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proved yourselves to be clear [in] this matter.

12 Wherefore, though I wrote to you, I did it, not so much on account of him who had done the wrong, nor on account of him who had suffered the wrong, as that our care for you might be made manifest to you, in the sight of God.

the joint administration of it to the saints. 5 And this they did, not as we expected; but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and to us, by the will of God; 6 so that we desired Titus, that, as he had already begun to do this, so he would likewise finish in you also this work of liberality.

7. Now as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us; see that ye abound also in this work of liberality. 8 I speak not by way of command; but to try the sincerity of your love also, by the diligence of others. 9 (For ye know the gracious goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for you he was poor, being rich,* that ye, through his poverty, might be rich.) 10 And I give my judg

13 We, therefore, were comforted by your comfort and we rejoiced more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all. 14 For if I have boasted to him in any respect concerning you, I have not been put to shame: but as we spake all things to you, in truth, so also our boasting which was before Titus, is found true. 15 And his tender affection is more abundant towards you; while he remembereth the obedience of you all, how ye received himment in this matter; for this is with fear and trembling. 16 I expedient for you, who have rejoice that in every thing I already begun, not only to do, have confidence in you. but also to have a willing mind, a year ago.

11 Now then, complete, also, the doing of it; that, as there was a readiness to will, so also there may be a fulfilment out of what ye possess. 12 For if there be first a ready mind, it is accepted according to what

CH. VIII. 1 NOW we make known to you, brethren, the very liberal gift bestowed by the churches of Macedonia; 2 that, under a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy, the depth of their poverty, hath abounded to the riches of their liberality. 3 For[any one] hath, and not accordto their power, (I bear witness,) yea, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves; 4 beseeching us with much intreaty, concerning their gift, and

ing to what he hath not. 13 For I mean not that others may be eased, and you burdened: 14 but that, by an equality, your abundance may be a supply at

* Or, the godly gift. Or, the godlike gift. Literally, the favour of God.

while he was rich-see Wakefield-λovσIOS WY, ENTWXEU. The construction requires it to be understood, not of a passage from a preceding state of wealth to a succeeding state of po verty, but of two contemporary states. He was rich and poor at the same time.

this time, for their want; that their abundance, also, may be a supply for your want: that there may be an equality, 15 as it is written, "He who had gathered much, had nothing over; and he who had gathered little, had no want."

16 But thanks be to God, who hath put the same diligent care for you, into the heart of Titus. 17 For he respected indeed my exhortation; but, being very earnest, he went to you of his own accord. 18 And we sent with him a brother, whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the churches; 19 and not that only, but who was also appointed, by the churches, our fellow-traveller, with this liberal gift, which is to be administered by us to the glory of the Lord [himself], and to the declaration of our ready mind: 20 we avoiding this, that no one should blame us in this abundance which is to be administered by us; 21 and providing things which are good, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

22 And we have sent with them, our brother, (whom we have often found diligent in many things, but now much more diligent,) because of the great confidence which we have in you. 23 If any inquire of Titus, he is my partner, and fellow-labourer towards you: or if our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. 24 Wherefore show ye to them, before the churches, the proof

of your love, and of our boasting on your account.

our

CH. IX. 1 FOR, concerning your ministration to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. 2 For I know your readiness, for which I boast of you to those of Macedonia, that Achaia was prepared a year ago: and your zeal hath stirred up very many. 3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest boasting of you in this respect, should be in vain; that, as I said of you, ye may be prepared: 4 lest, if those of Macedonia, come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not ye) should be put to shame for this confidence. 5 I have therefore thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before to you, and make up beforehand your bounty, before spoken of by me, that it might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

he

6 However, this I say, He who soweth sparingly, will also reap sparingly; and he who soweth bountifully, will also reap bountifully. 7 Let every one give, according as chooseth in his heart; not with pain, or by constraint: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make every gift abound towards you; that, having always all sufficiency in all things, ye may abound to every good work: 9 (as it is written, "He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness maineth to the age.")

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10 Now may he who sup-false reasonings, and every high plieth seed to the sower, and thing which exalteth itself. against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity, to the obedience of Christ; 6 and being ready to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is complete.

bread for food, supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; 11 ye being enriched in all things to all liberality, which causeth thanksgiving by us to God. 12 For the ministration of this service not only supplieth the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also in many thanksgivings to God; 13 (for through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for your professed subjection to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal contribution to them, and to all;) 14 and in their prayer for you, ardently loving you for the exceedingly bountiful gift bestowed by you. 15 [Now] thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.*

7 Do ye look on things according to the outward appearance? If any one trust in himself that he is Christ's, det him of himself think this also, that, as he is Christ's, so are we likewise. 8 For though I should boast in a somewhat extraordinary manner of our authority, which the Lord hath given to us for your edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 9 but I forbear, that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.

