As in the fyrste epistle he rebuketh the Corinthyans sharplye / so in this he comforteth them and prayseth them / and c&obar;maundeth him that was excommunicat to be receaued louingely into the congregaci&obar; agayne.

And in the fyrste and seconde Chapters he sheweth his loue to them warde / how that all that he spake / dyd or soffre / was for their sakes and for their saluacion.

Then in the .iij.iiij. and .v. he prayseth the offyce of preachinge the gospell aboue the preachynge of the lawe / and sheweth that the Gospell groweth thorow persecucion and thorow the crosse / which maketh a man sure of eternall lyfe: and here and there he toucheth the false Prophetes / which studied to turne the fayth of the people from Christ vnto th&ebar; workes of the lawe.

In the .vi. and .vij. Chapters he exhorteth them to soffre with the Gospell / and to lyue as it becometh the Gospell / and prayseth him in the later ende.

In the .viij. and .ix. Chapters he exhorteth them to helpe the poore sayntes that were at Ierusalem.

In the .x.xj. and .xij. he enuieth agaynst the false Prophetes.

And in the last Chapter he threateneth them that had synned and not amended themselues.

¶ The seconde epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthyans. ¶ The fyrst Chapter.

A   Paul an Apostle of Iesu Christ by the will of God / ∧ brother Timotheus.

Vnto the congregacion of God / which is at Corinth&ubar; / with all the saynctes which are in all Achaia. Grace be with you and peace from God oure father / and from the Lorde Iesus Christ.

Blessed be God þe; father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ / the father of mercy / ∧ the God of all comforte / which comforteth vs in all oure tribulaci&obar; / in so moche þt; we are able to c&obar;forte them which are troubled / in whatsoever tribulacion it be / with the same comforte wher with we oure selves are c&obar;forted of God. For as þe; afflicci&obar;s of ^note Christ are pl&ebar;teous in vs ev&ebar; so is oure consolaci&obar; plenteous by Christ.

Whether we be troubled for youre consolacion ∧ salvaci&obar; / which salvacion sheweth her power in þt; ye soffre þe; same afflicci&obar;s which we also suffre: B   or whether we be c&obar;forted for youre consolacion ∧ salvacion: yet oure hope is stedfast for you / in as moch as we know how that as ye have youre parte in afflicci&obar;s / so shall ye be parttakers of consolacion.

Brethren I wolde not have you ignora&ubar;t of oure trouble / which happened vnto vs in Asia. For we were greved out of measure passynge strength / so greatly that we despeared

even of lyfe. Also we receaved an answer of deeth in oure selves / ∧ that because we shuld not put oure trust in oure selves: but in God / which rayseth the deed to lyfe agayne / and which delivered vs from so gret a deeth / and doth delivre. On whom we trust / þt; yet hereafter he will deliver / by the helpe of youre prayer for vs: that by the meanes of many occasions / thankes maye be geven of many on oure behalfe / for the grace geven vnto vs.

C   Oure reioysynge is this / the testimony of oure c&obar;science / þt; in synglenes and godly purenes and not in flesshly wysdome / but by the grace of God / ^note we have had oure conuersacion in the worlde / and most of all to you wardes. We write no nother thinges vnto you / then that ye reade and also knowe. Yee and I trust ye shall fynde vs vnto the ende even as ye have founde vs partly: for we are youre reioysynge / even as ye are oures / in the daye of the Lorde Iesus.

D   And in this confidence was I mynded the other tyme to have come vnto you / that ye myght have had yet one pleasure moare: and to have passed by you into Macedonia / and to have come agayne out of Macedonia vnto you / and to have bene ledde forth to Iewrye warde of you.

When I thus wyse was mynded: dyd I vse lightnes? Or thinke I carnally those thinges which I thinke? that with me shuld be ye ye / and naye naye. God is faythfull: For oure preachynge vnto you / was not ye ∧ naye.

