2 Corinthians

 

1   Paulus, an ambassador of Yeshua the Anointed through the will of God. And Timotheos the 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 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 comfort, who comforts us in all our duress, so that we have the ability to comfort those who are in all kinds of duress, through the comfort with which we ourselves are being comforted by God.

   Because just as the sufferings of the Anointed overabound into us, in the same way, our comfort also overabounds through the Anointed. And if we are pressured, it is for your comfort and salvation, which works in perseverance in the same sufferings which we are also suffering. And our expectation on behalf of you is certain, if we are comforted for your comfort and salvation. Knowing that just as you are sharers of the sufferings, in the same way also of the comfort.

   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 might not 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 will still rescue.

   And your working together on our behalf through petition, so that the endowment^a 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 oneness^b and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, and even more so toward 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 will still recognise them. And just as you recognised us in part, that we are your boast, even as you are 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 has become “Yes” in him. For as many as there are promises of God, in him they are “Yes”, and in him they are “Amen^c”, 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 are lords over your faith, but we are fellow workers of your joy, for you stand by faith.

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 has been saddened by me. And I have written this to you so that when I come I might not 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 comfort them, in case somehow such a one is swallowed up by excessive sadness. That is why I entreat you to confirm love to them. For I also wrote regarding this so that I might perceive your verification - if you are obedient in all things. And to whomever you show grace, I do also. For me too, if I have shown grace to any, I have show grace to them in the presence of the Anointed because of you,^a so that we might not be taken advantage of by Satan^b, for we are not 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 are 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 is 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.

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 are 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 are 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 Moses 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 Moses, who placed a veil over his own face so the sons of Yisrael wouldn’t gaze at the end of what was fading away^a. 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 Moses 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 is 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.

4   Because of this, having this service, since we have been shown mercy, we don’t lose heart. But we have 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 is veiled among those who are being lost, in 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 is 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 may 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 has been written, “I trusted and that is why I spoke”, we also trust and that is 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 is why we don’t lose heart, even though our outer person is decaying, but the inner 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 have 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 are away from home from the lord. For we walk by faith, not through what is seen. And we have courage, and we are even more delighted to be away from home from the body and to be at home with the lord. And that is why we are 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 have committed, whether good, whether evil.

   Knowing then the fear of the lord, we persuade people. But we have 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 are 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 have lost our senses, it is for God, or if we are of a sound mind, it is 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 have perceived the Anointed according to the flesh, but now we no longer perceive him. So that if anyone is in the Anointed they are 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, for because God was in the Anointed, reconciling the world to himself, not counting their transgressions against them, and placing the message of reconciliation among us.

   We are ambassadors then, 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.

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 might not 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 left^a, through glory and disgrace, through evil report and good report, as seducers^b and genuine, as unrecognised and recognised, as dying and look, we live, as disciplined and 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 are distressed in your own hearts^c. And the repayment? (I am speaking to you like children), you also - be widened.

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

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 have declared before that you are in our hearts - to die together and to live together. I have great confidence towards you, much boasting on behalf of you. I have been filled with comfort, 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 comforts the humble, comforted us by the arrival of Titus. And not only in his arrival, but also in the comfort with which he was comforted 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 might not 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 in you, but a defence, but a resentment, but a fear, but a longing after, but a jealousy, but a vengeance - you have commended yourselves to everyone that you are pure in the 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 behalf of you, being manifested to you in the sight of God. Because of this we have been comforted, and by your comfort we rejoiced even more for the joy of Titus, that his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.

   Because, if I have boasted anything to him on behalf of you, 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 heart^a 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.

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 oneness^a. Because I testify that according to ability, and beyond ability, and taken upon themselves, pleading with us with much exhortation, for the grace and partnership^b 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 had 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 am 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 is 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 on the basis of equality - your excess in the current time into their lack, so that their excess might also be into your lack, so that there is equality. Just as it has been written, “The one who [gathered] much didn’t have too much, and the one who [gathered] little didn’t have too little^c.”

   But thanks be to God, who gave the same diligence on your behalf in the heart of Titus. Because he indeed welcomed the exhortation, but being inherently more diligent, he took it upon himself to go to you. And we sent the 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 good, 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 behalf of you.

9   Now indeed, it is 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 behalf of you wouldn’t be made empty in this respect, that you may be ready just as I told them.

   In case the Macedonians come with me, and they might find you unprepared, 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 this may 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 is stored in the heart, not on the basis of sadness, or on the basis of 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 has been written, “He scattered, he gave to the day labourer^a. 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 oneness^b, 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 oneness^b of the partnership^c, to themselves and to all, and their petition on your behalf, longing for you, because of the surpassing grace of God on you. But thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.

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 toward 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 appearance? If anyone has confidence in themselves, that they are of the Anointed, let them account this again for themselves, because just as they are 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 am 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 also we will 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, do not understand.

   And we will boast, not in the unmeasurable things, but according to the measure of the standard^a 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 standard^a, into overabundance. In order to bring the good news to those beyond you, not to boast in someone else’s standard^a 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 is approved, but the one whom the lord commends.

11   You ought to be tolerant of me in a little foolishness, and you are being tolerant of me. For I am 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 am 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 have kept myself burdenless to you, and I will 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 will do, so that I might cut off the opportunity of those who want an opportunity, that they may boast in it that they are 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 Satan^a 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 will also boast. For you, being sensible, are pleased to be tolerant of the foolish. For you are 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 are weak, yet if anyone dares (I am 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 am speaking as if deranged), I am 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 nationals, 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 is weak and I’m not weak? Who is stumbled and I’m not burned? If I must boast I will boast in my weakness. God the father of our lord Yeshua the Anointed, who is blessed into the ages, knows that I’m not lying. In Damascus the ethnarch^b 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.

12   Boasting is definitely not beneficial for me, but I will 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 paradise^a, and he heard unspeakable declarations, which aren’t permissible for a person to speak. I will 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 will be declaring the truth. But I am 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 may not be exalted, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan^b, so that he may buffet me, that I might not 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 will boast even more in my weakness, so that the power of the Anointed should set up camp over me.

   That is why I am delighted in weakness, in insolences, in constraints, in persecutions, in distresses on behalf of the Anointed. For whenever I may be weak, then I am powerful. In boasting I have 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 will gladly spend, and will be completely spent, on behalf of your souls, even if the more abundantly I love you, the less I am 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 the 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 are 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 might not find you as I want, and I also may be found by you not as you want. 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 will mourn many of those who have sinned before, and not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and sexual immorality which they have practised.

13   I am coming to you this third time. Every declaration will be made to stand by the mouth of two or three witnesses. I have 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 will not 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 executed^a on the basis of weakness, but he is alive on the basis of the power of God, for indeed we are weak in him, but we will live together with him on the basis of the power of God toward you.

   Test yourselves if you^b are 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 will 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 good, 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 are weak but you are 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 partnership^c of the holy spirit is with all of you.

   Amen^d.