, that I also may glory a little):

17 That which I speak, I speak not according to God: but as it were in foolishness, in this matter of glorying.

18 Seeing that many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also.

19 For you gladly suffer the foolish: whereas yourselves are wise.

20 For you suffer if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take from you, if a man be lifted up, if a man strike you on the face.

21 I seek according to dishonour, as if we had been weak in this part. Wherein if any man dare (I speak foolishly), I dare also.

22 They are Hebrews: so am I. They are Israelites: so am I. They are the seed of Abraham: so am I.

23 They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as one less wise): I am more; in many more labours, in prisons more frequently, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.

24 Of the Jews five times did I receive forty stripes save one.

25 Thrice was I beaten with rods: once I was stoned: thrice I suffered shipwreck: a night and a day I was in the depth of the sea.

26 In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from false brethren:

27 In labour and painfulness, in much watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness:

28 Besides those things which are without: my daily instance, the solicitude for all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?

30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity.

31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever, knoweth that I lie not.

32 At Damascus, the governor of the nation under Aretas the king, guarded the city of the Damascenes, to apprehend me.

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

1 If I must glory (it is not expedient indeed) but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 I know a man in Christ: above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not, or out of the body, I know not: God knoweth), such a one caught up to the third heaven.

3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not: God knoweth):

4 That he was caught up into paradise and heard secret words which it is not granted to man to utter.

5 For such an one I will glory: but for myself I will glory nothing but in my infirmities.

6 For though I should have a mind to glory, I shall not be foolish: for I will say the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth in me, or any thing he heareth from me.

7 And lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me.

8 For which thing, thrice I besought the Lord that it might depart from me.

9 And he said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee: for power is made perfect in infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

10 For which cause I please myself in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ. For when I am weak, then am I powerful.

11 I am become foolish. You have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended by you. For I have no way come short of them that are above measure apostles, although I be nothing.

12 Yet the signs of my apostleship have been wrought on you, in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.

13 For what is there that you have had less than the other churches but that I myself was not burthensome to you? Pardon me this injury.

14 Behold now the third time I am ready to come to you and I will not be burthensome unto you. For I seek not the things that are yours, but you. For neither ought the children to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

15 But I most gladly will spend and be spent myself for your souls: although loving you more, I be loved less.

16 But be it so: I did not burthen you: but being crafty, I caught you by guile.

17 Did I overreach you by any of them whom I sent to you?

18 I desired Titus: and I sent with him a brother. Did Titus overreach you? Did we not walk with the same spirit? Did we not in the same steps?

19 Of old, think you that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ: but all things, my dearly beloved, for your edification.

20 For I fear lest perhaps, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found by you such as you would not. Lest perhaps contentions, envyings, animosities, dissensions, detractions, whisperings, swellings, seditions, be among you.

21 Lest again, when I come, God humble me among you: and I mourn many of them that sinned before and have not done penance for the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness that they have committed.

1 Behold, this is the third time I am coming to you: In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand.

2 I have told before and foretell, as present and now absent, to them that sinned before and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare.

3 Do you seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me, who towards you is not weak, but is mighty in you?

4 For although 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 towards you.

5 Try your own selves if you be in the faith: prove ye yourselves. Know you not your own selves, that Christ Jesus is in you, unless perhaps you be reprobates?

6 But I trust that you shall know that we are not reprobates.

7 Now we pray God that you may do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is good and that we may be as reprobates.

8 For we can do nothing against the truth: but for the truth.

9 For we rejoice that we are weak and you are strong. This also we pray for, your perfection.

10 Therefore I write these things, being absent, that, being present, I may not deal more severely, according to the power which the Lord hath given me unto edification and not unto destruction.

11 For the rest, brethren, rejoice, be perfect, take exhortation, be of one mind, have peace. And the God of grace and of love shall be with you.

12 Salute one another with a holy kiss.

13 (13-12) All the saints salute you.

14 (13-13) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the charity of God and the communication of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.