1    ^noteAnd vve09Q1177 helping do exhorte, that you receiue not the09Q1178 grace of God in vaine.

2   (For he saith, In time accepted haue I heard thee: and in the day of saluation haue I helpen thee. ^note Behold, novv is the time acceptable: behold novv the day of saluation.)

3   to no man giuing any offence, that our ministerie be not blamed: ^note

4   but in al things let vs exhibite our selues as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses,

5   in stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labours,09Q1179 in vvatchings, in fastings,

6   in chastitie, in knovvledge, in l&obar;ganimitie, in svveetenes, in the holy Ghost, in charitie not feined,

7   in the vvord of truth, in the vertue of God, by the armour of iustice on the right hand, and on the left,

8   by honour and dishonour, by infamie and good fame: as seducers, and true: as they that are vnknovven, and knovven:

9   as dying, and behold vve liue: as chastened, & not killed:

10   as sorovvful, but alvvaies reioycing: as needie, but enriching many: as ^note hauing nothing, and possessing al things. &cross4;

11   Our mouth is open to you ô Corinthians, our hart is dilated.

12   You are not straitened in vs: but in your ovvne bovvels you are straitened.

13   But hauing the same revvard (I speake as to my children) be you also dilated.

14    ^noteBeare not the yoke vvith infidels. For vvhat participation hath iustice vvith iniquitie? or09Q1180 vvhat societie is there betwene light and darkenes?

15   And vvhat agreement vvith Christ and Belial? or vvhat part hath the faithful vvith the infidel?

16   And vvhat agreement hath the temple of God vvith Idols? For

you are the temple of the liuing God. as God saith, That I vvil dvvel, and vvalke in them, and vvil be their God: and they shal be my people. ^note

17   For the vvhich cause, Goe out of the middes of them, and separate your selues, saith our Lord, and touch not the vncleane: and I vvil receiue you.

18   and I vvil be a father to you: and you shal, be my sonnes and daughters, saith our Lord omnipotent. ^{note note note note note} Chap. VII. He procedeth to exhorte them to puritie, and to receiue him into their charitie. 3 Which lest they should thinke be speaketh to accuse them, he commendeth them highly, both for their behauiour tovvard Titus, and for their penance vvhich they had done vpon his other epistle.

1   Having therfore these promisses, my deerest, let vs cleanse our selues from al inquinati&obar; of the flesh and spirit, perfiting sanctification in the feare of God.

2   Receiue vs. Vve haue hurt no man, vve haue corrupted no man, vve haue circumuented no man.

3   I speake not to your c&obar;demnation. for I said before that you are in our hartes to die together and to liue together.

4   Much is my confidence vvith you, much is my glorying for you: I am replenished vvith

consolation: I do excedingly abound in ioy in al our tribulation.

5   For also vvhen vve vvere come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but vve suffered al tribulati&obar;: vvithout, combats: vvithin, feares.

6   But God that comforteth the humble, did comforte vs, in the comming of Titus.

7   And not only in his comming, but also in the consolation, vvhervvith he vvas comforted among you, reporting to vs your desire, your vveeping, your emulation for me, so that I reioyced the more.

8   For although I made you sorie in an epistle, it repenteth me not: albeit it repented me, seing that the same epistle (although but for a time) did make you sorie.

9   Novv I am glad: not because you vvere made sorie, but because you vvere made09Q1181 sorie to penance. For you vvere made sorie according to God, that in nothing you should suffer detriment by vs.

10   For ^note the sorovv that is according to God, vvorketh penance vnto saluation that is stable: but the sorovv of the vvorld vvorketh death.

11   For behold this very thing, that you vvere made sorie according to God, hovv great carefulnes it vvorketh in you: yea defense, yea indignation, yea feare, yea desire, yea emulation, yea reuenge. in al things you haue shevved your selues to be vndefiled in the matter.

12   Therfore although I vvrote to you, not for him that did the iniurie, nor for him that suffered: but to manifest our carefulnes that vve haue for you before God,

13   therfore vve are comforted. But in our consolation, vve did the more aboundantly reioyce vpon the ioy of Titus, because his spirit vvas refreshed of al you.

14   And if to him I gloried any thing of you, I am not c&obar;founded: but as vve spake al things to you in truth,

15   and his bovvels are more aboundantly toward you: remembring the obedience of you al, hovv vvith feare and trembling you receiued him.

