2 Corinthians

I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

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

To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man"s line of things made ready to our hand.

Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men"s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:

But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

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

For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ"s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ"s, even so are we Christ"s.

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;