Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV)

1 Therefore, having these promises, most beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting sanctification in the fear of God.

2 Consider us. We have injured no one; we have corrupted no one; we have defrauded no one.

3 I am not saying this to your condemnation. For we have told you before that you are in our hearts: to die together and to live together.

4 Great is my confidence in you. Great is my glorying over you. I have been filled with consolation. I have a superabundant joy throughout all our tribulation.

5 Then, too, when we had arrived in Macedonia, our flesh had no rest. Instead, we suffered every tribulation: exterior conflicts, interior fears.

6 But God, who consoles the humble, consoled us by the arrival of Titus,

7 and not only by his arrival, but also by the consolation with which he was consoled among you. For he brought to us your desire, your weeping, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more.

8 For though I made you sorrowful by my epistle, I do not repent. And if I did repent, but only for a time, having realized that the same epistle made you sorrowful,

9 now I am glad: not because you were sorrowful, but because you were sorrowful unto repentance. For you became sorrowful for God, so that you might not suffer any harm from us.

10 For the sorrow that is according to God accomplishes a repentance which is steadfast unto salvation. But the sorrow that is of the world accomplishes death.

11 So consider this same idea, being sorrowful according to God, and what great solicitude it accomplishes in you: including protection, and indignation, and fear, and desire, and zeal, and vindication. In all things, you have shown yourselves to be uncorrupted by this sorrow.

12 And so, though I wrote to you, it was not because of him who caused the injury, nor because of him who suffered from it, but so as to manifest our solicitude, which we have for you before God.

13 Therefore, we have been consoled. But in our consolation, we have rejoiced even more abundantly over the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by all of you.

14 And if I have gloried in anything to him about you, I have not been put to shame. But, just as we have spoken all things to you in truth, so also our glorying before Titus has been the truth.

15 And his feelings are now more abundant toward you, since he remembers the obedience of you all, and how you received him with fear and trembling.

16 I rejoice that in all things I have confidence in you.

1 And so we are making known to you, brothers, the grace of God that has been given in the churches of Macedonia.

2 For within a great experience of tribulation, they have had an abundance of joy, and their profound poverty has only increased the richness of their simplicity.

3 And I bear witness to them, that they were willing to accept what was in accord with their ability, and even what was beyond their ability.

4 For they were begging us, with great exhortation, for the grace and the communication of the ministry that is with the saints.

5 And this is beyond what we had hoped, since they gave themselves, first of all to the Lord, and then also to us, through the will of God,

6 so much so that we petitioned Titus, that in the same manner as he had begun, he would also complete in you this same grace.

7 But, just as in all things you abound in faith and in word and in knowledge and in all solicitude, and even more so in your charity toward us, so also may you abound in this grace.

8 I am speaking, not commanding. But through the solicitude of others, I approve of the good character of your charity.

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that through his poverty, you might become rich.

10 And about this, I give my counsel. For this is useful to those of you who, only a year earlier, had just begun to act, or even to be willing to act.

11 So, truly now, accomplish this in deed, so that, in the same manner as your willing mind is prompted, you may also act, out of that which you have.

12 For when the will is prompted, it receives according to what that person has, not according to what that person does not have.

13 And it is not that others should be relieved, while you are troubled, but that there should be an equality.

14 In this present time, let your abundance supply their need, so that their abundance may also supply your need, in order that there may be an equality, just as it was written:

15 “He with more did not have too much; and he with less did not have too little.”

16 But thanks be to God, who has granted to the heart of Titus, this same solicitude for you.

17 For certainly, he accepted the exhortation. But since he was more solicitous, he went to you of his own free will.

18 And we have even sent with him a brother whose praise accompanies the Gospel throughout all the churches.

19 And not only that, but he was also chosen by the churches to be a companion for our sojourn in this grace, which is ministered by us with our determined will, to the glory of the Lord.

20 So let us avoid this, lest anyone disparage us over the abundance that is ministered by us.

21 For we provide for what is good, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of men.

22 And we have also sent with them our brother, whom we have proven to be frequently solicitous in many matters. But now there is a greater solicitousness, which is greatly entrusted to you;

23 and whether it concerns Titus, who is a companion to me and a helper to you, or whether it concerns our brothers, the Apostles of the churches, it is to the glory of Christ.