For Goddis sonne Iesus Christ which was preached amonge you by vs (that is to saye by me ∧ Silvanus and Timotheus) was not ye and naye: but in him it was ye. For all the promyses ^note of God / in him are ye: ∧ are in him Amen / vnto the lawde of God thorow vs. For it is God which stablissheth vs ∧ you in Christ / ∧ hath annoynted vs / which hath also sealed vs / and hath geven the ernest of the sprete into oure hertes. ¶ The .ii. Chapter. &cross2;

I call God for a recorde vnto my soule / that forto faver you with all / I came not enymoare vnto Corinthum. A   Not that we be lordes over youre fayth: but helpers of youre ioye. For by fayth ye st&obar;de. But I determened this in my silfe / þt; I wolde not come agayne to you in hevines. For yf I make you sorye / who is it that shuld make me glad / but the same which is made sory by me? And I wrote this same pistle vnto you / lest yf I came I shuld take hevynes of them of whom I ought to reioyce. Certaynly this confidence have I in you all / that my ioye is the ioye of you all. B   For in great affliccion ∧ anguysshe of hert I wrote vnto you with many teares: not to make you sory / but that ye myght perceave the love which I have most specially vnto you.

If eny man hath caused sorow / the same hath not made me sory / but partely: lest I shuld greve you all. It is sufficient vnto the same man that he was rebuked of many. So

that now contrary wyse ye ought to forgeve him and comforte him: lest that same persone shuld be swalowed vp with over moche hevines. C   Wherfore I exhorte you / that love maye have str&ebar;gth over him. For this cause verely dyd I write / that I myght knowe the profe of you / whether ye shuld be obedi&ebar;t in all thinges. To whom ye forgeve enythinge / I forgeve also. And verely if I forgeve enythinge / to whom I forgave it / for youre sakes forgave I it / in the roume of Christ / lest Satan shuld prev&ebar;t vs. For his thoughtes are not vnknowen vnto vs. &cross3;

When I was come to Troada for Christ&es; gospels sake (∧ a great dore was openned vnto me of the Lorde) I had no rest in my sprete / because I founde not Titus my brother: but toke my leave of them ∧ went awaye into Macedonia. Thankes be vnto God which alwayes geveth vs the victorie in Christ / D   ∧ openeth the saver of his knowledge by vs in every place. For we are vnto God the swete savoure of Christ / both am&obar;ge them that are saved / ^note ∧ also am&obar;ge them which perisshe. To the one parte are we þe; savoure of deeth vnto deeth. And vnto the other parte are we the savoure of lyfe vnto lyfe. And who is mete vnto these thinges? For we are not as many are which choppe and chaunge with the worde of God: but even oute of purenes / and by the power of God / and in the sight of God / so speake we in Christ. ¶ The .iii. Chapter.

A   UUe begyn to prayse oure selves agayne. Nede we as some other / of pistles of recommendacion vnto you? or letters of rec&obar;mendacion from you? Ye are oure pistle written in oure hertes / which is vnderstonde and reed of all men / in that ye are knowen / how that ye are the pistle of Christ / ministred by vs and written / not with ynke: but with the sprete of the livynge God / not in tables of stone / ^note but in flesshly tables of þe; herte. &cross2; Suche trust have we thorow Christ to god ward / not that we are sufficient of oure selves to thinke enythinge as it were of oure selves: but oure ablenes c&obar;meth of God / which hath made vs able to minister the newe testam&ebar;t / not of the letter / but of the sprete. For the letter kylleth / but the sprete geveth lyfe.

B   Yf the ministracion of deeth thorow the letters figured in stones was glorious / so þt; the chyldren of Israel coulde not beholde the face of Moses for the glory of his countena&ubar;ce (which glory neverthelesse is done awaye) why shall not the ministracion of the sprete be moche more glorious? For if þe; ministringe of condempnaci&obar; beglorious: moche more do the the ministracion of rightewesnes excede in glory. &cross3; For no dout that which was there glorified / is not once glorified in respecte of this excedynge glory. ^noteThen if that which is destroyed / was glorious / moche more shall that which remayneth / be glorious.

C   Seynge then that we have soche trust / we vse gret boldnes / and do not as Moses / which

put a vayle over his face that the children of Israel shuld not se for what purpose that served which is put awaye. But their myndes were blinded. For untill this daye remayneth the same coveringe vntak&ebar; awaye in the olde testam&ebar;t when they reade it / which in Christ is put awaye. But even vnto this daye / when Moses is redde / þe; vayle hangeth before their hertes. Neverthelesse when they tourne to þe; Lorde / the vayle shalbe taken awaye. The Lorde no dout is a sprete. And where the sprete of the Lorde is / there is ^note libertie. But we all beholde the glorye of the Lorde with his face open / and are chaunged vnto the same similitude / from glory to glory / even of the sprite of the Lorde. ¶ The .iiii. Chapter.

