5For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.G1063G1492G3754G1437G2257G1919G3614G4636G2647G2192G3619G1537G2316G3614G886G166G1722G3772 2We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.G2532G1063G1722G5129G4727G1971G1902G2257G3613G3588G1537G3772 3For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.G1489G2532G1746G2147G3756G2147G1131 4While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.G2532G1063G5607G1722G4636G4727G916G3756G1894G2309G1562G235G1902G2443G2349G2666G5259G2222 5God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.G1161G2716G2248G1519G846G5124G2316G3588G2532G1325G2254G728G4151 6So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord.G3767G2532G3842G2292G1492G3754G1736G1722G4983G1553G575G2962 7For we live by believing and not by seeing.G1063G4043G1223G4102G3756G1223G1491 8Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.G2292G1161G2532G2106G3123G1553G1537G4983G2532G1736G4314G2962 9So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.G1352G5389G2532G1535G1736G1535G1553G1511G2101G846 10For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.G1063G2248G1163G3956G5319G1715G968G5547G2443G1538G2865G1223G4983G4314G3739G4238G1535G18G1535G2556 11Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.G1492G3767G5401G2962G3982G444G1161G5319G2316G1161G1679G2532G5319G1722G5216G4893 12Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart.G1063G4921G3756G1438G3825G5213G235G1325G5213G874G2745G5228G2257G5228G2443G2192G4314G2744G1722G4383G2532G3756G2588 13If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit.G1063G1535G1839G2316G1535G4993G5213 14Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.G1063G26G5547G4912G2248G5124G2919G3754G1487G1520G599G5228G3956G686G599G3956G599 15He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.G2532G599G5228G3956G2443G2198G2198G3371G2198G1438G235G599G5228G846G2532G1453 16So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!G5620G575G3568G1492G2249G3762G2596G4561G1161G1499G1097G5547G2596G4561G235G3568G3765G1097G3765 17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!G5620G1536G1722G5547G2537G2937G744G3928G2400G3956G1096G2537 18And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.G1161G3956G1537G2316G3588G2644G2248G1438G1223G2424G5547G2532G1325G2254G1248G2643 19For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.G5613G3754G2316G2258G1722G5547G2644G2889G1438G3361G3049G846G3900G846G2532G5087G1722G2254G3056G2643 20So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”G3767G4243G5228G5547G5613G2316G3870G1223G2257G1189G5228G5547G5228G2644G2316 21For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.G1063G4160G266G5228G2257G3588G1097G3361G266G2443G2249G1096G1343G2316G1722G846
6As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it.G3870G1161G4903G3870G2532G5209G1209G3361G5485G2316G1519G2756 2For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.G1063G3004G1873G4675G2540G1184G2532G1722G2250G4991G997G4671G2400G3568G2144G2540G2400G3568G2250G4991 3We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry.G1325G3367G4349G1722G3367G3363G1248G3469G3363G3469 4In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind.G235G1722G3956G4921G1438G5613G1249G2316G1722G4183G5281G1722G2347G1722G318G1722G4730 5We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food.G1722G4127G1722G5438G1722G181G1722G2873G1722G70G1722G3521 6We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.G1722G54G1722G1108G1722G3115G1722G5544G1722G40G4151G1722G26G505 7We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense.G1722G3056G225G1722G1411G2316G1223G3696G1343G1188G2532G710 8We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors.G1223G1391G2532G819G1223G1426G2532G2162G5613G4108G2532G227 9We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed.G5613G50G2532G1921G5613G599G2532G2400G2198G5613G3811G2532G3361G2289 10Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.G5613G3076G1161G104G5463G5613G4434G1161G4148G4183G4148G5613G2192G3367G2532G2722G3956 11Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you.G2881G2257G4750G455G4314G5209G2257G2588G4115 12There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us.G4729G3756G4729G1722G2254G1161G4729G1722G5216G4698 13I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!G1161G489G846G3004G5613G5043G4115G5210G2532G4115 14Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?G1096G3361G2086G571G1063G5101G3352G1343G2532G458G1161G5101G2842G5457G4314G4655 15What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?G1161G5101G4857G5547G4314G955G2228G5101G3310G4103G3326G571 16And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.G1161G5101G4783G3485G2316G3326G1497G1063G5210G2075G3485G2198G2316G2531G2316G2036G3754G1774G1722G846G2532G1704G2532G2071G846G2316G2532G846G2071G3427G2992 17Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.G1352G1831G1537G3319G846G2532G873G3004G2962G2532G680G3361G169G2504G1523G5209 18And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”G2532G2071G1519G3962G5213G2532G5210G2071G3427G5207G1519G2532G2364G3004G2962G3841
7Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.G2192G3767G5025G1860G27G2511G1438G575G3956G3436G4561G2532G4151G2005G42G1722G5401G2316 2Please open your hearts to us. We have not done wrong to anyone, nor led anyone astray, nor taken advantage of anyone.G5562G2248G91G3762G5351G3762G4122G3762 3I’m not saying this to condemn you. I said before that you are in our hearts, and we live or die together with you.G3004G3756G4314G2633G1063G4280G3754G2075G1722G2257G2588G1519G4880G2532G4800 4I have the highest confidence in you, and I take great pride in you. You have greatly encouraged me and made me happy despite all our troubles.G4183G3427G3954G4314G5209G4183G3427G2746G5228G5216G4137G3874G5248G5479G1909G3956G2257G2347 5When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside.G1063G2532G2257G2064G1519G3109G2257G4561G2192G3762G425G235G2346G1722G3956G1855G3163G2081G5401 6But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.G235G2316G3870G5011G3870G2248G1722G3952G5103 7His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!G1161G3756G1722G846G3952G3440G235G2532G1722G3874G3739G3870G1909G5213G312G2254G5216G1972G5216G3602G5216G2205G5228G1700G5620G3165G5463G3123 8I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while.G3754G1499G3076G5209G3076G1722G1992G3338G3756G3338G1499G3338G1063G991G3754G1565G1992G3076G5209G3076G1499G4314G5610 9Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.G3568G5463G3756G3754G3076G235G3754G3076G1519G3341G1063G3076G2596G2316G2443G2210G1537G2257G1722G3367 10For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.G1063G2316G2596G3077G2716G3341G1519G4991G278G1161G3077G2889G2716G2288 11Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.G1063G2400G5124G846G5209G3076G2596G2316G4214G4710G2716G5213G235G627G235G24G235G5401G235G1972G235G2205G235G1557G1722G3956G4921G1438G1511G53G1722G4229 12My purpose, then, was not to write about who did the wrong or who was wronged. I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how loyal you are to us.G686G1499G1125G5213G3756G1752G91G3761G1752G91G235G1752G2257G4710G5228G5216G1799G2316G5319G4314G5209 13We have been greatly encouraged by this. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was about the way all of you welcomed him and set his mind at ease.G1223G5124G3870G1909G5216G3874G1161G4056G3123G5463G1909G5479G5103G3754G846G4151G373G575G5216G3956 14I had told him how proud I was of you—and you didn’t disappoint me. I have always told you the truth, and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true!G3754G2744G1536G846G5228G5216G2617G3756G2617G235G5613G2980G3956G5213G1722G225G2532G3779G2257G2746G3588G1909G5103G1096G225 15Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way all of you obeyed him and welcomed him with such fear and deep respect.G2532G846G4698G2076G4056G1519G5209G363G5218G5216G3956G5613G3326G5401G2532G5156G1209G846 16I am very happy now because I have complete confidence in you.G5463G3754G2292G1722G5213G1722G3956
8Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia.G1161G80G1107G5213G1107G5485G2316G1325G1722G1577G3109 2They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.G3754G1722G4183G1382G2347G4050G846G5479G2532G846G899G2596G4432G4052G1519G4149G846G572 3For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.G3754G2596G1411G3140G2532G5228G1411G830 4They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.G1189G2257G3326G4183G3874G2248G1209G5485G2532G2842G1248G1519G40 5They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.G2532G3756G2531G1679G235G4412G1325G1438G2962G2532G2254G1223G2307G2316 6So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving.G1519G2248G3870G5103G2443G2531G4278G3779G2005G2532G2005G1519G5209G5026G5485G2532 7Since you excel in so many ways-in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.G235G5618G4052G1722G3956G4102G2532G3056G2532G1108G2532G3956G4710G2532G5216G26G1537G1722G2254G2443G4052G1722G5026G5485G2532 8I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.G3004G3756G2596G2003G235G1223G4710G2087G2532G1381G1103G5212G26 9You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.G1063G1097G5485G2257G2962G2424G5547G3754G5607G4145G1223G5209G1223G4433G2443G5210G1565G4432G4147 10Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it.G2532G1722G5129G1325G1106G1063G5124G4851G5213G3748G4278G3756G3440G4160G235G2532G2309G4070G575 11Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have.G3570G1161G2532G2005G4160G3704G2509G4288G2309G3779G2005G2532G1537G2192 12Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.G1063G1487G4295G4288G2144G2526G1437G5100G2192G3756G2526G2192G3756 13Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality.G1063G3756G2443G243G425G1161G5213G2347 14Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal.G235G1537G2471G3568G1722G2540G5216G4051G1519G1565G5303G2443G1565G4051G2532G1096G1519G5216G5303G3704G1096G2471 15As the Scriptures say, “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.”G2531G1125G3588G4183G4121G3756G4121G2532G3588G3641G1641G3756G1641 16But thank God! He has given Titus the same enthusiasm for you that I have.G1161G5485G2316G3588G1325G846G4710G1722G2588G5103G5228G5216 17Titus welcomed our request that he visit you again. In fact, he himself was very eager to go and see you.G3754G3303G1209G3874G1161G5225G4707G830G1831G4314G5209 18We are also sending another brother with Titus. All the churches praise him as a preacher of the Good News.G1161G4842G3326G846G80G3739G1868G1722G2098G1223G3956G1577 19He was appointed by the churches to accompany us as we take the offering to Jerusalem—a service that glorifies the Lord and shows our eagerness to help.G1161G3756G3440G235G5500G2532G5500G5259G1577G4898G2257G4862G5026G5485G3588G1247G5259G2257G4314G1391G846G2962G2532G5216G4288 20We are traveling together to guard against any criticism for the way we are handling this generous gift.G4724G5124G3361G5100G3469G2248G1722G5026G100G3588G1247G5259G2257 21We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable.G4306G2570G3756G3440G1799G2962G235G2532G1799G444 22We are also sending with them another of our brothers who has proven himself many times and has shown on many occasions how eager he is. He is now even more enthusiastic because of his great confidence in you.G1161G4842G846G2257G80G3739G1381G4178G1381G5607G4705G1722G4183G1161G3570G4183G4707G4183G4006G3588G1519G5209 23If anyone asks about Titus, say that he is my partner who works with me to help you. And the brothers with him have been sent by the churches, and they bring honor to Christ.G1535G5228G5103G1699G2844G2532G4904G1519G5209G1535G2257G80G652G1577G1391G5547 24So show them your love, and prove to all the churches that our boasting about you is justified.G3767G1731G1519G846G2532G1519G4383G1577G1732G5216G26G2532G2257G2746G5228G5216G5228
9I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem.G1063G3303G4012G1248G1519G40G2076G4053G3427G1125G5213 2For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving.G1063G1492G4288G5216G4288G3739G2744G5228G5216G3110G3754G882G3903G4070G575G2532G5216G2205G1537G2042G4119 3But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you.G1161G3992G80G3363G2257G2745G5228G5216G2758G1722G5129G3313G2443G2531G3004G5600G3903 4We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them!G3381G4458G1437G3110G2064G4862G1698G2532G2147G5209G532G2249G3363G3004G3363G5210G2617G1722G5026G5287G2746 5So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.G3767G2233G316G3870G80G2443G4281G1519G5209G2532G4294G5216G2129G4293G5026G1511G2092G3779G5613G2129G2532G3361G5618G4124 6Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.G1161G5124G4687G5340G2325G2532G5340G2532G4687G1909G2129G2325G2532G1909G2129 7You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”G1538G2531G4255G2588G3361G1537G3077G2228G1537G318G1063G2316G25G2431G1395 8And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.G1161G2316G1415G4052G3956G5485G4052G1519G5209G2443G3842G2192G3956G841G1722G3956G4052G1519G3956G18G2041 9As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”G2531G1125G4650G1325G3993G846G1343G3306G1519G165 10For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.G1161G2023G4690G4687G2532G5524G740G1519G1035G2532G4129G5216G4703G2532G837G1081G5216G1343 11Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.G4148G1722G3956G1519G3956G572G3748G2716G1223G2257G2169G2316 12So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.G3754G1248G5026G3009G3756G3440G2076G4322G5303G40G235G4052G2532G1223G4183G2169G2316 13As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.G1223G1382G5026G1248G1392G2316G1909G5216G3671G5292G1519G2098G5547G2532G572G2842G1519G846G2532G1519G3956 14And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.G2532G846G1162G5228G5216G1971G5209G1223G5235G5485G2316G1909G5213 15Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!G1161G5485G2316G1909G846G411G1431
Dublin, OH
G1489