24 Therefore, in the sight of the churches, show them the proof of your charity and of our glorying about you.

1 Now, concerning the ministry that is done toward the saints, it is not necessary for me to write to you.

2 For I know your willing mind. I glory about you, concerning this, to the Macedonians. For Achaia has also been prepared, for the past year. And your example has inspired very many others.

3 Now I have sent the brothers, so that what we glory about concerning you might be not be empty in this matter, in order that (as I have explained) you may be prepared.

4 Otherwise, if the Macedonians arrive with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you) would be ashamed in this matter.

5 Therefore, I considered it necessary to ask the brothers to go to you in advance and to prepare this blessing as promised, and in this way, you may be ready as a blessing, not as an excess.

6 But I say this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. And whoever sows with blessings shall also reap from blessings:

7 each one giving, just as he has determined in his heart, neither out of sadness, nor out of obligation. For God loves a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make every grace abound in you, so that, always having what you need in all things, you may abound unto every good work,

9 just as it was written: “He has distributed widely, he has given to the poor; his justice remains from age to age.”

10 And he who ministers seed to the sower will offer you bread to eat, and will multiply your seed, and will increase the growth of the fruits of your justice.

11 So then, having been enriched in all things, you may abound in all simplicity, which works thanksgiving to God through us.

12 For the ministration of this office not only supplies whatever the saints need, but also abounds through many thanksgivings in the Lord.

13 And so, through the evidence of this ministry, you glorify God by the obedience of your confession in the Gospel of Christ, and by the simplicity of your communion with them and with everyone,

14 and they offer prayers for you, being solicitous about you, because of the excellent grace of God within you.

15 Thanks be to God for his ineffable gift.

1 But I myself, Paul, am begging you, through the meekness and modesty of Christ. I am certainly, by appearances, lowly among you, yet I have confidence in you, even while I am absent.

2 So I am petitioning you, lest I be bold, when present, with that bold confidence that I am considered to have by certain ones who judge us as if we were walking according to the flesh.

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not battle according to the flesh.

4 For the weapons of our battles are not carnal, yet still they are powerful with God, unto the destruction of fortifications: tearing down every counsel

5 and height that extols itself contrary to the wisdom of God, and leading every intellect into the captivity of obedience to Christ,

6 and standing ready to repudiate every disobedience, when your own obedience has been fulfilled.

7 Consider the things that are in accord with appearances. If anyone trusts that by these things he belongs to Christ, let him reconsider this within himself. For just as he belongs to Christ, so also do we.

8 And if I were even to glory somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord has given to us for your edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed.

9 But let it not be said that I am scaring you by means of epistles.

10 For they say: “His epistles, indeed, are weighty and strong. But his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is contemptible.”

11 Let someone like this realize that whatever we are in word through epistles, while absent: we are much the same in deed, while present.

12 For we would not dare to interpose or compare ourselves with certain ones who commend themselves. But we measure ourselves by ourselves, and we compare ourselves with ourselves.

13 Thus, we will not glory beyond our measure, but rather according to the measure of the limit which God has measured out to us, a measure which extends even to you.

14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we are not able to reach as far as you are able. For we have gone even as far as you have in the Gospel of Christ.

15 We are not glorying immeasurably over the labors of others. Instead, we hold on to the hope of your growing faith, so as to be magnified in you, according to our own limits, but in abundance,

16 and even so as to evangelize in those places that are beyond you, not in order to glory in the measure of others, but rather in those things which have already been prepared.

17 But whoever glories, let him glory in the Lord.

18 For it is not he who commends himself who is approved, but rather he whom God commends.

1 I wish that you would endure a small amount of my foolishness, so as to bear with me.

2 For I am jealous toward you, with the jealousy of God. And I have espoused you to one husband, offering you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

3 But I am afraid lest, as the serpent led astray Eve by his cleverness, so your minds might be corrupted and might fall away from the simplicity which is in Christ.