A   Therfore seinge that we have soche an office / ev&ebar; as mercy is come on vs / we faynte not: but have cast from vs the clokes of vnhonestie / and walke not in craftines / nether corrupte we the worde of God: but walke in open trueth / and reporte oure selves to every mannes conscience in the sight of God.

&cross2; Yf oure Gospell be yet hyd / it is hid am&obar;ge them that are lost / ^note in whom þe; god of this worlde hath blynded the myndes of them which beleve not / lest the light of þe; glorious gospell of Christ which is the ymage of god / B    shuld shyne vnto them.

&cross2; For we preache not oure selves / but Christ Iesus to be the Lorde / and oure selves youre

serva&ubar;tes / ^note for Iesus sake. For it is God that comma&ubar;ded the light to shyne out of darcknes / which hath shyned in oure hertes / for to geve the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God / in the face of Iesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in erth&ebar; vessels / that þe; excellent power of it myght appere to be of God / ∧ not of vs. We are troubled on every side / yet are we not with out shyft. We are in povertie: but not vtterly without somwhat. We are persecuted: but are not forsak&ebar;. C   We are cast doune: neverthelesse we perisshe not. And we all wayes beare in oure bodyes the dyinge of the Lorde Iesus / that the lyfe of Iesu myght appere in oure bodyes. &cross3;

For we which live / are alwayes delyvered vnto deeth for Iesus sake / þt; the lyfe also of Iesu myght appere in oure mortall flesshe. So then deeth worketh in vs / ∧ lyfe in you. &cross3;

&cross2; Seynge then þt; we have þe; same sprete of fayth / accordinge as it is writt&ebar;: I beleved ∧ therfore have I spoken. We also beleve / and therfore speake. For we knowe that he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus / ^note shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus / ∧ shall seet vs with you. For all thinges do I for youre sakes / that the plenteous grace by thankes gev&ebar; of many / maye redounde to the prayse of god.

Wherfore we are not weried / but though oure vttward man perisshe / yet the inwarde man is renewed daye by daye. D   For oure excedinge tribulacion which is momentany and light prepareth an excedinge and an eternall

wayght of glorye vnto vs / whill we loke not on the thynges which are sene / but on þe; thynges which are not sene. For thinges which are sene / are temporall: but thynges which are not sene / are eternall / &cross3; ¶ The .v. Chapter.

UVe knowe suerly yf oure erthy mancion wherin we now dwell were destroyed / that we have a bildinge ordeyned of god / A   an habitacion not made with hondes / but eternall in hev&ebar;. And herefore sigh we / desyringe to be clothed &wt; oure mansion which is from heven: so yet if that we be founde clothed / and not naked. For as longe as we are in this tabernacle / we sigh and are greved for we wold not be vnclothed but wolde be clothed apon / ^note that mortalite myght be swalowed vp of lyfe. He that hath ordeyned vs for this thynge / ys god which very same hath geven vnto vs the ernest of the sprete.

Therfore we are alwaye of good chere / and knowe well that as longe as we are at home in the body / we are absent from God. For we walke in fayth and se not. B   Neverthelesse we are of good comforte / and had lever to be absent from the body and to be present with the lorde. Wherfore / whether we be at home or from home we endeuoure oure selves to please him. ^noteFor we must all appere before the iudgement seate of Christ / that every man maye receave the workes of his body accordynge to that he hath done / whether it be good or bad? &cross2; Seynge then that we knowe / how

the lorde is to be feared / ^note we fare fayre with men. For we are knowen wel ynough vnto God. I trust also that we are knowen in youre consciences.

C   We prayse not oure selves agayne vnto you / but geve you an occasion to reioyce of vs / that ye maye have some what agaynst th&ebar; / whych reioyce in the face / and not in the hert. For yf we be to fervent / to God are we to fervent. Yf we kepe measure / for youre cause kepe we measure. For the love of Christ c&obar;strayneth vs / be cause we thus iudge / ^note yf one be deed for all / þt; then are all deed / and that he dyed for all / that they which live / shuld not hence forth live vnto them selves but vnto hym whith died for them and rose agayne. &cross3;

Wherfore henceforth knowe we no man after the flesshe. In somoche though we have know&ebar; Christ after the flesshe / now hence forthe knowe we hym so no more. Therfore yf eny man be in Christ / he is a newe creature. D   Olde thyng&es; are passed awaye / beholde all thinges are be come newe. ^noteNeverthelesse all thing&es; are of god / which hath reconciled vs vnto him sylfe by ^note Iesus Christ / ∧ hath geven vnto vs the office to preach the atonement. For god was in Christ / and made agrement bitwene the worlde and hym sylfe / ∧ imputed not their synnes vnto them: ∧ hath c&obar;mitted to vs the preachynge of þe; atonm&ebar;t. Now then are we messengers in the roume of Christ: even as though God did beseche you thorow vs: So praye we you in Christes stede

