^
2 CORINTHIANS
2 Corinthians 1:1-2
Paul and Timothy greet the Christians who are in Corinth.
WethankGodthatheencouragesusinallourtroublessothatweareabletoencourageyouwhenyousuffer. Wesufferedsomuchin Asia provincethatweweresurethatweweregoingtodie, butwelearnedtotrustinGod. Hesavedusfromdeathandhewillcontinuetosaveusfromdeath.
YoucantrustwhatItellyou. Ididnotvisityou, becauseIwantedtogiveyouthe opportunity toobeytheinstructionsthatIwrotetoyou. Nowthatyouhavepunishedenoughthemanwhocausedthoseproblems, Iurgeyoutoforgivehimandtoencouragehim.
Ididnotfind Titus in Troas, soIwentonto Macedonia province. Everywherewego, Godcausespeopletoknow Christ throughourteaching. Wedonotteachinordertogetmoney; weteachwithsinceremotives.
The way you now live proves that we teach the truth about Jesus Christ.
OurworkofteachingpeopleaboutGod’sNewAgreementismuchgreaterthantheworkofteachingpeopleabouthisOldAgreement.
Weteachamessagethat transforms people’slives. Soweteachitwithgreatconfidence.
We are servants of Jesus. It is Jesus who has shown us how great God is.
As Jesus’ servantswesuffer, butthroughoursufferingmanypeoplewillreceiveeternallifeandthankandpraiseGod.
Asourbodiesgetweaker, Godcontinuallymakesourinnerlivesstronger. Hewillrewardusforallthatwehavesuffered.
God will give all of us new heavenly bodies, and he will reward us according to what we did while we were living in our earthly bodies.
Christhasshownmehowmuchhelovespeople. ThatiswhyIteachhismessagewithallthestrengththatIhave. Therefore, IpleadwithyoutobelievethatGodwillforgiveyoubecauseofwhatChristdidforyou.
Inspiteofmuchsuffering, wehavelivedasservantsofGodshouldlive.
Iaskyoutoacceptusandloveusasweloveyou.
Donotget involved withpeoplewhodonothonorGod.
IloveyouallandIhavegreatconfidenceinyou.
Titus toldmethatmylettercausedyoutorepent, andsonowIamveryhappy.
The believers in Macedonia have already collected the money that they are going to send to the believers in Jerusalem. You should also finish collecting the money that you are preparing to send, and have it ready to send to Jerusalem soon.
Iamsending Titus toyou, alongwithtwoother believers, tohelpyougetyourgiftready. Theyareallwellrespectedandtrustworthymen, sotreatthemwell. ItwillbegoodifyouhaveyourgiftreadytosendtoJudeaprovincebythetimeIarrivein Corinth.
You and I will be ashamed if your gift is not ready when I arrive.
Ifyougivegenerouslyandwillingly, Godwillalwayscontinuetoblessyousothatyouwillhaveenoughtocontinuegivinggenerously, andyour generosity willcausemanyotherpeopletopraiseandhonorGod.
I Paul say to you, “Do not listen to those who say that I am afraid to rebuke you when I am with you and that I behave like people do who are not believers.”
ThosewhoteachwhatisfalsemustcometorealizethatIalsobelongto Christ andthatGodhasgivenmeauthorityoveryou. Iworrythattheywilldeceiveyouandthatyouwillstopbeingfaithfulto Christ alone.
Youare mistaken ifyouthinkthatIdonotloveyoubecauseIrefusedtoacceptmoneyfromyouformyteaching. Iwillgoondoingthattopreventthosefalse apostles amongyoufromboastingthattheyworkjustasIdo.
Youseemtolistentothosewhoboast, soItoowillboast. IwillboastaboutbeingaJew (asthoseothersdo), andIwillboastabouthavingsufferedgreatlyforChrist, andaboutanextraordinaryvisionthatGodgaveme. AlthoughGodcausedmetosufferanaffliction, hepromisedthathewouldhelpmeandstrengthenme.
WhenIwaswithyou, IdidthingsthatshowedyouthatIamtrulyChrist’srepresentative. ButIstillwillnottakepayfromyouwhenIcometovisityouagain. AndthosepeoplearewrongwhosaythatItrickedyoubysending Titus togetmoneyformyselffromyou.
IamworriedthatwhenIvisityouIwillfindthatmanyofyouarestillsinning. IpraythatGodwillhelpyouturnfromyoursinfulbehavior, sothatIwillnothavetodisciplineyouwhenIcome.
Ifinishmyletterwithsomeadvice. Allofusheresendyouour greetings, andIpraythatGodwillblessyou.

© Copyright © 2008-2017 Ellis W. Deibler, Jr.