4 For if anyone arrives preaching another Christ, one whom we have not preached; or if you receive another Spirit, one whom you have not received; or another Gospel, one which you have not been given: you might permit him to guide you.

5 For I consider that I have done nothing less than the great Apostles.

6 For although I may be unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge. But, in all things, we have been made manifest to you.

7 Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you would be exalted? For I preached the Gospel of God to you freely.

8 I have taken from other churches, receiving a stipend from them to the benefit of your ministry.

9 And when I was with you and in need, I was burdensome to no one. For the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied whatever was lacking to me. And in all things, I have kept myself, and I will keep myself, from being burdensome to you.

10 The truth of Christ is in me, and so this glorying shall not be broken away from me in the regions of Achaia.

11 Why so? Is it because I do not love you? God knows I do.

12 But what I am doing, I will continue to do, so that I may take away an opportunity from those who desire an opportunity by which they may glory, so as to be considered to be like us.

13 For false apostles, such as these deceitful workers, are presenting themselves as if they were Apostles of Christ.

14 And no wonder, for even Satan presents himself as if he were an Angel of light.

15 Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers present themselves as if they were ministers of justice, for their end shall be according to their works.

16 I say again. And let no one consider me to be foolish. Or, at least, accept me as if I were foolish, so that I also may glory a small amount.

17 What I am saying is not said according to God, but as if in foolishness, in this matter of glorying.

18 Since so many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also.

19 For you freely accept the foolish, though you yourselves claim to be wise.

20 For you permit it when someone guides you into servitude, even if he devours you, even if he takes from you, even if he is extolled, even if he strikes you repeatedly on the face.

21 I speak according to disgrace, as if we had been weak in this regard. In this matter, (I speak in foolishness) if anyone dares, I dare also.

22 They are Hebrews; so am I. They are Israelites; so am I. They are the offspring of Abraham; so am I.

23 They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as if I were less wise); more so am I: with many more labors, with numerous imprisonments, with wounds beyond measure, with frequent mortifications.

24 On five occasions, I received forty stripes, less one, from the Jews.

25 Three times, I was beaten with rods. One time, I was stoned. Three times, I was shipwrecked. For a night and a day, I was in the depths of the sea.

26 I have made frequent journeys, through dangerous waters, in danger of robbers, in danger from my own nation, in danger from the Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the wilderness, in danger in the sea, in danger from false brothers,

27 with hardships and difficulties, with much vigilance, in hunger and thirst, with frequent fasts, in cold and nakedness,

28 and, in addition to these things, which are external: there is my daily earnestness and solicitude for all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not being burned?

30 If it is necessary to glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weaknesses.

31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

32 At Damascus, the governor of the nation under Aretas the king, watched over the city of the Damascenes, so as to apprehend me.

33 And, through a window, I was let down along the wall in a basket; and so I escaped his hands.

1 If it is necessary (though certainly not expedient) to glory, then I will next tell of visions and revelations from the Lord.

2 I know a man in Christ, who, more than fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I do not know, or out of the body, I do not know: God knows), was enraptured to the third heaven.

3 And I know a certain man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I do not know: God knows),

4 who was enraptured into Paradise. And he heard words of mystery, which it is not permitted for man to speak.

5 On behalf of someone like this, I will glory. But on behalf of myself, I will not glory about anything, except my infirmities.

6 For even though I am willing to glory, I will not be foolish. But I will speak the truth. Yet I will do so sparingly, lest anyone may consider me to be anything more than what he sees in me, or anything more than what he hears from me.

7 And lest the greatness of the revelations should extol me, there was given to me a prodding in my flesh: an angel of Satan, who struck me repeatedly.

8 Because of this, three times I petitioned the Lord that it might be taken away from me.

9 And he said to me: “My grace is sufficient for you. For virtue is perfected in weakness.” And so, willingly shall I glory in my weaknesses, so that the virtue of Christ may live within me.

10 Because of this, I am pleased in my infirmity: in reproaches, in difficulties, in persecutions, in distresses, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am powerful.