/ that ye be atone with God: ^note for he hath made him to be synne for vs / which knewe no synne / that we by his meanes shuld be that rightewesnes which before God is aloved. The .vi. Chapter. &cross2;

A   UVe as helpers therfore exhorte you / þt; ye receave not the grace of god in (vayne) ^note For he saith: I have hearde the in a tyme accepted: and in þe; daye of saluacion / have I suckered the. Beholde now is that well accepted tyme: beholde now is þt; daye of saluacion. Let vs geve no man occasion of evyll / that in oure office be founde no faute: but in all thynges let vs behave oure selves as the ministers of God.

B   In moche pacience / in afflici&obar;s / in necessite / in anguysshe / in strypes / in presonm&ebar;t / in stryfe / in laboure / in watchinge / in fastyng / ^note in purenes / in knowledge / in longe sufferynge / in kyndnes / in the holy goost / in love vnfayned / in þe; word&es; of trueth / in the power of God / by þe; armoure ^note of rightewesnes on þe; right honde and on the lyfte / in honoure and dishonoure / in evyll reporte and good reporte / as desceauers and yet true / as unknowen / and yet knowen: as dyinge / and beholde we yet live: as chastened / and not killed: as sorowynge / and yet alwaye mery: as poore / and yet make many ryche: as havynge nothynge / and yet possessynge all thynges. &cross3;

C   O ye Corinthyans / oure mouth is open vnto you. Oure herte is made large: ye are in no strayte in vs / but are in a strayte in youre

awne bowelles: I promyse you lyke rewarde with me as to my childr&ebar;. Set youreselues therfore at large / and &cross2; beare not a stra&ubar;gers yoke wyth the vnbelevers. For what fellishippe hath rightewesnes with vnrightewesnes? What company hath light &wt; darcknes? What c&obar;corde hath Christ with beliall? Ether what parte hath he þt; beleveth with an infidele? how agreeth the temple of god &wt; ymages? D    ^noteAnd ye are the temple of þt; lyuynge god / as sayde god. ^noteI will dwell amonge th&ebar; ∧ walke am&obar;ge th&ebar; / ∧ wilbe their god: and they shalbe my people. Wherfore come out from am&obar;ge th&ebar; / ∧ separate youreselues (sayth the lorde) and touche none vncleane thynge: so wyll I receave you / and wilbe a father vnto you / and ye shalbe vnto me sonnes and doughters / sayth the lorde almyghty. ¶ The .vii. Chapter.

A   Seynge that we have soche promeses derely beloved / let vs clense oure selves from all fylthynes of the flesshe and sprete / and growe vp to full holynes in þe; feare of God. Vnderstonde vs. we have hurte no man: we have corrupte no man: we have defrauded no man. I speake not this to condempne you: for I have shewed you before þt; ye are in oure hertes to dye ∧ live with you. I am very bolde over you / and reioyce greatly in you. I am filled with comforte and am excadinge ioyouse in all oure tribulacions. For when we were come into Macedonia / oure flesshe had no rest / but we were troubled on

every syde. Outwarde was fightynge / inwarde was feare. Neverthelesse God that comfortith the abiecte / comforted vs at the commynge of Titus.

B   And not with his commynge only: but also with the consolacion wherwith he was comforted of you. For he tolde vs youre desyre / youre mornynge / youre fervent mynde to me warde: so that I now reioyce the more. Wherfore though I made you sory with a letter / I repent not: though I did repent. For I perceave that þe; same pistle made you sory / though it were but for a ceason. But I now reioyce / not that ye were sory / but that ye so sorowed / that ye repented. For ye sorowed godly: so þt; in nothynge ye were hurte by vs. For godly sorowe causeth repentaunce vnto salvacion ^note not to be repented of: when worldly sorow causeth deeth.

C   Beholde what diligence this godly sorowe that ye toke / hath wrought in you: yee it caused you to cleare youre selves. It caused indignacion / it caused feare / yt caused desyre / it caused a fervent mynde / it caused punysshment. For in all thynges ye have shewed youreselues that ye were cleare in that matter. Wherfore though I wrote vnto you / I did it not for his cause that did hurte / nether for his cause that was hurte: but that oure good mynde whych we have towarde you in the sight of god / myght appere vnto you.

