2 Corinthians 8-13

8:1-7 Now, we made known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace of God having been given inside of the churches of Macedonia, that inside of much proving of pressure, within and without, the abundance of their joy and according to their deep poverty abounded exceedingly into the riches of their simplicity and generosity. For, I testify that according to their power and strength and beyond their strength, they appointed themselves, with much encouragement and comfort, imploring of us for the grace and the fellowship of this service into the holy ones. And not [only] as we had hoped, by they gave themselves, first to the Lord and then to us, through the desire of God. We encouraged and comforted into Titus, that, as he had begun, so also he might completely perfect this grace into you as well. But just as you abound inside of all, in faith and speech and in knowledge and all diligence and enthusiasm, and the love out of us inside of you, that you should abound to overflowing inside this grace as well.

8-9 I do not speak as a directive, but through the diligence and enthusiasm of others, also proving the genuineness of your love. For you know the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that being wealthy, He became poor through you, so that you through that poverty might be made wealthy.

10-12 And in this matter, I give a judgment, indeed, this is profitable for you who not only act, but also desire, having begun from a year ago. Now then, also complete the doing; so that just as [there was] the eagerness of the desire, so also to complete out of that which you have. For if the eagerness is present, what one might have is acceptable, not what one does not have.

13-15 Not that to others [there may be] ease and indulgence, but pressure for you, rather, of equality. In the present time your abundance will be into those who need, so that also their abundance may be from your need, so that they might be equality. As it has been written: “He that [gathered] much did not abound, and he that [gathered] little had no lack.” {Referring to the experience of the children of Israel under Moses as they gathered the manna on the ground each morning.}

16-21 Grace, however to God, the One giving the same diligence and enthusiasm for you inside of the heart of Titus. For indeed, he accepted our encouragement, being, however, very earnest, he has gone of his own choosing towards you. We have also sent with him the brother whose praise [is] inside of the gospel through all the churches; not only now, but also having been chosen by the churches [as] our fellow traveler, with this grace that is being administered by us toward the Lord of glory Himself and our eager willingness, avoiding this, lest anyone should find fault with us in the abundance and lavish generosity being administered by us. We are taking thought beforehand for what is beautiful and good, not only in the face and presence of the Lord, also, in the face of men.

22-24 We sent with them now, our brother, whom we have proven inside many things to be often eager and enthusiastic, now, however, much more by his eager and enthusiastic confidence into you. Whether as regards Titus, my fellow partner and into you a fellow worker; or our brothers the sent [apostles] of the churches, the glory of Christ. Therefore, the demonstration of your love and of our boasting about you, show forth into them into the face and presence of the churches.

{I am leaving this in the somewhat confused form that Paul’s words really take. Here’s the truth, when any translator turns these ideas into clear statements in English, that translator is GUESSING. Sometimes those guesses result in good understanding, but at other times, it’s important for the reader to know that sometimes Paul just doesn’t make sense.}


9:1-5 Concerning, now, the service into the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. For I know your eager willingness, for which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been prepared from a year ago, and your zeal has been stirring up many. I have sent the brothers, however, so that our boasting for you should not be made empty in this matter, that as I have been saying, you may be prepared. Now, perhaps, if the Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared, we would be put to shame (not that we might say you) inside this assurance or substance. Therefore, I thought to encourage the brothers that they should go before to you and your foreannounced good-speaking should be complete beforehand, your preparedness thus to be as a blessing and not as covetousness.

6-9 This now: “The one sowing sparingly, will also reap sparingly, and the one sowing upon good-speaking, will also reap upon blessings. As each one proposes in the heart, not out of grief or of necessity; for God loves an hilariously cheerfully giver. Now God is powerfully able to make all grace abound into you, so that you may abound always, in every way, having all sufficiency in every good work. As it has been written: He has distributed abroad, He has given to the poor, His righteousness abides and continues into the age.