11 I have become foolish; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you. For I have been nothing less than those who claim to be above the measure of Apostles, even though I am nothing.

12 And the seal of my Apostleship has been set over you, with all patience, with signs and wonders and miracles.

13 For what is there that you have had which is less than the other churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this injury.

14 Behold, this is the third time I have prepared to come to you, and yet I will not be a burden to you. For I am seeking not the things that are yours, but you yourselves. And neither should the children store up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

15 And so, very willingly, I will spend and exhaust myself for the sake of your souls, loving you more, while being loved less.

16 And so be it. I have not burdened you, but instead, being astute, I obtained you by guile.

17 And yet, did I defraud you by means of any of those whom I sent to you?

18 I asked for Titus, and I sent a brother with him. Did Titus defraud you? Did we not walk with the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

19 Have you ever thought that we should explain ourselves to you? We speak in the sight of God, in Christ. But all things, most beloved, are for your edification.

20 Yet I fear, lest perhaps, when I have arrived, I might not find you such as I would want, and I might be found by you, such as you would not want. For perhaps there may be among you: contention, envy, animosity, dissension, detraction, whispering, self-exaltation, and rebellion.

21 If so, then, when I have arrived, God may again humble me among you. And so, I mourn for the many who sinned beforehand, and did not repent, over the lust and fornication and homosexuality, which they have committed.

1 Behold, this is the third time that I am coming to you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word shall stand.

2 I have preached when present, and I will preach now while absent, to those who sinned before, and to all the others, because, when I arrive again, I will not be lenient with you.

3 Do you seek evidence that it is Christ who speaks in me, who is not weak with you, but is powerful with you?

4 For although he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. And yes, we are weak in him. But we shall live with him by the power of God among you.

5 Test yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not know whether Christ Jesus is in you? But perhaps you are reprobates.

6 But I hope you know that we ourselves are not reprobates.

7 Now we pray to God that you shall do nothing evil, not so that we may seem to be approved, but so that you may do what is good, even if we seem like reprobates.

8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

9 For we rejoice that we are weak, while you are strong. This is also what we pray for: your perfection.

10 Therefore, I write these things while absent, so that, when present, I may not have to act more harshly, according to the authority which the Lord has given to me, for edification and not for destruction.

11 As to the rest, brothers, rejoice, be perfect, be encouraged, have the same mind, have peace. And so the God of peace and love will be with you.

12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.

13 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

1 Paul, called as an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God; and Sosthenes, a brother:

2 to the Church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints with all who are invoking the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place of theirs and of ours.

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I give thanks to my God continuously for you because of the grace of God that has been given to you in Christ Jesus.

5 By that grace, in all things, you have become wealthy in him, in every word and in all knowledge.

6 And so, the testimony of Christ has been strengthened in you.

7 In this way, nothing is lacking to you in any grace, as you await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

8 And he, too, will strengthen you, even until the end, without guilt, until the day of the advent of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 God is faithful. Through him, you have been called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 And so, I beg you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that every one of you speak in the same way, and that there be no schisms among you. So may you become perfect, with the same mind and with the same judgment.

11 For it has been indicated to me, about you, my brothers, by those who are with Chloes, that there are contentions among you.

12 Now I say this because each of you is saying: “Certainly, I am of Paul;” “But I am of Apollo;” “Truly, I am of Cephas;” as well as: “I am of Christ.”

13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I give thanks to God that I have baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius,

15 lest anyone say that you have been baptized in my name.

16 And I also baptized the household of Stephanus. Other than these, I do not recall if I baptized any others.

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize: not through the wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ become empty.

18 For the Word of the Cross is certainly foolishness to those who are perishing. But to those who have been saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God.

19 For it has been written: “I will perish the wisdom of the wise, and I will reject the discernment of the prudent.”

20 Where are the wise? Where are the scribes? Where are the truth-seekers of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of this world into foolishness?

21 For the world did not know God through wisdom, and so, in the wisdom of God, it pleased God to accomplish the salvation of believers, through the foolishness of our preaching.

