2 Corinthians

1   Paulus, an ambassador of Yeshua the Anointed through the will of God, and Timotheos, my brother.

    To the assembly of God which is in Corinth, together with all the holy who are in the whole of Achaia.

    Grace to you=, and peace, from God our father and from the lord Yeshua the Anointed. God, the father of our lord Yeshua the Anointed, is blessed, the father of compassion and the god of all consolation, who consoles us in all our duress, so that we have the ability to console those who are in all kinds of duress, through the consolation with which we ourselves are being consoled by God.

    Because just as the sufferings of the Anointed overabound into us, in the same way, our consolation also overabounds through the Anointed. And if we’re pressured, it’s for your= consolation and salvation, which works in perseverance in the same sufferings which we’re also suffering. And our expectation on your= behalf is certain, if we’re consoled for your= consolation and salvation, knowing that just as you’re= sharers of the sufferings, in the same way also of the consolation.

    For we don’t want you= to be ignorant brothers, concerning our duress, which happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were inordinately burdened beyond our strength, so that we despaired, even of living. But we ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we wouldn’t have confidence in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead, and who has rescued us from such an incredible death, and who is rescuing, and in whom we have expectation that he’ll still rescue.

    And your= working together on our behalf through your= petition, so that the endowmenta from many faces to us may return many thanks on your= behalf. For this is our boast, the testimony of our conscience, that in the world we behaved in onenessb and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, and even more so towards you=. For we write no other things to you=, but that which you= read, and which you= recognise, and I expect that until the end you’ll= still recognise them. And just as you= recognised us in part, that we’re your= boast, even as you’re= also ours, in the day of the lord Yeshua.

    And in this confidence I intended to come to you= first, so that you= might have a second grace, and then through you=, to pass through into Macedonia. And again from Macedonia to come to you=, and to be sent on by you= into Judea. I didn’t plan this lightly then, did I? Or do I plan the things which I plan according to the flesh? (So that with me there might be “Yes. Yes.” and “No. No.”)

    But God is trustworthy, that our message to you= became not “Yes” and “No”. For the son of God, Yeshua the Anointed, (among you= through us having proclaimed, through me, and Silas, and Timotheos), didn’t become “Yes” and “No”, but it’s become “Yes” in him. For as many as there are promises of God, in him they’re “Yes”, and in him they’re “Amenc”, to the glory of God through us.

    And God is the one who confirms us, together with you=, into the Anointed, and who has anointed us. And the one who sealed us, and who has given the deposit of the spirit in our hearts. But I call on God as a witness on my life, because to spare you= I haven’t yet come to Corinth. Not because we’re lords over your= faith, but we’re fellow workers of your= joy, for you= stand by faith.

a) the Greek word has the idea of an undeserved/unmerited gift or favour

b) singleness as opposed to doubleness, “we” not “us and them”

c) amen is a Hebrew word meaning “truly”

2   But I decided this for myself, not to come to you= again in sadness. For if I make you= sad, then who makes me celebrate except the one who’s been saddened by me. And I’ve written this to you= so that when I come I mightn’t have sadness from those from whom I must have joy, having confidence in all of you= that mine is the joy of all of you=. For I wrote to you= out of much duress and pressure of heart, through many tears. Not that you= might be saddened, but so that you= might perceive the love which I have for you= abundantly. And if anyone has caused sadness, they haven’t saddened me, but in some part all of you=, (I’m not exaggerating).

    This rebuke by the majority is sufficient for such a one. So that on the contrary, you= should show them even more grace, and console them, in case somehow such a one is swallowed up by excessive sadness. That’s why I entreat you= to confirm love to them. For I also wrote regarding this so that I might perceive your= verification — if you’re= obedient in all things. And to whomever you= show grace, I do too. For me too, if I’ve shown grace to any, I’ve show grace to them in the presence of the Anointed because of you=, so that we mightn’t be taken advantage of by Satanb, for we aren’t ignorant of his thoughts.