D   Therfore we are comforted / because ye are comforted: yee and excedyngly the moare ioyed

we / for the ioye that Titus had: because his sprete was refresshed of you all. I &abar; therfor / not now ashamed / though I bosted my sylfe to hym of you. For as all thynges which I preached vnto you are true / even so is oure bostynge / that I bosted my silfe to Titus &wt; all / founde true. And now is his inwarde affection more aboundant towarde you / when he remembreth the obedience of every one of you: how with feare and trymblynge ye receaved hym. I reioyce that I maye be bolde over you in all thynges. ¶ The .viii. Chapter.

A   I do you to wit brethren / of the grace of god which is geven in the congregacions of Macedonia / how that the aboundaunce of their reioysing is / that they are tried &wt; moche tribulaci&obar;. And therto though they were excedinge poore / yet haue they geu&ebar; excedinge richly / and that in singlenesse. For to their powers (I beare recorde) yee and beyonde their power / they were willynge of their owne accorde / and prayed vs with great instaunce that we wolde receave their benefite / and suffre them to be parttakers with other in ministrynge to the saynctes. And this they did / not as we loked for: but gave their awne selves fyrst to the lorde / and after vnto vs by the will of God: so that we coulde not but desyre Titus to acomplysshe the same benivolence amonge you also / even as he had begonne.

B   Now therfore / as ye are ryche in all parties in fayth / in worde / in knowledge / in all ferv&ebar;tnes / and in love / which ye have to vs: even so se that ye be plenteons in this benivolence. Thys saye I not as commaundynge: but be cause other are so fervent / therfore prove I youre love / whether it be perfait or no. Ye knowe the liberalitie of oure lorde Iesus Christ / which though he were riche / yet for youre sakes be came poore: that ye thorow his povertie / myght be made ryche.

And I geve counsell hereto. For this is expedient for you / which beganne / not to do only: but also to will / a yeare a goo. Now therfore performe the dede: that as ther was in you a redines to will / even so ye maye performe the dede / of that which ye have. For if ther be fyrst a willynge mynde / it is accepted accordynge to that a man hath / and not accordinge to that he hath not.

C   It is not my mynde that other be set at ease / and ye brought into combraunce: but that ther be egalnes now at this tyme / that youre aboundaunce sucker their lacke: that their aboundaunce maye supplie youre lacke: that ther maye be equalite / ^note agreynge to that which is written. He that gaddered moche / had never the more aboundaunce / ∧ he þt; gaddered lytell had never the lesse. Thankes be vnto god / which put in þe; hert of Titus the same good mynde toward you. For he accepted þe; request yee rather he was so well willynge that of his

awne accorde came vnto you.

We haue sent with him that brother whose laude is in the gospell thorow out all the congregacions: and not so only / D   but is also chosen of the congregacions to be a felowe with vs in oure iorney concerninge this benivolence that is ministred by vs vnto the prayse of þe; lorde / and to stere vp youre prompt mynde.

For thys we eschue / that eny man shuld rebuke vs in this plenteous distribucion that is ministred by vs / and therfore make provision for honest thynges / not in the sight of god only / but also in the sight of men.

We have sent with them a brother of oures whom we have ofte tymes proved dilig&ebar;t in many thynges / but now moche more diligent. The great confidence which I have in you. hath caused me this to do: partly for Titus sake which is my felowe and helper as c&obar;cernynge you / partly because of other which are oure brethren / and the messengers of the congregaci&obar;s / and þe; glory of Christ. Wherfore shewe vnto them the proffe of youre love / ∧ of the reioysynge that we have of you / that þe; congregacions maye se it. The .ix. Chapter.

A   Of the ministrynge to þe; saynctes / it is but superfluous for me to write vnto you: for I knowe youre redynes of m&ibar;de / wherof I bost my silfe vnto them of Macedonia / ∧ saye that Achaia was prepared a yeare a goo / and youre ferventnes hath provoked many. Never thelesse yet have I sent these

brethren / lest oure reioysynge over you shuld be in vayne in this behalfe / and that ye (as I have sayd) preparare youre selues / lest parav&ebar;ture yf they of Macedonia come with me ∧ fynde you vnprepared / the boost that I made in this matter / shuld be a shame to vs: I saye not vnto you.