10-15 Now the One supplying see to him sowing and bread for food, will supply abundantly (as leading a grand performance) and will multiply your seed for sowing and will increase the fruits of your justice, enriching you inside of every way into all simplicity and generosity, which works thanksgiving and the speaking of good grace through us to God. For the ministry of this service is not only completely filling up the needs of the holy ones, but is also overflowing through much thanksgiving and speaking of good grace to God, through the proving of this service, [they are] glorifying God upon your submission to hearing and your speaking the same word into the gospel of Christ and the simplicity and generosity of the fellowship into them and into all. And their prayer is for you, a deep desire for you through the over and beyond favor and gift of God upon you. Grace and thanks be to God for the indescribable gift of Him.
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10:1 Now I myself, Paul, encourage you through the gentle strength and sweet reasonableness of Christ, who is indeed humble inside of you as to appearance, and, even though I am absent, I am confidently cheerful regarding you. 2 I request of you now, while not being present, to be confidently cheerful regarding the confidence with which I reckon to be daring toward some who consider us as walking according to the flesh. 3 For we do walk inside of the flesh, but we do not wage war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but are God-able towards the tearing down of fortresses, 5 overthrowing arguments, and every high thing or barrier lifting itself up against the knowledge of God and taking captive every thought into submission to hearing Christ 6 inside of your possession of readiness to dispense justice to all who hear amiss, even when your own submission to hearing has been made full.

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7-11 You are looking at things according to appearance. If anyone is persuaded in himself to be of Christ, let him reckon this again within himself, that as he is of Christ, so also are we. For if even I should boast somewhat more abundantly concerning our authority, which the Lord has given to us into the construction [of you as God’s house] and not for tearing you down, I will not be ashamed, that I might not seem as if to frighten you through these letters. For indeed they say that the letters are weighty and strong, but the presence of the body is weak, and his speech having been reduced to nothing. Let such a one reckon this, that such as we are in word by letters when absent, so we are also in action when present.

12-16 For we dare not count ourselves among or compare ourselves with some who are commending themselves, but these, measuring themselves in themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, do not understand or perceive. We, however, will not boast into things beyond measure, but according to the measure of the area God has distributed to us, a measure that reaches also as far as you. For it is not that we are overextending ourselves in reaching into you, for as far as you also, we came inside of the gospel of Christ, not to boasting beyond measure in other’s toils, having hope, however in increasing your faith to being enlarged into overflowing abundance inside of you according to our area [of reach], so as to preach the gospel beyond you, not in another’s area, into the things ready to boast.

17-18 The one boasting, however, let him boast inside of the Lord. For the one commending himself, this one is not proven, but the one whom the Lord commends.


11:1-4 I wish you were bearing with me a little in foolishness, but indeed, you do bear with me. For I am zealous of God for you with zeal; for I have betrothed you to one husband, to place a pure and holy virgin beside of Christ. I am afraid, however, lest by any means as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, your thoughts might be corrupted away from the singleness and sincerity and the purity into Christ. For if indeed the one coming proclaims another Jesus whom we did not proclaim, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or a gospel which you did not accept, you are bearing well with it {stated sarcastically}.

5-6 For I reckon to have been inferior in nothing to those most eminent apostles. {This is a few months before Paul writes Galatians. He is pointing out that the other disciples of Jesus, Peter and James in particular, did not know or teach the gospel of Christ our life that Jesus had given to Paul.} If, however, I am even unskilled in speech, yet not in knowledge, but in all we have been made visible inside of all to you.

7-11 Or did I fall short in humbling myself so that you might be lifted up, because I preached of God the gospel freely to you? I robbed other churches, having received support towards your service. And being present with you and having been in need, I did not burden anyone; for my need was completely filled up [by] the brothers having come from Macedonia, and in all I kept and will keep myself unburdensome to you. The truth of Christ is inside of me, that this boasting of mine will not be obstructed in the regions of Achaia. Through what? Because I do not love you? God knows I do.

12-15 What I do, however, I will also do, so that I might cut off the opportunity of those wanting an opportunity in what they are boasting, that they might be found also as we. For such are fake apostles, deceitful workers, altering their outward appearances [disguising themselves] into apostles of Christ. And no wonder; for Satan himself alters his outward appearance [masquerades] into an angel of light. It is not surprising, therefore, if also his servants alter their outward appearance [masquerade] as servants of justice, whose completion will be according to their deeds.

16-21 I say again, no one should think me to be a fool; if otherwise, however, receive me even as a fool, that I also may boast a little. What I am saying, I am not saying according to the Lord, but as in foolishness inside of this confidence of boasting. Since many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. For you, being wise, bear gladly with fools! For you bear it if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours you, if anyone takes form you, if anyone exalts himself, if anyone strikes you in the face. I speak as to dishonor, as that we have been weak! However, in whatever anyone might be daring (I speak in foolishness), I am daring also.