    And when I came to Troas for the good news of the Anointed, a door was also opened to me in the lord. But when I didn’t find Titus my brother, I didn’t have peace in my spirit, and taking leave of them, I went off into Macedonia. But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in the Anointed, and through us makes manifest the smell of the knowledge of him in every place, because to God we’re the sweet smell of the Anointed among those who are being saved, and among those who are being lost. Indeed, to one a smell of death, into death, but to one a smell of life, into life. And who’s adequate for these things? For we aren’t like the rest, peddling the message of God, but we speak as those of sincerity, and as those of God, in the sight of God, in the Anointed.

a) the Greek word has the idea of an undeserved/unmerited gift or favour

b) Satan is the Hebrew name for Diabolos and means “accuser”

3   Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of recommendation to you=, or from you=, as some others do, do we? You= yourselves are our letter, having been written in our hearts, and being perceived, and being read by all people, being manifested that you’re= a letter of the Anointed, being ministered to by us, having been written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of fleshy hearts.

    And we have such confidence towards God through the Anointed. Not that we’re sufficient in ourselves to account for anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient servants of the new covenant, not of writing, but of the spirit. For writing kills, but the spirit makes alive.

    But if the service of death, (which is being nullified), came in glory through writing engraved in stones, so that the sons of Yisrael weren’t able to gaze into the face of Moshe because of the glory of his face, how much more will the service of the spirit be in glory? For if the service of condemnation is glory, the service of righteousness overabounds much more in glory. For that which has been glorified is also not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory. For if the one which is being nullified was through glory, the one which remains is much more in glory.

    Therefore, having such an expectation, we use much openness of speech. And unlike Moshe, who placed a veil over his own face so the sons of Yisrael wouldn’t gaze at the end of what was fading awaya. But their minds were hardened, for even to this day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil, (which is being nullified in the Anointed), is still not unveiled. And even to this day, when Moshe is read, a veil lies on their hearts. Yet whenever they should turn around to the lord, the veil is lifted away. And the lord is the spirit, and where the spirit of the lord is, there’s freedom. And we all, who see the glory of the lord with unveiled face, as if in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image, from glory into glory, just as from the lord, from the spirit.

a) literally, “being nullified”

4   Because of this, having this service, since we’ve been shown mercy, we don’t lose heart. But we’ve renounced the hidden things of disgrace, not walking in craftiness, nor disguising the message of God, but commending ourselves in the sight of God by the manifestation of the truth, to the conscience of all people.

    And even if our good news is veiled, it’s veiled among those who are being lost, among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that the light of the good news of the glory of the Anointed, who’s the image of God, doesn’t shine on them. For we aren’t proclaiming ourselves, but Anointed Yeshua, the lord, and ourselves your= slaves because of Yeshua. Because God who said, “Light shine out of the darkness”, shines among our hearts resulting in the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Yeshua the Anointed.

    And we have this treasure in earthenware vessels, so that the superiority of the power might be of God and not from us, being pressured in everything but not being crushed, being perplexed but not being in despair, being persecuted but not being abandoned, being knocked down but not being destroyed, at all times bearing the dying of the lord Yeshua in the body, so that the life of Yeshua might also be manifested in our body. For we who are alive are always being handed over into death because of Yeshua, so that the life of Yeshua might also be manifested in our dying flesh. So then, death is indeed working among us, but life among you=.

    And having the same spirit of faith, just as it’s been written, “I trusted and that’s why I spoke”, we also trust, and that’s why we speak, knowing that the one who raised the lord Yeshua will also raise us through Yeshua, and present us together with you=. For all things are because of you=, so that the grace, having abounded because of the thankfulness of the many, should overabound to the glory of God.

    That’s why we don’t lose heart, even though our outer person is decaying, but the inner person is being renewed day after day. For momentarily our light duress is producing for us an inordinate upon inordinate everlasting weight of glory. We don’t take note of the things which are seen, but the things which aren’t seen, for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which aren’t seen are everlasting.