B   Wherfore I thought it necessary to exhorte the brethren / to come before h&obar;de vnto you forto prepare youre good blessynge promysed afore / that it myght be redy: so þt; it be a blessynge / and not a defraudynge. &cross2; This yet remember / howe that he which soweth lytell / shall reepe lytell: ∧ he þt; soweth plenteously shall reepe plenteously. And let every man do accordynge as he hath purposed in his herte ^note / not groudgyngly / or of necessite. For god loveth a chearfull gever.

C   God is able to make you ryche in all grace that ye in all thynges havynge suffici&ebar;t vnto the vttmoste / ^note maye be ryche vnto all manner good workes / as it is written: He þt; sparsed abroade and hath geven to the povre / his rightewesnes remayneth for ever. He þt; fyndeth the sower seed / shall minister breed for fode / and shall multiplie youre seed and increace the frutes of youre rightewesnes &cross3; that on all parties / ye maye be made ryche in all synglenes / which causeth thorowe vs / thankes gevynge vnto god.

D   For the office of this ministracion / not only supplieth the nede of the sayntes: but also is aboundaunt herein / that for this laudable

ministrynge / thankes myght be geven to god of many / whiche prayse god for the obedience of youre professynge þe; gospell of Christ / and for youre synglenes in distributynge to them and to all m&ebar;: and in their prayers to God for you / longe after you / for the aboundauut grace of God geven vnto you. Thankes be vnto God for his vn speakeable gyft. ¶ The .x. Chapter.

A   I Paule my silfe beseche you by the mekenes and softnes of Christ / which when I am present am&obar;ge you / am of no reputaci&obar; / but am bolde towarde you beinge absent. I besech you that I nede not to be bolde when I am present (with that same confid&ebar;ce / wher with I am supposed to be bolde) agaynst some which repute vs as though we walked carnally. Neverthelesse though we walke compased with þe; fleshe / B   yet we warre not flesshlye For the weap&ebar;s of oure warre are not carnall thinges / but thynges myghty in god to cast doune stronge holdes / wherwith we overthrowe ymaginacyons / ∧ every hye thynge that exalteh it silfe agaynst the knowledge of god and brynge into captivite all vnderstondynge to the obedience of Christ / and are redy to take vengeaunce on all disobedience / when youre obedience is fulfilled. Loke ye on thynges after þe; vtter apparence?

C   Yf eny man trust in him silfe þt; he is Christis / let the same also considre of him silfe / þt; as he is Christis / even so are we Christ&es;. And though I shuld bost my silfe somewhat moare

of oure auctorite which the lorde hath geven vs to edifie ∧ not to destroye you / it shulde not be to my shame. This saye I / lest I shuld seme as though I went about to make you a frayde with letters. For þe; pistles (sayth he) are sore and stronge: but his bodyly presence is weake / and his speache rude. Let him þt; is soche thynke on this wyse / that as we are in wordes by letters when we are absent / soche are we in dedes when we are present.

For we cannot fynde in oure hertes to make oure selves of þe; nombre of them / or to compare oure selves to them / which laude th&ebar; selves neuerthelesse whill they measure th&ebar; selves &wt; them selves / ∧ c&obar;pare th&ebar; selves &wt; th&ebar; selves / they vnderst&obar;de nought. But we wyll not reioyce above measure: D   but accordynge to the quantitie of þe; measure which god hath distributed vnto vs / a measure that reacheth even vnto you. For we stretche uot out oure selves bey&obar;de measure as though we had not reached vnto you. ^noteFor even vnto you have we come with the gospell of Christ / ∧ we bost not oure selves out of measure in other mens labours. Ye ∧ we hope / when youre fayth is increased am&obar;ge you / to be magnified acordynge to oure measure more largely / and to preache þe; gospell in those regions which are bey&obar;de you: ∧ not to reioyce of that which is by another mans measure prepared all redy. Let him þt; reioyseth / reioyce in the ^note lorde. For he that prayseth him silfe / is not alowed: but he whom the lorde prayseth. ¶ The .xi. Cha.

UVolde to god / ye coulde suffre me a lytell in my folysshnes: yee / and I praye you forbeare me. For I am gelous over you with godly gelousy. A    ^noteFor I coupled you to one man / to make you a chaste virgen to Christ. But I feare lest as the serpent begyled Eve / thorow his sutteltie / even so youre wittes shuld be corrupte from the singlenes that is in Christ. For if he that commeth preache another Iesus then hym whom we preached: or if ye receave another sprete then that which ye have receaved: other another gospell then that ye have receaved / ye myght right wel have bene content.

