2 Corinthians 4-7

II Corinthians 4

¹Therefore, having this ministry, as we have had mercy shewn us, we faint not.

²But we have rejected the hidden things of shame, not walking in deceit, nor falsifying the word of God, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every conscience of men before God.

³But if also our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in those that are lost;

⁴in whom the god of this world has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving, so that the radiancy of the glad tidings of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine forth for them.

⁵For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus Lord, and ourselves your bondmen for Jesus' sake.

⁶Because it is the God who spoke that out of darkness light should shine who has shone in our hearts for the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

⁷But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassingness of the power may be of God, and not from us:

⁸every way afflicted, but not straitened; seeing no apparent issue, but our way not entirely shut up;

⁹persecuted, but not abandoned; cast down, but not destroyed;

¹⁰always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body;

¹¹for we who live are always delivered unto death on account of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh;

¹²so that death works in us, but life in you.

¹³And having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I have believed, therefore have I spoken; *we* also believe, therefore also we speak;

¹⁴knowing that he who has raised the Lord Jesus shall raise us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you.

¹⁵For all things are for your sakes, that the grace abounding through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

¹⁶Wherefore we faint not; but if indeed our outward man is consumed, yet the inward is renewed day by day.

¹⁷For our momentary and light affliction works for us in surpassing measure an eternal weight of glory;

¹⁸while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things that are seen are for a time, but those that are not seen eternal.

II Corinthians 5

¹For we know that if our earthly tabernacle house be destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

²For indeed in this we groan, ardently desiring to have put on our house which is from heaven;

³if indeed being also clothed we shall not be found naked.

⁴For indeed we who are in the tabernacle groan, being burdened; while yet we do not wish to be unclothed, but clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

⁵Now he that has wrought us for this very thing is God, who also has given to us the earnest of the Spirit.

⁶Therefore we are always confident, and know that while present in the body we are absent from the Lord,

⁷(for we walk by faith, not by sight;)

⁸we are confident, I say, and pleased rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.

⁹Wherefore also we are zealous, whether present or absent, to be agreeable to him.

¹⁰For we must all be manifested before the judgment-seat of the Christ, that each may receive the things done in the body, according to those he has done, whether it be good or evil.

¹¹Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men, but have been manifested to God, and I hope also that we have been manifested in your consciences.

¹²For we do not again commend ourselves to you, but we are giving to you occasion of boast in our behalf, that ye may have such with those boasting in countenance, and not in heart.

¹³For whether we are beside ourselves, it is to God; or are sober, it is for you.

¹⁴For the love of the Christ constrains us, having judged this: that one died for all, then all have died;

¹⁵and he died for all, that they who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died for them and has been raised.

¹⁶So that *we* henceforth know no one according to flesh; but if even we have known Christ according to flesh, yet now we know him thus no longer.

¹⁷So if any one be in Christ, there is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold all things have become new:

¹⁸and all things are of the God who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and given to us the ministry of that reconciliation:

¹⁹how that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their offences; and putting in us the word of that reconciliation.

²⁰We are ambassadors therefore for Christ, God as it were beseeching by us, we entreat for Christ, Be reconciled to God.

²¹Him who knew not sin he has made sin for us, that *we* might become God's righteousness in him.

II Corinthians 6

¹But as fellow-workmen, we also beseech that ye receive not the grace of God in vain:

²(for he says, I have listened to thee in an accepted time, and I have helped thee in a day of salvation: behold, now is the well-accepted time; behold, now the day of salvation:)

³giving no manner of offence in anything, that the ministry be not blamed;

⁴but in everything commending ourselves as God's ministers, in much endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in straits,

⁵in stripes, in prisons, in riots, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,

⁶in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,

⁷in the word of truth, in the power of God; through the arms of righteousness on the right hand and left,

⁸through glory and dishonour, through evil report and good report: as deceivers, and true;

⁹as unknown, and well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as disciplined, and not put to death;

¹⁰as grieved, but always rejoicing; as poor, but enriching many; as having nothing, and possessing all things.

¹¹Our mouth is opened to you, Corinthians, our heart is expanded.

¹²Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your affections;

¹³but for an answering recompense, (I speak as to children,) let *your* heart also expand itself.

¹⁴Be not diversely yoked with unbelievers; for what participation is there between righteousness and lawlessness? or what fellowship of light with darkness?

¹⁵and what consent of Christ with Beliar, or what part for a believer along with an unbeliever?

¹⁶and what agreement of God's temple with idols? for *ye* are the living God's temple; according as God has said, I will dwell among them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be to me a people.

¹⁷Wherefore come out from the midst of them, and be separated, saith the Lord, and touch not what is unclean, and *I* will receive you;

¹⁸and I will be to you for a Father, and ye shall be to me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

II Corinthians 7

¹Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us purify ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in God's fear.

²Receive us: we have injured no one, we have ruined no one, we have made gain of no one.

³I do not speak for condemnation, for I have already said that ye are in our hearts, to die together, and live together.

⁴Great is my boldness towards you, great my exulting in respect of you; I am filled with encouragement; I overabound in joy under all our affliction.

⁵For indeed, when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way; without combats, within fears.

⁶But he who encourages those that are brought low, even God, encouraged us by the coming of Titus;

⁷and not by his coming only, but also through the encouragement with which he was encouraged as to you; relating to us your ardent desire, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I the more rejoiced.

⁸For if also I grieved you in the letter, I do not regret it, if even I have regretted it; for I see that that letter, if even it were only for a time, grieved you.

⁹Now I rejoice, not that ye have been grieved, but that ye have been grieved to repentance; for ye have been grieved according to God, that in nothing ye might be injured by us.

¹⁰For grief according to God works repentance to salvation, never to be regretted; but the grief of the world works death.

¹¹For, behold, this same thing, your being grieved according to God, how much diligence it wrought in *you*, but what excusing of yourselves, but what indignation, but what fear, but what ardent desire, but what zeal, but what vengeance: in every way ye have proved yourselves to be pure in the matter.

¹²So then, if also I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of him that injured, nor for the sake of him that was injured, but for the sake of our diligent zeal for you being manifested to you before God.

¹³For this reason we have been encouraged. And we the rather rejoiced in our encouragement more abundantly by reason of the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.

¹⁴Because if I boasted to him anything about you, I have not been put to shame; but as we have spoken to you all things in truth, so also our boasting to Titus has been the truth;

¹⁵and his affections are more abundantly towards you, calling to mind the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.

¹⁶I rejoice that in everything I am confident as to you.