22 For the Jews ask for signs, and the Greeks seek wisdom.

23 But we are preaching Christ crucified. Certainly, to the Jews, this is a scandal, and to the Gentiles, this is foolishness.

24 But to those who have been called, Jews as well as Greeks, the Christ is the virtue of God and the wisdom of God.

25 For what is foolishness to God is considered wise by men, and that which is weakness to God is considered strong by men.

26 So take care of your vocation, brothers. For not many are wise according to the flesh, not many are powerful, not many are noble.

27 But God has chosen the foolish of the world, so that he may confound the wise. And God has chosen the weak of the world, so that he may confound the strong.

28 And God has chosen the ignoble and contemptible of the world, those who are nothing, so that he may reduce to nothing those who are something.

29 So then, nothing that is of the flesh should glory in his sight.

30 But you are of him in Christ Jesus, who was made by God to be our wisdom and justice and sanctification and redemption.

31 And so, in the same way, it was written: “Whoever glories, should glory in the Lord.”

1 And so, brothers, when I came to you, announcing to you the testimony of Christ, I did not bring exalted words or lofty wisdom.

2 For I did not judge myself to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and with much trembling.

4 And my words and preaching were not the persuasive words of human wisdom, but were a manifestation of the Spirit and of virtue,

5 so that your faith would not be based on the wisdom of men, but on the virtue of God.

6 Now, we do speak wisdom among the perfect, yet truly, this is not the wisdom of this age, nor that of the leaders of this age, which shall be reduced to nothing.

7 Instead, we speak of the wisdom of God in a mystery which has been hidden, which God predestined before this age for our glory,

8 something that none of the leaders of this world have known. For if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But this is just as it has been written: “The eye has not seen, and the ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love him.”

10 But God has revealed these things to us through his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

11 And who can know the things that are of a man, except the spirit which is within that man? So also, no one knows the things which are of God, except the Spirit of God.

12 But we have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit who is of God, so that we may understand the things that have been given to us by God.

13 And we are also speaking of these things, not in the learned words of human wisdom, but in the doctrine of the Spirit, bringing spiritual things together with spiritual things.

14 But the animal nature of man does not perceive these things that are of the Spirit of God. For it is foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand it, because it must be examined spiritually.

15 But the spiritual nature of man judges all things, and he himself may be judged by no man.

16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, so that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

1 And so, brothers, I was not able to speak to you as if to those who are spiritual, but rather as if to those who are carnal. For you are like infants in Christ.

2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food. For you were not yet able. And indeed, even now, you are not able; for you are still carnal.

3 And since there is still envy and contention among you, are you not carnal, and are you not walking according to man?

4 For if one says, “Certainly, I am of Paul,” while another says, “I am of Apollo,” are you not men? But what is Apollo, and what is Paul?

5 We are only the ministers of him in whom you have believed, just as the Lord has granted to each of you.

6 I planted, Apollo watered, but God provided the growth.

7 And so, neither he who plants, nor he who waters, is anything, but only God, who provides the growth.

8 Now he who plants, and he who waters, are one. But each shall receive his proper reward, according to his labors.

9 For we are God’s assistants. You are God’s cultivation; you are God’s construction.

10 According to the grace of God, which has been given to me, I have laid the foundation like a wise architect. But another builds upon it. So then, let each one be careful how he builds upon it.

11 For no one is able to lay any other foundation, in place of that which has been laid, which is Christ Jesus.

12 But if anyone builds upon this foundation, whether gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble,

13 each one’s work shall be made manifest. For the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it will be revealed by fire. And this fire will test each one’s work, as to what kind it is.

14 If anyone’s work, which he has built upon it, remains, then he will receive a reward.

15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer its loss, but he himself will still be saved, but only as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God lives within you?

17 But if anyone violates the Temple of God, God will destroy him. For the Temple of God is holy, and you are that Temple.

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become foolish, so that he may be truly wise.

19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. And so it has been written: “I will catch the wise in their own astuteness.”

20 And again: “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”

21 And so, let no one glory in men.

22 For all is yours: whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or the present, or the future. Yes, all is yours.

23 But you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.