I suppose that I was not behynde þe; chefe apostles. Though I be rude in speakynge / yet I am not so in knowledge. How be it amonge you we are knowen to the vtmost what we are in all thynges. B   Did I therin synne / be cause I submitted my silfe / that ye myght be exalted / ∧ because I preached to you the gospell of God fre? I robbed other congregacions / and toke wages of th&ebar; / to do you service with all. And when I was present with yov and had nede / I was greuous to no man for that which was lackynge vnto me / the brethren which came from Macedonia / supplied: ∧ in all thynges I kept my silfe that I shuld not be greveous to you: ∧ so will I kepe my silfe.

Yf the trueth of Christ be in me / this ieioysynge shall not be taken from me in the regions of Achaia. C   Wherfore? Be cause I love you not? God knoweth. Neverthe lesse what

I doo / that will I do / to cut awaye occasion from them which desyre occasion / that they myght be founde lyke vnto vs in that wherin they reioyce. For these falce apostles are disceatefull workers / D   and fassion them selves lyke vnto þe; apostles of Christ. And no marvayle / for satan him silfe is chaunged into the fassion of an angell of light. Therfore it is no great thynge / though his ministers fassion them selves as though they were the ministers of rightewesnes: whose ende shalbe acordynge to their dedes.

I saye agayne / lest eny man thynke þt; I am folishe: or els ev&ebar; now take me as a fole / that I maye bost my silfe a lytell. That I speake / I speake it not after the wayes of the lorde: but as it were folysshly / whill we are now come to bostynge. Seynge that many reioyce after þe; flesshe I will reioyce also. For ye suffre foles gladly / be cause that ye youre selves are wyse. E   For ye suffre even if a man brynge you into ^note bondage: yf a m&abar; devoure: yf a man take: yf a man exalt hym silfe: yf a man smyte you on the face. I speake as concernynge rebuke / as though we had bene weake.

How be it wherin soever eny man dare be bolde (I speake folisshly) I dare be bolde also They are Ebrues / so am I: They are Israelit&es; / ev&ebar; so am I. They are þe; seede of Abrah&abar; / even so am I. They are þe; ministers of Christ (I speake as a fole) I am moare: In labours moare abound&abar;t: In strypes above measure: In preson more plenteously: In deeth ofte.

Of the Iewes five tymes receaved I every tyme .xl. strypes saue one. ^noteThryse was I beten with roddes. I was once stoned. F   I suffered thryse shipwracke. Nyght and daye have I bene in the depe of the see. In iorneyinge often: In parels of waters: In parels of robbers: In ieoperdies of myne awne nacion: In ieoperdies am&obar;ge the hethen. I have bene in parels in cities / in parels in wildernes / in parels in the see / in parels amonge falce brethren / in laboure and travayle / in watchynge often / in honger / in thirst / in fastynges often / in colde and in nakednes.

And besyde the thyng&es; which outwardly happ&ebar; vnto me / I am c&obar;bred dayly / ∧ do care for all congregacions. Who is sicke / ∧ I am not sicke? Who is hurte in the fayth and my hert burneth not? Yf I must nedes reioyce / I will reioyce of myne infirmities. The .xii. Chapter.

A   The God and father of oure lorde Iesus Christ / which is blessed for evermore / knoweth that I lye not &cross2; In þe; citie of Damascon / ^note the governer of þe; people vnder kynge Aretas / layde watche in þe; citie of the Damasc&ebar;s / ∧ wolde have caught me / ∧ at a wyndowe was I let doune in a basket thorowe the wall / and so scaped his hondes.

^noteIt is not expedi&ebar;t for me (no dout to reioyce. Neverthelesse I will come to visions and revelaci&obar;s of þe; lorde. I knowe a m&abar; in Christ above .xiiij. yeares agone (whether he weare in þe; body I cannot tell / or whether he were oute

of þe; body I c&abar;not tell / god knoweth) which was tak&ebar; vp into the thyrd heven. And I knowe the same man (whether in the body / or out of the body / I c&abar;not tell god knoweth) howe þt; he was tak&ebar; vp into paradise / ∧ hearde word&es; not to be spok&ebar; / which no man can vtter. B   Of this man will I reioyce / of my silfe will I not reioyce / except it be of myne infirmities. And yet though I wolde reioyce / I shuld not be a fole: for I wolde saye the trouthe. Neverthe lesse I spare / lest eny man shuld thynke of me above that he seith me to be / or heareth of me.