16   I reioyce that in al things I haue confidence in you. ^note

Chap. VIII. By the example of the poore Macedonians he exhorteth them to contribute largely vnto the Church of Hierusalem, 7 and by praising of them, 9 and by the example of Christ. 14 and by their ovvne spiritual profite in being partakers of that Churches merites, 16 and by commending the collectors that he sendeth.

1   And vve doe you to vnderstand, brethren, the grace of God, that is giuen in the churches of Macedonia,

2   that in much experience of tribulation they had aboundance of ioy, & their very deepe pouertie abounded vnto the riches of their simplicitie,

3   for according to their povver (I giue them testimonie) and aboue their povver they vvere willing,

4   vvith much exhortation requesting vs the grace and communication of the ministerie that is done tovvard the saincts.

5   And not as vve hoped, but their ovvne selues they gaue, first to our Lord, ^note then to vs by the vvil of God:

6   in so much that vve desired Titus, that as he began, so also he vvould perfit in you this grace also.

7   But as in al things you abound in faith, and vvord, and knovvledge, & al carefulnes, moreouer also in your charitie tovvard vs, that in this grace also you may abounde.

8   I speake not as commaunding: but by the carefulnes of others, approuing also the good disposition of your charitie. ^note

9   For you knovv the grace of our Lord Iesvs Christ, that for you he vvas made poore, wheras he vvas riche: that by his pouertie you might be riche.

10   And in this point I giue counsel: for this is profitable for you, vvhich haue beg&obar;ne not only to doe, but also to be willing, from the yere past:

11   but novv perfourme ye it also in deede: that as your minde is prompt to be vvilling, so it may be also to perfourme, of that vvhich you haue.

12   For if the vvil be prompt: it is accepted according to that vvhich it hath, not according to that vvhich it hath not.

13   For not that other should haue ease, and you tribulation: but by an equalitie.

14   Let in this present time your09Q1182 aboundance supplie their vvant: that their aboundance also may supplie your vvant, that there be an equalitie,

15   as it is vvritten: He that had much, abounded not: and he that had litle, vvanted not. &cross4; ^note

16    ^noteAnd thankes be to God, that hath giuen the self same carefulnes for you in the hart of Titus,

17   for that he admitted in deede exhortation: but being more careful, of his ovvne

vvil he vvent vnto you.

18   Vve haue sent also vvith him the brother, vvhose praise is in the Gospel through al the churches:

19   & not only that, but also he vvas ordeined of the churches fellovv of our peregrination, for this grace vvhich is ministred of vs to the glorie of our Lord, and our determined vvil:

20   auoiding this, lest any man might reprehend vs in this fulnes that is ministred of vs.

21   For vve prouide good things ^note not only before God, but also before men.

22   And vve haue sent vvith them our brother also, vvhom vve haue proued in many things often to be careful: but now much more careful, for the great confidence in you,

23   either for Titus vvhich is my fellovv and coadiutor tovvard you, or our brethren Apostles of the churches, the glorie of Christ.

24   The declaration therfore vvhich is of your charitie and our glorying for you, declare ye tovvard them in the face of the churches. &cross4; ^note Chap. IX. He procedeth exhorting them to the foresaid contribution, 3 to verifie his commending of them. 6 and to do it liberally, that so they may merite the more, and God be the more praised.

1   For concerning the ministerie that is done09Q1183 tovvard the sainctes, it is superfluous for me to vvrite vnto you.

2   For I know your prompt minde: for the which I glorie of you to the Macedonians: That Achaia also is ready from the yere past, and your emulation hath prouoked very many.

3   But I haue sent the brethren, that the thing vvhich vve glorie of you, be not made voide in this behalfe, that (as I

haue said) you may be ready:

4   lest vvhen the Macedoni&abar;s shal come vvith me, and finde you vnready, vve (that vve say not, ye) may be ashamed ^note in this substance.

5   Therfore I thought it necessarie to desire the brethren that they vvould come to you, and prepare this blessing before promised, to be ready so, as a blessing,09Q1184 not as auarice. ^note

6   And this I say, he that09Q1185 sovveth sparingly, sparingly also shal reape: and he that sovveth in blessings, of blessings also shal reape.