5   For we know that if our earthly house, the tent, is demolished, we have a building from God, an everlasting house in the heavens, not made by hands. And for this we groan, longing to be dressed with our dwelling place from heaven. Since surely when we’ve put it on we won’t be found naked. For those who are in the tent are groaning, being burdened, because we don’t want to be undressed, but dressed, so that the mortal may be swallowed up by the life.

    But the one who produced us for this very thing is God, who also gave us the deposit of the spirit. We have courage then at all times, knowing that at home in the body we’re away from home from the lord. For we walk by faith, not through what’s seen. And we have courage, and we’re even more delighted to be away from home from the body and to be at home with the lord. And that’s why we’re ambitious to be pleasing to him, whether at home, whether away from home. For all of us must appear in front of the judgment platform of the Anointed, so that each one should be payed back for the things done in the body, according to what they’ve committed, whether good, whether evil.

    So knowing the fear of the lorda [Yahweh], we persuade people. But we’ve been manifested to God, and I expect to have been manifested also in your= consciences. For we aren’t commending ourselves to you= again, but we’re giving you= an opportunity to boast on our behalf, so that you= may have it with those who boast in appearance but not in heart. For if we’ve lost our senses, it’s for God, or if we’re of a sound mind, it’s for you=.

    For the love of the Anointed constrains us, having decided this, that if one died on behalf of all, then all died. And he died on behalf of all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but on behalf of the one who died for them and was raised. So that from now on we know nobody according to the flesh, although we’ve perceived the Anointed according to the flesh, but now we no longer perceive him. So that if anyone is in the Anointed they’re a new creation, the original has passed away. Look. All things have become new.

    And all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Yeshua the Anointed, and who has given us the service of reconciliation, how that God was in the Anointed, reconciling the world to himself, not counting their transgressions against them, and placing the message of reconciliation among us.

    So we [Paulus and company] have become the representatives on behalf of the Anointed, as if God was entreating through us. We plead with you= on behalf of the Anointed, “Be reconciled to God.” For he made the one who didn’t know sin to be sin for us, so that we may become the righteousness of God in him.

a) Jews used “Lord” in place of “Yahweh” to avoid any possibility of breaking the third commandment.

b) “representatives” here has the idea of being the eldest, having the authority that comes with seniority, and so being the ones chosen to speak on behalf of another. Like an ambassador, but a different Greek word.

6   But working together, we also entreat you= not to receive the grace of God for nothing. For he says, “At an acceptable time I heard you-, and in the day of salvation I helped you-. Look! Now is a very acceptable time. Look! Now is the day of salvation.”

    Giving no offence in anything, so that the service can’t be faulted, but commending ourselves in everything, as servants of God in much perseverance, in duress, in constraints, in distresses, in blows, in jails, in instabilities, in labours, in sleeplessness, in fasts, in pureness, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the holy spirit, in genuine love, in the message of truth, in the power of God, through the weapons of righteousness, of the right and of the lefta, through glory and disgrace, through evil report and good report, as seducersb and genuine, as unrecognised and recognised, as dying and look, we live, as disciplined, but not being put to death, as saddened but ever rejoicing, as poor but enriching many, as having nothing and possessing everything.

    Our mouth has been open to you= Corinthians, our heart has been widened. You= aren’t distressed among us, but you’re= distressed in your= own heartsc. And the repayment? (I’m speaking to you= like children), you= also — be widened.

    Don’t become unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what sharingd is there between righteousness and lawlessness? And what partnershipe is there between light and darkness? And what harmony is there between the Anointed and Belialf? Or what share is there between a believer and an unbeliever? And what pact has the temple of God with idols? For you’re= a temple of the living god, just as God has said, “I’ll make my home among them, and I’ll walk among them, and I’ll be their god, and they themselves will be my people.” “‘Therefore come out from the midst of them, and be separated’, says the lordg [Yahweh]. ‘Don’t touch anything unclean and I’ll admit you= [allow you= to enter]. And I’ll be a father to you=, and you=, you’ll= be sons and daughters to me’, says the lordg [Yahweh] almighty.”

a) “of the right and of the left” probably refers to weapons for each hand, the right being for attack, the left being for defence

b) seduce literally means “to lead astray”

c) “heart” here is literally “innards”. Greeks considered your inner feelings to be located in your innards, while in modern English we consider them to be in your heart.

d) sharing in the sense of being partners, and partaking things together

e) partnership in Greek has the idea of sharing everything in common

f) Belial was one of the Hebrew names of Satan and means “wickedness”

g) Jews used “Lord” in place of “Yahweh” to avoid any possibility of breaking the third commandment.