22-29 Are they Hebrews? I also. Are the Israelites? I also. Are they descendants of Abraham? I also. Are they servants of Christ? I speak as being beside myself, above measure, I also, in  toils more abundantly, in imprisonments more abundantly, in beatings above measure, in deaths often. I received from the Judeans forty lashes minus one five [different] times. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I spent in the deeps of the sea. In journeyings often, in perils of rives, in perils of robbers; in perils from my own race, in perils from the ethnic groups, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness; in perils on the sea, in perils among false brothers; in toil and hardship, in sleeplessness often; in hunger and thirst, in fastings often; in cold and nakedness. Besides these outer things, the tumult coming on me every day, my care for all the churches. Who is weak and I am not also weak? Who is ensnared and I do not burn inwardly?

30-33 If it is fitting for me to boast in the things of my weakness, I will boast. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows, the One blessed and spoken well of into the ages, that I am not lying. In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes to seize me. But I was let down in a basket through a window through the wall, and I escaped his hands.
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12:1 It is fitting for me to boast, but it is not profitable. I will continue, however, to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I am aware of a man inside of Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in or out of the body, I do not know, God knows), such a man was seized into the third heaven. 3 And I am aware of such a man (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows), 4 that he was seized into Paradise and he heard inexpressible words that are not permitted to man to speak. 5 For such a man I will boast; for myself, however, I will not boast, except in weaknesses. 6 For if I should want to boast, I would not be a fool; for I would be speaking truth. I refrain, however, lest anyone should credit to me more than what he sees in me or hears of me from anyone.

7 Therefore, so that I should not become arrogant in the beyond excessiveness of the revelations and the unveilings, a thorn in flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, that he might strike me so that I should not become arrogant. {Never think that this deliverance from arrogance is anything other than the wondrous gift of God. That’s why we get excited when awful pressures hit against us, for we know that God is keeping us.} 8 For this, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is brought to full perfection and completion inside of your weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will boast inside of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest, dwell, spread as a tent over, and abide upon me. 10 Therefore, I take pleasure inside of weaknesses, inside of insults [hubris – the hard actions of bullies against me], inside of hardships and constraints, inside of persecutions and being attacked; inside of distress and anguish, for the sake of Christ; for when I might be weak, then I am strong.

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11-13 I have become a fool; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you. For in no way was I inferior to those most eminent of apostles {a direct referral to James and Peter}, even if I am nothing. Indeed, the signs of the apostle were performed inside of you inside of all perseverance, in both signs and wonders and expressions of power. For in what is it that you were inferior beyond the rest of the churches, excep6t that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this injustice.

14-15 Look and see, I am ready to come this third time towards you, and I will not burden you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you. For the children ought not to treasure up for the parents, but the parents for the children. I now most gladly spend freely and will be utterly spent, for the sake of your souls. Am I less loved if I am more abundantly loving you?

16-18 Be it so, however, I did not burden you; but being crafty, I caught you by trickery. Did I take advantage of you by any whom I have sent to you? I urged Titus to go and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same Spirit? And in the same steps?

19-21 Have you been thinking all along that we have been making a defense to you? We speak out from God inside of Christ for the sake of your construction [into God’s dwelling place] in all. For I fear lest perhaps, having come, you may not find me as you want, and I might be found by you such as you do not want; lest perhaps quarreling, rivalry, angers, self-ambitions, evil-speakings, whisperings of gossip, conceits, disturbances and upheavals; lest my having come again, my God should humble me towards you, and I should grieve [as of a death] over many of those having previously fallen short of God and not having changed their minds regarding the impurity and sexual immorality and outrageous conduct they have practice.
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13:1 I am coming this third time to you. “In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word will be established” (Deuteronomy 17:6). 2 I have spoken clearly and continue to speak clearly, as if being present the second time, though absent now, that those having fallen short before, and all the rest, that if I come to the same people again, I will not spare anyone. 3 Since you seek a proof inside of my speaking Christ, who into you is not weak, but is fully capable inside of you. 4 For He was crucified inside of weakness, yet He lives out of God’s power. For we also are weak inside of Him, but we will live together with Him out of God’s power into you.

5 Test yourselves, whether you are inside of the faith; prove yourselves. Or do you not acknowledge to yourselves that Jesus Christ is inside of you, that is, if you are not fake? 6 I hope now that you will know that we are not fake.

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7-10 We pray now towards God, not to do you wrong, not that we might be visibly proven, but that you might do what is good; even if we might appear fake. For we have no power against the truth, but for the sake of the truth. For we rejoice when we might be weak, but that you however might be powerful. We pray for your full equipping. Through these things, therefore, being absent, I write, so that being present, I should not treat you with severity, according to the authority that the Lord has given me, into constructing [God’s dwelling place] and not into tearing [it] down.

11-14 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Be equipped, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.