7   Euery one as he hath determined in his hart, not of sadnes or of necessitie. for God loueth a cheereful giuer. ^note

8   And God is able to make al grace abound in you: that in al things alvvaies hauing al sufficiencie, you may abound vnto al good vvorkes,

9   as it is vvritten: He distributed, he gaue to the poore: ^note his iustice remaineth for euer. ^note

10   And he that ministreth seede to the sovver, vvil giue bread also for to eate: & vvil multiplie your seede, and vvil augm&ebar;t the increases of the fruites of your iustice: &cross4;

11   that being enriched in al things, you may abound vnto al simplicitie, vvhich worketh by vs thankes-giuing to God.

12   Because the ministerie of this office09Q1186 doth not only supplie those things that the Saincts vvant, but aboundeth also by many thankes-giuings in our Lord,

13   by the proofe of this ministerie, glorifying God in the obedience of your confession vnto the Gospel of Christ, and in the simplicitie of communicating vnto them, and vnto al,

14   and in their praying for you, being desirous of you because of the excell&ebar;t grace of God in you.

15   Thankes be to God for his vnspeakeable gift. ^{note note note}

^note Chap. X. Against the false Apostles, graunting the infirmitie of his person, he doth notvvithstanding set out the povver of his Apostleship, 12 reprehending them also for chalenging to them selues the praise of other mens labours.

1   And I Paul my self beseeche you by the mildenes and modestie of Christ, vvho in presence in deede am humble am&obar;g you, but absent am bold on you.

2   But I beseeche you, that being present I neede not be bold by that confidence vvhervvith I am thought to be bold against some: vvhich thinke vs as though vve vvalke according to the flesh.

3   For vvalking in the flesh, vve vvarre not according to the flesh.

4   For the09Q1187 vveapons of our vvarfare are not carnal: but mightie to God vnto the destruction of munitions, destroying counsels,

5   and al loftinesse extolling it self against the knovvledge of God, and bringing into captiuitie al vnderstanding vnto the obedience of Christ,

6   and hauing in a readinesse09Q1188 to reuenge al disobedi&ebar;ce, vvhen your obedience shal be fulfilled.

7   See the things that are according to appearance. If any man haue affiance in him self, that he is Christs: let him thinke this againe vvith him self, that as he is Christs, so vve also.

8   For and if I should glorie somevvhat more of our povver, vvhich our Lord hath giuen vs09Q1189 vnto edification and not to your destruction: I shal not be ashamed.

9   But that I may not be thought as it vvere to terrifie you by epistles

10   (for his epistles in deede, say they, are sore and vehement: but his bodily presence vveake, and his speache contemptible)

11   let him this thinke that is such a one, that such as vve are in vvord by epistles, absent: such also vve are in deede, present.

12   For vve dare not matche or compare our selues vvith certaine, that commend them selues: but vve measure ourselues in ourselues, and compare our selues to our selues.

13   But vve vvil not glorie aboue our measure: but according to the measure of the rule, vvhich God hath measured to vs, a measure to reache euen vnto you.

14   For not, as though vve reached not vnto you, doe vve extend our selues beyond. For vve are come as farre as to you in the Gospel of Christ.

15   not glorying aboue measure in other mens labours: but hauing ^note hope of your faith increasing, to be magnified in you according to our rule abo&ubar;dantly,

16   yea vnto those places that are beyond you, to euangelize, not in an other mans rule, to glorie in those things that are prepared before.

17   But he that glorieth, let him glorie in our Lord.

18   For not he that commendeth him self, the same is approued: but vvhom God commendeth. ^{note note note note} Chap. XI. He reasoneth the matter vvith the Corinthians, vvhy they should preferre the false Apostles before him. 16 And because they giue them leaue to bragge and commend them selues, and to abuse them so miserably, he trusteth they vvil also giue him the hearing: 21 and so he beginneth, and first shevving him self in al Iudaical respectes (vvherein onely stood al their boasting) to be as they are, he addeth aftervvard such a long roll of his sufferings for Christ, as is incomparable.

1   Vvould God you could beare some litle of my folly: but do ye also support me:

2   for I emulate you vvith the emulation of God. For I haue ^note despoused you to one man, to present you a chaste virgin vnto Christ. ^note

3   But I feare lest, as the serpent seduced Eue by his subteltie, so your senses may be corrupted, & fall09Q1190 from the simplicitie that is in Christ.