7   So then, since we have these promises, beloved, we should cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, completing holiness in the fear of God. Make room for us, we haven’t wronged anyone, we haven’t destroyed anyone, we haven’t taken advantage of anyone. I’m not saying this to condemn you=, for I’ve declared before that you’re= in our hearts — to die together and to live together. I have great confidence towards you=, much boasting on your= behalf. I’ve been filled with consolation, I overabound with joy, above all our duress.

    For when we also came to Macedonia, none of our flesh had rest, but was pressured in every way — outside are fights, inside are fears. But God, the one who consoles the humble, consoled us by the arrival of Titus. And not only in his arrival, but also in the consolation with which he was consoled over you=, reporting to us your= longing, your= lamenting, your= zeal on my behalf, so that I rejoiced even more.

    Because if I saddened you= by the letter I don’t regret it, and if I did regret it, (for I see that that letter, if only for an hour, did sadden you=), I rejoice now, not because you= were saddened, but because you= were saddened into repentance. For you= were saddened in regard to God so that you= wouldn’t suffer loss in anything through us. For the repentance from sadness in regard to God results in unregretted salvation, but the work of the sadness of the world produces death.

    For look! This same thing, (you= being saddened in regard to God), how much diligence it produced among you=, but a defence, but a resentment, but a fear, but a longing after, but a jealousy, but a vengeance — you’ve= commended yourselves to everyone that you’re= pure in this matter. So then, if I also wrote to you=, not on account of the one who did wrong, nor on account of the one who was wronged, but on account of our diligence on your= behalf, being manifested to you= in the sight of God. Because of this we’ve been consoled, and by your= consolation we rejoiced even more for the joy of Titus, that his spirit has been refreshed by all of you=.

    Because, if I’ve boasted anything to him on your= behalf, I wasn’t disgraced, but just as we spoke all things in the truth to you=, in the same way also, our boasting to Titus became truth. And his hearta was exceedingly toward you=, having been reminded of the obedience of all of you= as you= welcomed him with fear and trembling. I rejoice then, because I have courage in everything among you=.

a) “heart” here is literally “innards”. Greeks considered your inner feelings to be located in your innards, while in modern English we consider them to be in your heart.

8   And we make known to you= brothers, the grace of God which has been given throughout the assemblies of Macedonia. That in much verification of duress, the overabundance of their joy on accord of their deep poverty overabounding to the riches of their onenessa. Because I testify that according to ability, and beyond ability, and taken upon themselves, pleading with us with much encouragement, for the grace and partnershipb of the service, which was to the holy. And not just as we expected, but they gave themselves firstly to the lord, and to us, through the will of God.

    So that we entreated Titus, that just as he’d begun before so he should finish this grace to you=. But just as you= overabound in everything, so also in faith, and message, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your= love for us, so that you= may overabound in this grace. I’m not speaking according to a command, but because of the diligence of others, and discerning the genuineness of your= love. For you= perceive the grace of our lord Yeshua the Anointed, that because of you= he, being rich, became poor, so that you=, by that poverty, should be rich.

    And I give an opinion in this, for it’s beneficial to you= who began a year ago, not only to do but also to want to. But now also finish doing it, so that even as there was the eagerness in the wanting, in the same way also, in the completing, out of what you= have. For if the eagerness lies before, anyone is acceptable according to what they have, not according to what they don’t have.

    For it isn’t intended to be a relaxing to others but a duress to you=, but because of equality — your= excess in the current time into their lack, so that their excess might also be into your= lack, so that there’s equality. Just as it’s been written, “The one who [gathered] much didn’t have too much, and the one who [gathered] little didn’t have too littlec.”