10 For his letters, it is said, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and

such an one think this, that as we are in word, by letters, when absent, such we will be in deed also, when present.

12 For we dare not place

CH. X. 1 NOW I, the same Paul, who, when present, indeed, am humble among you,, his speech contemptible. 11 Let but when absent am bold to wards you, beseech you by the mildness and clemency of Christ, 2 and I request, that, when present, I may not be bold, with that confidence, ourselves in the same rank, or wherewith I conclude to be bold against some, who conclude us to be really persons who walk 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, through God, to the casting down of strong holds ;) 5 casting down

compare ourselves, with some
who commend themselves: but
they, measuring themselves by
themselves, and comparing
themselves with themselvest,
[are not wise. 13 But we] [will
boast] not of things without
measure; but according to the
measure of the line which God
hath allotted to
us, that we
should reach even to you.

*This applies to Christ, who "may well be called God's unspeakable gift." Macknight. + Or, they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves. [But we will] not [boast] of things, but, etc. See Newcome's note.

14 For we stretch not ourselves too far, as though we reached not to you: (for we came even as far as to you in preaching the gospel of Christ ;) 15 not boasting of things without measure, that is, in the labours of other men; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be abundantly enlarged among you, as concerning our line; 16 so as to preach the gospel in the parts beyond you, and not to boast in another's line of things made ready for us. 17 But he who boasteth, let him boast in the Lord. 18 For not he who commendeth himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth.

though rude in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; but on every occasion we have been made manifest to you in all | things.

7 Have I committed an offence in humbling myself, that ye might be exalted; inasmuch as I have preached to you the gospel of God without cost? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them, that I might minister to you: 9 and when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no one: for that which was wanted by me, the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied; and in every thing, I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and will still keep myself.

to cut off occasion from those who desire occasion; that, wherein they boast, they may be found even as we.

CH. XI. 1 I WISH that ye would bear with me a little in 10 As the truth of Christ is this foolishness and indeed in me, this boasting of mine bear with me. 2 For I am jea- cannot be stopped in the relous of you, with a godly jea- gions of Achaia. 11 Why? belousy for I have espoused you cause I love you not? God to one husband, that I may pre-knoweth otherwise. 12 But what sent you, as a chaste virgin, I do, that will I still do; so as to Christ. 3 But I fear lest, that as the serpent deceived Eve by his subtilty, [so] your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity which is in 13 For such are false aposChrist. 4 For if he who comethtles, deceitful workmen, transamong you, preach another Je-forming themselves into apossus, whom we have not preach-tles of Christ. 14 And no woned, or if ye receive another der for the adversary also, spirit, which ye have not rehimself into a ceived, or another gospel, messenger of light. 15 It is which ye have not accepted, therefore no great thing, if his nevertheless ye might well bear ministers, also, transform themwith me. selves as ministers of righteousness: whose end will be according to their works. 16 I say again; Let no one think

5 For I suppose that I am in nothing inferior to the very greatest of the apostles. 6 For

transformeth

me foolish but if otherwise, at least as a fool, bear with me, that I also may boast a little. 17 What I speak, in this confident boasting, I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness.

in dangers among false brethren; 27 [in] labour and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Besides the things which are without, the troubles which assail me daily, in the care of all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am

18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. 19, For ye gladly bear with the foolish, since ye your-not weak? who falleth away, selves are wise. 20 For ye bear and I burn not? 30 If I must with it, if any one bring you needs boast, I will boast of the ' into slavery, if any one devour things which concern my you, if any one take of you, if weakness. 31 The God and any one exalt himself, if any Father of our Lord Jesus one smite you on the face. 21 Christ, who is blessed to the As concerning dishonour, I say ages, knoweth that I speak not that we have been weak. Yet falsely. whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I also am bold.

22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they Abraham's offspring? so am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one void of reason,) I am more; in labours, more abundant; in stripes, far exceeding; in prisons, more frequent; in deaths, often. 24 (Five times I received from the Jews forty stripes except one. 25 Thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I floated in the deep.) I have been in journeys often, 26 in dangers from floods, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from the gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the desert, in dangers on the sea,

32 In Damascus, the governor under king Aretas guarded the city of the Damascenes, [desiring] to apprehend me: 33 and I was let down, in a basket, through a window in the wall; and escaped his hands.

CH. XII. 1 Doubtless it is not expedient for me to boast. Yet I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ,* who, fourteen years ago, was caught up to the third heaven: (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth.) 3 And I know respecting this man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not, God knoweth,) 4 that he was caught up to paradise, and heard unspeakable words which it is not pos sible for man to utter. 5 Of

* i. e. a disciple of Christ.

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