c. ii. 13. CHAPTER VII. HAVING, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Receive us with welcome; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have defrauded no one. 3 I speak not to condemn you: for I said before, that we have you in our hearts, both to die and to live with you. 4 Great is my boldness toward you; great is my glorying of you I am filled with comfort; I overflow with joy, in all our tribulation: 5 for, when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were harassed on every side; without were conflicts, within were fears: 6 but God, who comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the arrival of Titus: 7 and not by his arrival only; but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal toward me; so that I rejoiced the more. 8 And though, indeed, I grieved you by my letter, I do not regret it: I saw that that letter grieved you, though it was only for a season, yet I now rejoice; 10 not that ye were grieved, but that ye grieved to repentance for ye grieved towards God, that in nothing ye might receive detriment from us : 11 for, grief towards God, worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but the grief of the world worketh death. 12 For behold, this very grieving towards God, what earnestness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what emulation, yea, what vindication! in all things ye have proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 13 And, truly, when I wrote to you, I wrote not for his sake only that did the wrong, nor yet for his sake only that suffered the wrong; but, that our concern for you might be manifested to you, before God. 14 On this account we were comforted: but, in addition to that our comfort, we more exceedingly rejoiced for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was soothed by you all : 15 for, in whatever I boasted to him of you, I have not been shamed; but, as we spake all 9 although I did regret it, when things to you in truth, so also our boasting of you to Titus, terance, and knowledge, and is found to be truth, 16 and his affection toward you is more abundant, when he remembereth the obedience of you all, how ye received him with fear and trembling: 17 I rejoice, therefore, because I have confidence in you, in every thing. CHAPTER VIII. MOREOVER, we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God which hath been bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 that in much trial of affliction, was the abundance of their joy; and that their deep poActs, xi. 29. verty, abounded to the richness of their liberality: 3 for I bear them witness, that to their power, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves; 4 beseeching of us, with much entreaty, the favour of a fellowship in the service of the saints. 5 And this they did, beyond our hope; first giving themselves to the Lord, and then to us, by the will of God: 6 so that we exhorted Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also perfect the same grace in you. 7 As, therefore, ye abound in every thing, in faith, and ut all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. 8 I say it not as a command; but, to prove the sincerity of your love, by the forwardness of others: 9 for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes Philip. ii. 6, 7he became poor; that through his poverty, ye might become rich: 10 but I give my opinion in this matter: for this is expedient for you, who not only have begun to do it, but were willing beforehand, even a year ago. 11 Now, therefore, accomplish the doing it; that, as ye had a readiness to will, so also ye may have to perform it, out of that which ye have: 12 for, if there be first a willing mind, the gift is accepted according to that which a man hath, and not according to that which he hath not. 13 For I intend not relief to others, and distress to you; but, by an equality : 14 that, at this present time, your abundance may be a supply for their want; and that their abundance may become a supply for your want: so that there may be an equality: c. ix. 2. 15 as it is written, "He that Exod. xvi. 18. "had gathered much, had no 66 thing over; and he that had gathered little, had no want." 16 And thanks be to God, who put that earnest concern for you into the heart of Titus: 17 for he received, indeed, our exhortation; but, being very forward, he went to you of his own accord. 18 And we have sent with him after, they are messengers of 24 wherefore, shew to them, CHAPTER IX. the brother, whose praise in BUT, indeed, it is superflu- 19 and not that only, but Acts, xi. 29. who also was appointed, by the churches, to be our fellow-traveller with that bounty which was administered by us, to the glory of the Lord, and to the demonstration of our own readi ness: 20 avoiding this; that any one should blame us in the application of that munificence which is administered by us: 21 for we are provident to do what is right, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 And, with them, we have sent our brother, whom we have often proved to be diligent in many things; but now much more diligent, through the great confidence which he hath in you: 23 and, if any inquire concerning Titus, he is my partner and fellow-labourer for you: or, if our other brethren be inquired, ous for me to write to you concerning the ministering to the saints; 2 for I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to the Macedonians, telling them, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your c. víli. 10. zeal hath excited very many : 3 nevertheless, I have sent the brethren to you, that our boasting of you should not be in vain in this particular; that ye may be ready, as I said ye were: 4 lest, if any Macedonians should come with me, and find that you are not ready, we (not to say, ye) should be shamed in this ground of our confidence: 5 therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you, and to take measures beforehand; that your promised bounty might be ready as a bounty on your part, and not as an extortion on our part. 6 But, remember this, that he Gal. vi. 7. who soweth sparingly, will also Fs. cxii. 9. reap sparingly; and he who soweth bountifully, will also reap bountifully. 7 Let each give, as he had first designed in his heart; not regretfully, or as of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver: 8 and God is able to make every gift abound toward yourselves; so that, having always all sufficiency in all things, ye may abound to every good work; 9 as it is written, " He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his justi"fication remaineth for ever." 66 10 And he who supplieth seed to the sower, will both supply bread for your food, and will multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your justification; 11 being in every thing enriched for all bountifulness, which, through us, worketh thanksgiving to God. 12 For, the administration of this service, not only supplieth the wants of the saints; but aboundeth also, in many thanksgivings to God; 13 while, by the experience of that administration, they glorify God for the submission of your profession of the gospel of Christ, and for your bounty to them, and to all men ; 14 longing also after you, in their prayer for you, on account of the exceeding grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God, for his unspeakable gift! CHAPTER X. AND I, Paul, do myself ex hort you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ; who in presence am lowly among you, but, while absent, am bold toward you; 2 nay, I beseech you, that, when I am present, I may not be bold with that confidence with which I think to be bold against some, who account of us as if we walked according to the flesh: 3 for, though we walk in the flesh, we war not according to the flesh : 4 for, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but are mighty, through God, to the demolishing of resistances; 5 with which we demolish disputings, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God; and bring every thought into captivity, to the obedience of Christ; 6 and are in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be completed. 7 Look ye on things according to the outward appearance only? if any one thinketh he may trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him also think this of himself, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we : 8 for, if I should boast somewhat largely of our authority, which the Lord hath given us c. xiii. 10. for your edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be shamed: 9 that I may not seem, as if I would only terrify you by my letters: 10 for, his letters, they say, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible: 11 let such an one take account of this, that, as we are in word by letters, when we are absent, such will we also be in deed, when we are present. 12 For, we dare not number, or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves; but they consider not, that they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves among themselves: 13 but, we will not boast of things beyond our measure, but only according to the measure of the rule which God hath measured out for us, and which extendeth even to you: 14 for we do not overstretch ourselves (as if we did not reach to you); for we came even as far as to you, in preaching the gospel of Christ: 15 not boasting, I say, of things beyond our measure, that is, of others' labours; but having a hope, that, when your faith is increased among you, |