    But thanks be to God, who gave the same diligence on your= behalf in the heart of Titus. Because he indeed welcomed the encouragement, but being inherently more diligent, he took it upon himself to go to you=. And we sent our brother with him, whose praise in the good news is throughout all the assemblies. Not only so, but who was also elected as our fellow traveller by the assemblies, together with this grace, by being served out by us to the glory of the lord himself, and our eagerness.

    Avoiding this — that anyone should blame us in this bounty served out by us. For, making provision for goodd, not only in the sight of the lord, but also in the sight of people, we sent our brother with them, whom we discerned to be diligent many times in many things, but now much more earnest, by great confidence towards you= — whether on behalf of Titus, my partner and a fellow worker to you=, or whether our brothers, ambassadors of the assemblies, the glory of the Anointed.

    So then, in the face of the assemblies show them proof of the display of your= love, and of our boasting on your= behalf.

a) oneness as opposed to doubleness, “we”, not “us and them”

b) partnership in Greek has the idea of sharing everything in common

c) the word “gathered” is not in the Greek text, but this is presumably a reference to Exodus 16:18

d) good in terms of quality, not morality

9   Now indeed, it’s excessive if I write to you= about the service which is for the holy. For I know your= eagerness, which I boast of to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been prepared since a year ago, and rivalry of you= has provoked most of them. But I sent the brothers so that our boasting on your= behalf wouldn’t be made empty in this respect, that you= might be ready just as I told them.

    In case the Macedonians come with me and they might find you= unprepared, and we, (we aren’t saying you=), might be put to shame in this boasting, I supposed it necessary then to entreat the brothers to go on ahead to you=, and complete beforehand your= previously declared blessing, that it might be ready in this way — as a blessing and not as greediness.

    And this, “The one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows in blessedness will also reap in blessedness.” Just as each one produces from what’s stored in their heart, not from sadness, or from necessity. For God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all kinds of grace overabound to you=, so that in everything, at all times, having all self-sufficiency, you= may overabound in every good work. Just as it’s been written, “He scattered, he gave to the day-labourera. His righteousness remains into the age.”

    But may the one who supplies seed to the one who sows, and bread for food, furnish and multiply your= seed, and may he grow the produce of your= righteousness, being enriched in everything, into all onenessb, which produces thankfulness to God through us. Because the service of this ministry isn’t only filling up the lack of the holy, but also overabounding through much thankfulness to God. Glorifying God through the verification of this service by the submission of your= profession to the good news of the Anointed, and the onenessb of the partnershipc, to themselves and to all, and their petition on your= behalf, longing for you=, because of the surpassing grace of God on you=. And thanks to God for his indescribable gift.

a) this word means a poor person who works as opposed to a beggar

b) singleness as opposed to doubleness, “we”, not “us and them”

c) partnership in Greek has the idea of sharing everything in common

10   But I myself, Paulus, entreat you= through the gentleness and fairness of the Anointed, I, who in person among you= am indeed humble, but when absent I have courage towards you=. But I plead with you=, that when I come to you= I don’t have courage with the boldness which I account that I dare against certain of those who consider us as walking according to the flesh.

    For walking in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare aren’t fleshly, but powerful to God for pulling down fortresses, pulling down reasoning, and every high thing which is lifted against the knowledge of God, and capturing every thought into the obedience of the Anointed. And in being ready to avenge all disobedience, whenever your= obedience might be fulfilled.

    Do you= look according to appearances? If anyone has confidence in themselves, that they’re of the Anointed, let them account this again for themselves, because just as they’re of the Anointed, in the same way so are we of the Anointed. For even if I should boast even more about our authority, which the lord gave us for building up, and not for pulling you= down, I won’t be put to shame, so that I shouldn’t seem as if I’m frightening you= through the letters.

    “Because indeed the letters”, one declares, “are heavy and strong, but the presence in the body is weak, and the message is scorned.” Let this one account this, that as we are, (while absent), in the message through the letters, so we’ll also be in action, (while present). For we don’t dare to reckon or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves, but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves to themselves, don’t understand.