4   For if he that ^note commeth, preache an other Christ vvh&obar; we haue not preached, or you receiue an other spirit vvhom you haue not receiued: or an other Gospel vvhich you haue not receiued: you might vvel suffer it.

5   For I suppose that I haue done nothing lesse then the great Apostles.

6   For although09Q1191 rude in speache, yet not in knovvledge. but in al things we are made manifest to you.

7   Or did I commit a sinne, humbling my self, that you might be exalted? because I eu&abar;gelized vnto you the Gospel of God gratis?

8   Other churches I spoiled, taking a stipend, for your ministerie.

9   And vvhen I vvas vvith you, and had neede, I vvas burdenous to none: for that vvhich I vvanted, the brethren supplied that came from Macedonia: & in al things I haue kept my self vvithout burden to you, and vvil keepe.

10   The truth of Christ is in me, that this glorying shal not be infringed tovvard me in the countries of Achaia.

11   Vvherfore? because I loue you not? God doth knovv.

12   But that vvhich I doe, I vvil also doe, that I may cut avvay the occasion of them that desire occasion: that, in that vvhich they glorie, they may be found euen like vs.

13   For such false apostles are ^note craftie vvorkers, tr&abar;sfiguring them selues into Apostles of Christ.

14   And no maruel: for Satan him self transfigureth him self into an Angel of light.

15   It is no great matter therfore if his ministers be tr&abar;sfigured as the ministers of iustice: vvhose ende shal be according to their vvorkes.

16   Againe I say, (let no man thinke me to be foolish: othervvise take me as foolish, that I also may glorie a litle,)

17   that vvhich I speake, I speake not according to God, but as it vvere in foolishnes, in this substance of glorying.

18   Because many glorie according to the flesh, I also vvil glorie.

19   For you do gladly suffer the foolish: vvhereas your selues are vvise. ^note

20   For you suffer if a man bring you into seruitude, if a man deuoure, if a man take, if a man be extolled, if a man strike you on the face.

21   I speake according

to dishonour, as though vve had been vveake in this part. Vvherein any man dare (I speake folishly) I dare also.

22    ^noteThey are Hebrevves: and I. They are Israëlites: and I. They are the seede of Abraham: and I.

23   They are the ministers of Christ: and I. (I speake as one scarse vvise) more I: in many moe labours, in prisons more aboundantly, in stripes aboue measure, in deathes often.

24   Of the Ievves fiue times, did I receiue ^note fourtie, sauing one.

25   Thrise vvas I beaten ^note vvith roddes, ^note once I vvas stoned, thrise I suffred ^note shipvvracke, night and day haue I been in the depth of the sea,

26   in iourneying often, perils of vvaters, perils of theeues, perils of my nation, perils of Gentiles, perils in the citie, perils in the wildernes, perils in the sea, perils among false brethren,

27   in labour and miserie, in much vvatchings, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in colde and nakednes,

28   beside those things which are outwardly: my daily ^note instance, the carefulnes of al churches.

29   Vvho is vveake, and I am not vveake? vvho is scandalized, and I ^note am not burnt?

30   If I must glorie: I vvil glorie of the things that concerne my infirmitie.

31   The God and Father of our Lord Iesvs Christ, vvho is blessed for euer, knovveth that I lie not.

32    ^noteAt Damascus the Gouernour of the nation vnder Aretas the king, kept the citie of the Damascenes, for to apprehend me:

33   and through a vvindovv in a basket vvas I let dovvne by the vvall, and so escaped his handes. ^{note note}

Chap. XII. He telleth of his incomparable visions, 5 but for humilitie liketh better to talke of his infirmities: 11 putting the fault in the Corinthians for that he is faine thus to rehearse his ovvne commendations. 13 Vvhere againe he reasoneth the matter vvith them like is father, vvhy they should preferre those false Apostles before him. 20 And feareth left at his comming he shal be compelled to excommunicate many of them.

1   If I must glorie (it is not expedient in deede) but I vvil come to the09Q1192 visions and reuelati&obar;s of our Lord.

2   I knovv a man in Christ aboue fourtene yeres agoe (vvhether in the body, I knovv not: or out of the body, I knovv not: God doth knovv) such a one ^note rapt euen to the third heau&ebar;.

3   And I knovv such a man (vvhether in the body, or out of the body, I knovv not: God doth know)

4   that he vvas rapt into Paradise: & heard secrete vvordes, which it is not lavvful for a man to speake.

