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2 Corinthians 9
For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2 for I know your readiness, of which I glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia has been prepared for the past year; and your zeal has stirred up very many of them. 3 But I have sent the brethren, that our glorying on your behalf may not be made void in this respect; that, even as I said, you may be prepared: 4 lest by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, you) should be put to shame in this confidence. 5 I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brethren, that they would go up before to you, and make up beforehand your previously promised bounty, that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty, and not of extortion.
6 But this I say, He that sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he that sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. 7 Let each man do according as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for Yahweh loves a cheerful giver. 8 And Yahweh is able to make all grace abound to you; that you, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work: 9 as it is written,
He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor;
His righteousness remains forever.
10 And he that supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: 11 you being enriched in everything to all liberality, which works through us thanksgiving to Yahweh. 12 For the ministration of the service not only fills up the measure of the wants of the saints, but abounds also through many thanksgivings to Yahweh: 13 seeing that through the proving of you by this ministration they glorify Yahweh for the obedience of your confession to the good tidings of the Messiah, and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all; 14 while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding grace of Yahweh in you. 15 Thanks be to Yahweh for his unspeakable gift.
2 Corinthians 10
Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of the Messiah, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you: 2 yes, I beseech you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence with which I count to be bold against some, who count of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before Yahweh to the casting down of strongholds); 5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of Yahweh, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of the Messiah; 6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full. 7 You look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusts in himself that he is the Messiah’s let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is the Messiah’s, so also are we. 8 For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which Yahweh gave for building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame: 9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. 10 For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account. 11 Let such a one reckon this, that, what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present. 12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding. 13 But we will not glory beyond measure, but according to the measure of the province which Yahweh apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even to you. 14 For we stretch not ourselves overmuch, as though we reached not to you: for we came even as far as to you in the good tidings of the Messiah: 15 not glorying beyond our measure, that is, in other man’s labors; but having hope that, as your faith grows, we shall be magnified in you according to our province to further abundance, 16 so as to preach the evangel even to the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another’s province in regard of things ready to our hand. 17 But he who glories, let him glory in Yahweh. 18 For he that commends himself is not approved, but whom Yahweh commends.
2 Corinthians 11
I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness: but indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with a righteous jealousy: for I espoused you to one husband, that I might present you a pure virgin to the Messiah. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward the Messiah. 4 For if he that comes preaches another Yahshua, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different evangel, which you did not accept, you do well to bear with him. 5 For I reckon that I am not a whit behind the pre-eminent apostles. 6 But though I be rude in speech, yet am I not in knowledge; no, in every way have we made this manifest to you in all things. 7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you the good tidings of Yahweh for nothing? 8 I robbed other assemblies, taking wages of them that I might minister to you; 9 and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. 10 As the truth of the Messiah is in me, no man shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I love you not? Elohim knows. 12 But what I do, that will I do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion; that in what they glory, they may be found even as we. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of the Messiah. 14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashions himself into an angel of light. 15 It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
16 I say again, Let no man think me foolish; but if you do, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may glory a little. 17 That which I speak, I speak not after Yahweh, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorying, 18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. 19 For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves. 20 For you bear with a man, if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, if he strikes you on the face. 21 I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet whenever any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of the Messiah? (I speak as one beside himself I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often. 24 Of the Jews five times I received forty stripes save one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; 26 in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses upon me daily, anxiety for all the assemblies. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I burn not? 30 If I must glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness. 31 The El and Father of the Sovereign Yahshua, he who is blessed forevermore knows that I lie not. 32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to take me: 33 and through a window was I let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.
2 Corinthians 12
I must glory, though it is not expedient; but I will come to visions and revelations of Yahweh. 2 I know a man in the Messiah, fourteen years ago (whether in the body I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; Elohim knows), such a one caught up even to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; Elohim knows), 4 how that he was caught away to paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on my own behalf I will not glory, save in my weakness. 6 For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I shall speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he sees me to be, or hears from me. 7 And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. 8 Concerning this thing I besought Yahweh three times, that it should depart from me. 9 And he has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of the Messiah may rest on me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for the Messiah’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.
11 I have become foolish: you compelled me; for I ought to have been commended of you; for in nothing was I behind those pre-eminent apostles, though I am nothing. 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all patience, by signs and wonders and mighty works. 13 For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, except it be that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.
14 Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a burden to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15 And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less? 16 But be it so, I did not myself burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with deceit. 17 Did I take advantage of you by any of them whom I have sent to you? 18 I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we walk not in the same steps?
19 You think all this time that we are excusing ourselves to you. In the sight of Yahweh we speak in the Messiah. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying. 20 For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as you would not; lest by any means there should be strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults; 21 lest again when I come my Elohim should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned previously, and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they committed.
2 Corinthians 13
This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word be established. 2 I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, to those who have sinned previously, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare; 3 seeing that you seek a proof of the Messiah that speaks in me; who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you: 4 for he was impaled through weakness, yet he lives through the power of Yahweh. For we are also weak in him, but we shall live with him through the power of Yahweh toward you. 5 Try your own selves, whether you are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know you not as to your own selves, that Yahshua the Messiah is in you? Unless indeed you be reprobate. 6 But I hope that you shall know that we are not reprobate. 7 Now we pray to Yahweh that you do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is honorable, though we be as reprobate. 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9 For we rejoice, when we are weak, and you are strong: this we also pray for, even your perfecting. 10 For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not when present deal sharply, according to the authority which Yahweh gave me for building up, and not for casting down.
11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfected; be comforted; be of the same mind; live in peace: and the Elohim of love and peace shall be with you. 12 Salute one another with a holy kiss.
13 All the saints salute you.
14 The grace of the Sovereign Yahshua the Messiah, and the love of Yahweh, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