    And we’ll boast, not in the unmeasurable things, but according to the measure of the standarda which the god of measure distributed to us, to also reach even to you=. For we aren’t overstretching ourselves, as if not reaching you=, for we were first to come to you= also in the good news of the Anointed. Not boasting in the unmeasurable things in someone else’s labour, but having an expectation of your= faith being grown, being magnified among you=, according to our standarda, into overabundance. In order to bring the good news to those beyond you=, not to boast in someone else’s standarda of those things which are ready at hand. But let the one who boasts, boast in the lord. For it isn’t the one who commends themselves who’s approved, but the one whom the lord commends.

a) “standard” is literally “a measuring rod”

11   You= ought to be tolerant of me in a little foolishness, and you= are being tolerant of me. For I’m jealous for you= with the jealousy of God. For I prepared you= for one man, to present you= a pure virgin to the Anointed. But I fear lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, in the same way your= minds have been corrupted from the oneness which is in the Anointed. For if indeed the one who comes proclaims another Yeshua, whom we didn’t proclaim, or you= receive a different spirit, which you= didn’t receive, or a different good news, which you= didn’t accept, then you= might put up with it well.

    For I account that I don’t lack anything compared with those who are very much ambassadors, and even if I’m uneducated in the message, (but not in knowledge), and in everything which is manifested in all things to you=, did I sin, humbling myself so that you= might be exalted, bringing the good news of God to you= for nothing? I stripped other assemblies, taking resources to give service to you=. And while present with you=, and being in need, I didn’t burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia filled up my need, and I’ve kept myself burdenless to you=, and I’ll keep doing so.

    The truth of the Anointed is in me so that this boasting won’t be limited in me among the regions of Achaia. Why? Because I don’t love you=? God knows! But what I do, I’ll do, so that I might cut off the opportunity of those who want an opportunity, that they may boast in it that they’re found to be just as we are. For such as those are false ambassadors, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as ambassadors of the Anointed. And it isn’t marvellous, for Satana himself disguises himself as a messenger of light. No great thing then, if his servants, whose end will be in accordance with their works, are disguised as servants of righteousness.

    I say again, nobody should suppose me to be foolish, but if not, even accept me as foolish, so that I also may boast a little. I don’t say what I say according to the lord, but as in foolishness in this matter of boasting. Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I’ll also boast. For you=, being sensible, are pleased to be tolerant of the foolish. For you’re= being tolerant — if anyone enslaves you=, if anyone devours you=, if anyone takes from you=, if anyone is exalted, if anyone whips you= in the face. I speak according to dishonour, as if we’re weak, yet if anyone dares, (I’m speaking in foolishness), I also dare.

    Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Yisraelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of the Anointed? (I’m speaking as if deranged). I’m more — overabounding in labours, exceeding in blows, overabounding in jails, often in deaths. I received forty lashes minus one from the Jews five times. I was beaten with rods three times. Once I was stoned. I was shipwrecked three times, spending a night and day in the deep. To journeys, many times, dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from non-Jews, dangers in towns, dangers in desolation, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers. In trouble and labour, in sleeplessness many times, in hunger and in thirst, in fasts many times, in cold and nakedness.

    Apart from the external things, the pressure on me each day, the anxiety of all the assemblies. Who’s weak and I’m not weak? Who’s stumbled and I’m not burned? If I have to boast I’ll boast in my weakness. God the father of our lord Yeshua the Anointed, who’s blessed into the ages, knows that I’m not lying. In Damascus the ethnarchb of Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes wanting to lay hold of me. And I was lowered in a wicker basket through a window in the wall, and I fled his hands.

a) Satan is the Hebrew name for Diabolos and means “accuser”

b) an ethnarch was the king’s representative governing over an ethnic group

12   Boasting is definitely not beneficial for me, but I’ll go on to visions and revelations of the lord. I know a person in the Anointed, who fourteen years ago, (whether in the body I don’t know, or whether outside the body I don’t know, but God knows), who was snatched up to the third heaven. And I know such a person, (whether in the body, or whether outside the body I don’t know, but God knows), that he was snatched into paradisea, and he heard unspeakable declarations, which aren’t permissible for a person to speak. I’ll boast on behalf of such a one, but I won’t boast on behalf of myself, except in my weakness. For if I want to boast, I wouldn’t be foolish, for I’ll be declaring the truth. But I’m sparing you=, so that nobody should account me above what they see in me, or anything they hear from me.