5   For such an one I vvil glorie: but for my self I vvil glorie nothing, sauing in my infirmities.

6   For and if I vvil glorie, I shal not be foolish: for I shal say truth. but I spare, lest any m&abar; should esteeme me aboue that vvhich he seeth in me, or heareth any thing of me.

7   And lest the greatnes of the reuelations might extoll me, there vvas giuen me a pricke of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me.

8   For the vvhich thing thrise I besought our Lord, that it might depart from me:

9   and he said to me, My grace sufficeth thee, for povver is perfited in infirmitie. Gladly therfore vvil I glorie in mine infirmitie, that the povver of Christ may dvvel in me. &cross4;

10   For the vvhich cause I please my self in infirmities, in contumelies, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ. for vvhen I am vveake, then am I mightie.

11   I am become foolish: you haue compelled me. For I ought to haue been commended of you: for I haue been nothing lesse then they that are09Q1193 aboue measure Apostles: although I am nothing.

12   Yet the signes of my Apostleship haue been done vpon you in al patience,09Q1194 in signes & vv&obar;ders and mighty deedes.

13   For vvhat is there that you haue had lesse then the other churches: but that I my self haue not burdened you? Pardon me this iniurie.

14   Behold, novv the third time I am ready to come to you: and I vvil not be burdenous vnto you. For I seeke not the things that are

yours: but you. For neither ought the childr&ebar; lay vp treasures. for the parents, but the parents for the children.

15   But I most gladly vvil bestovv, & vvil my self moreouer be bestovved for your soules: although louing you more, I am loued lesse.

16   But be it so: I haue not burdened you: but being craftie, I tooke you by guile.

17   Haue I circumuented you by any of them vvhom I sent to you?

18   I requested Titus, and I sent vvith him a brother. Did Titus circumuent you? vvalked vve not vvith one spirit? not in the self same steppes?

19    ^noteOf old thinke you that vve excuse our selues to you? Before God, in Christ vve speake: but al things (my deerest) for your edifying.

20   For I feare lest perhaps vvhen I come, I finde you not such as I vvould: and I be found of you, such an one as you vvould not. lest perhaps c&obar;tentions, emulati&obar;s, stomakings, dissensions, detractions, vvhisperings, svvelings, seditions be among you.

21   lest againe vvhen I come, God humble me among you: & I mourne many of them that sinned before, & ^note haue not done pen&abar;ce for the vncleannes & fornication and incontinencie that they haue committed. ^{note note note} Chap. XIII. He driueth into them the feare of excommunication: to the end that they doing penance beforehand, he may not be compelled to vse his authoritie vvhen he commeth, and as he hath threatened. 11 And so vvith a general exhortation he endeth.

1   Lo this the third time I come vnto you: ^note In the mouth of tvvo or three vvitnesses shal euery vvord stand.

2   I foretold and doe foretel as present, and novv absent, to them that sinned before, and al the rest, that if I come againe, I vvil not spare.

3   Seeke you an experiment of him that speaketh in me, Christ: vvho in you is not vveake, but is mightie in you?

4   For although he vvas crucified of infirmitie: yet he liueth by the povver of God. For vve also are vveake in him: but vve shall liue vvith him by the povver of God on you.

5   09Q1195Trie your ovvne selues if you be in the faith: proue ye your selues. Knovv you not your selues that Christ Iesvs is in you, vnlesse perhaps you be reprobates.

6   But I hope you ^note knovv that vve are not reprobates.

7   And vve pray God, that you doe no euil, not that vve may appeare approued, but that you may doe that vvhich is good, and vve be as reprobates.

8   For vve can not any thing against the truth: but for the truth.

9   For vve reioyce, for that vve are vveake, & you are mightie. This also vve pray for, your consummation.

10   Therfore these things I vvrite absent: that being present I may not deale hardly according to the ^note povver vvhich our Lord hath giuen me vnto edification and not vnto destruction.

11    ^noteFor the rest brethren, reioyce, be perfect, ^note take exhortation, be of one minde, haue peace, and the God of peace & of loue shal be vvith you.

12   Salute one an other in a ^note holy kisse. Al the saincts salute you.

13   The grace of our Lord Iesvs Christ, and the charitie of God, and the communication of the holy Ghost be vvith you all. Amen. ^note

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