And lest I shuld be exalted out of measure thorow the aboundance of revelacions / ther was geven vnto me vnquyetnes of the flesshe / the messenger of Satan to buffet me: be cause I shuld not be exalted out of measure C   For this thynge besought I the lorde thryse / that it myght departe from me. And he sayde vnto me: my grace is sufficient for the. For my str&ebar;gth is made perfact thorow weaknes. Very gladly therfore will I reioyce of my weaknes / ^note that the strength of Christ maye dwell in me &cross3; Therfore have I delectacion in infirmities / in rebukes / in nede / in persecucions / in anguyshe / for Christis sake. For when I am weake / then am I stronge.

I am made a fole in bostynge my silfe. Ye have c&obar;pelled me: I ought to have bene c&obar;m&ebar;ded of you. For in nothinge was I inferior vnto þe; chefe apostels / Though I be nothynge / yet þe; tok&ebar;s of an apostle were wrought am&obar;ge

you with all pacience: with signes / and wonders / and myghty dedes. ^noteFor what is it wherin ye were inferiors vnto other c&obar;gregacions except it be therin that I was not greveous vnto you. D   Forgeve me this wronge done vnto you. Beholde now þe; thyrde tyme I am redy to come vnto you: and yet will I not be grevous vnto you. For I seke not youres / but you. Also the children ought not to laye vp for the fathers and mothers: but the fathers and mothers for the children.

I will very gladly bestowe / ∧ wilbe bestowed for youre soules: though the moare I love you / þe; lesse I am loved agayne. But be it þt; I greved you not: never the lesse I was crafty ∧ toke you with gile. Did I pill you by eny of th&ebar; which I sent vnto you? I desyred Titus / ∧ &wt; him I sent a brother. Did Titus defraude you of eny thynge? walked we not in one sprete? walked we not in lyke steppes? Agayne / thynke ye þt; we excuse oure selves? We speake in Christ in the sight of God.

E   But we do all thynges dearly beloved for youre edifyinge. For I feare lest it come to passe / that when I come / I shall not fynde you soche as I wolde: and I shalbe fo&ubar;de vnto you soche as ye wolde not: I feare lest ther be founde am&obar;ge you debate / envyinge / wrath stryfe / backbytynges / whisperynges / swellynges ∧ discorde. I feare lest when I come agayne / God brynge me lowe amoge you / and I be constrayned to bewayle many of th&ebar; which have synned all redy / and have not repented

of the vnclennes / fornicacion and want&abar;nes which they haue committed. The .xiii. Chapter.

Now come I the thyrd tyme vnto you In the mouth of two or thre witnesses shall every thinge stonde. I tolde you before / A   ∧ tell you before: ^note ∧ as I sayde wh&ebar; I was present with you the seconde tyme / so wryte I now beynge absent / to them which in tyme past have synned / ∧ to all other: þt; if I come agayne / I will not spare / seynge þt; ye seke experience of Christ which speaketh in me / which am&obar;ge you is not weake / but is myghty in you. And verely though it came of weaknes that he was crucified / yet liveth he thorow the power of God. And we no dout are weake in him: but we shall live with him / by the myght of God amonge you.

B   Prove youre selves whether ye are in the fayth or not. Examen youre owne selves: knowe ye not youre awne selves / how that Iesus Christ is in you excepte ye be castawayes? I trust that ye shall knowe þt; we are not castawayes. I desyre before God that ye do none evyll / not that we shuld seme c&obar;mendable: but that ye shuld do that which is honest: ∧ let vs be counted as leawde persones. We can do no thinge agaynst the trueth / but for the trueth. C   We are glad when we are weake / and ye stronge. This also we wisshe for / even that ye were perfect. Therfore write I these thinges beynge absent / lest when I am present / I shuld vse sharpenes accordinge to the

power which the Lorde hath geven me / to edifie / and not to destroye.

D   Finallye brethren fare ye well / be perfect / be of good comforte / be of one mynde / lyve in peace / ∧ the God of love ∧ peace / shalbe with you. Grete one another in an holy kysse. All þe; saynct&es; salute you. The grace of oure Lorde Iesus Christ / ∧ the love of God / ∧ the fellishippe of the holy goost / be with you all. Am&ebar; ¶ The seconde epistle to the Corinthians. ¶ Sent from Philippos a citie in Macedonia / by Titus and Lucas.

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