    And because of the superiority of the revelations, so that I wouldn’t be exalted, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satanb, so that he may buffet me, that I wouldn’t be exalted. Concerning this, I entreated the lord three times that it should be withdrawn from me. And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you-. For my power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly then, I’ll boast even more in my weakness, so that the power of the Anointed should set up camp over me.

    That’s why I’m delighted in weakness, in insolences, in constraints, in persecutions, in distresses on behalf of the Anointed. For whenever I might be weak, then I’m powerful. In boasting I’ve become foolish, (you= forced me), for I ought to have been commended by you=, for I lacked nothing compared with the very much ambassadors, even if I am nothing.

    Indeed, the signs of the ambassador were produced among you=, in all perseverance, in signs, and miracles, and powers. For what is there in which you= were inferior to the rest of the assemblies, except that I myself wasn’t a burden to you=? Show me grace for this unrighteousness.

    Look! I’m ready to come to you= a third time, and not be a burden on you=, for I’m not seeking your= things, but you=. For children ought not store things up for the parents, but the parents for the children. But I’ll gladly spend, and will be completely spent, on behalf of your= souls, even if the more abundantly I love you=, the less I’m loved. But let it be.

    I wasn’t a burden to you=, but being inherently crafty I took you= by deceit? I didn’t take advantage of you= through anyone I sent to you=, did I? I entreated Titus, and I sent my brother with him. Titus didn’t take any advantage of you= did he? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? In the same footsteps?

    Again, are you= assuming that we’re defending ourselves to you=? We talk in the sight of God, in the Anointed, and all things, beloved, are for your= building up. For I fear lest somehow, when I come I mightn’t find you= as I want, and I also might be found by you= not as you= want — if in case there are contentions, jealousies, furies, self interests, slanders, whisperings, puffings up, rebellions. Lest, when I come again, God will humiliate me towards you=, and I’ll mourn many of those who have sinned before, and not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and sexual immorality which they’ve practised.

a) paradise was a Persian word meaning a park or garden

b) Satan is the Hebrew name for Diabolos and means “accuser”

13   I’m coming to you= this third time. Every declaration will be made to stand by the mouth of two or three witnesses. I’ve declared before, and I said beforehand while I was present the second time, and now while absent I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again, I won’t be sparing, since you= seek verification of the Anointed who speaks in me — who isn’t weak towards you=, but powerful among you=. For though indeed he was executeda because of weakness, but he’s alive because of the power of God, for indeed we’re weak in him, but we’ll live together with him by the power of God toward you=.

    Test yourselves if you’re= in the faith, discerning yourselves. Or don’t you= realise yourselves that Yeshua the Anointed is among you=? (Unless you= fail the test). But I expect that you’ll= perceive that we aren’t rejects. But I pray to God that you= don’t do anything evil, not so that we may appear to be ones approved, but so that you= may do better, and we may be like rejects.

    For we aren’t able to do anything against the truth, but on behalf of the truth. For we rejoice whenever we’re weak but you’re= able. But we also pray for this — your= restoration. Because of this, I write these things while absent so that while present I shouldn’t abruptly declare them, according to the authority which the lord gave me for building up and not for pulling down.

    Finally brothers. Rejoice. Be restored. Be comforted. Be of the same mind. Be at peace. And the god of love and peace will be among you=.

    Greet one another with a holy kiss. Greet all the holy.

    The grace of the lord Yeshua the Anointed, and the love of God, and the partnershipb of the holy spirit is with all of you=.

    Amenc.

a) the Greek word specifically means to execute by hanging on a stake

b) partnership in Greek has the idea of sharing everything in common

c) amen is a Hebrew word meaning “truly”