51 For we have known that if our earthly house of the tabernacle may be thrown down, a building from God we have, an house not made with hands—age-during—in the heavens, 2 for also in this we groan, with our dwelling that is from heaven earnestly desiring to clothe ourselves, 3 if so be that, having clothed ourselves, we shall not be found naked, 4 for we also who are in the tabernacle do groan, being burdened, seeing we wish not to unclothe ourselves, but to clothe ourselves, that the mortal may be swallowed up of the life. 5 And He who did work us to this self-same thing 'is' God, who also did give to us the earnest of the Spirit; 6 having courage, then, at all times, and knowing that being at home in the body, we are away from home from the Lord,— 7 for through faith we walk, not through sight— 8 we have courage, and are well pleased rather to be away from the home of the body, and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Wherefore also we are ambitious, whether at home or away from home, to be well pleasing to him, 10 for all of us it behoveth to be manifested before the tribunal of the Christ, that each one may receive the things 'done' through the body, in reference to the things that he did, whether good or evil;

The Ministry of Reconciliation

11 having known, therefore, the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, and to God we are manifested, and I hope also in your consciences to have been manifested;

12 for not again ourselves do we recommend to you, but we are giving occasion to you of glorifying in our behalf, that ye may have 'something' in reference to those glorifying in face and not in heart; 13 for whether we were beside ourselves, 'it was' to God; whether we be of sound mind—'it is' to you, 14 for the love of the Christ doth constrain us, having judged thus: that if one for all died, then the whole died, 15 and for all he died, that those living, no more to themselves may live, but to him who died for them, and was raised again.

16 So that we henceforth have known no one according to the flesh, and even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him no more; 17 so that if any one 'is' in Christ—'he is' a new creature; the old things did pass away, lo, become new have the all things. 18 And the all things 'are' of God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and did give to us the ministration of the reconciliation, 19 how that God was in Christ—a world reconciling to Himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses; and having put in us the word of the reconciliation, 20 in behalf of Christ, then, we are ambassadors, as if God were calling through us, we beseech, in behalf of Christ, 'Be ye reconciled to God;' 21 for him who did not know sin, in our behalf He did make sin, that we may become the righteousness of God in him.

61 And working together also we call upon 'you' that ye receive not in vain the grace of God— 2 for He saith, 'In an acceptable time I did hear thee, and in a day of salvation I did help thee, lo, now 'is' a well-accepted time; lo, now, a day of salvation,'— 3 in nothing giving any cause of offence, that the ministration may be not blamed, 4 but in everything recommending ourselves as God's ministrants; in much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in insurrections, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, 6 in pureness, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, 7 in the word of truth, in the power of God, through the armour of the righteousness, on the right and on the left, 8 through glory and dishonour, through evil report and good report, as leading astray, and true; 9 as unknown, and recognized; as dying, and lo, we live; as chastened, and not put to death; 10 as sorrowful, and always rejoicing; as poor, and making many rich; as having nothing, and possessing all things.

11 Our mouth hath been open unto you, O Corinthians, our heart hath been enlarged! 12 ye are not straitened in us, and ye are straitened in your 'own' bowels, 13 and 'as' a recompense of the same kind, (as to children I say 'it',) be ye enlarged—also ye!

Ye Are the Temple of the Living God

14 Become not yoked with others—unbelievers, for what partaking 'is there' to righteousness and lawlessness? 15 and what fellowship to light with darkness? and what concord to Christ with Belial? or what part to a believer with an unbeliever? 16 and what agreement to the sanctuary of God with idols? for ye are a sanctuary of the living God, according as God said—'I will dwell in them, and will walk among 'them', and I will be their God, and they shall be My people, 17 wherefore, come ye forth out of the midst of them, and be separated, saith the Lord, and an unclean thing do not touch, and I—I will receive you, 18 and I will be to you for a Father, and ye—ye shall be to Me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.'

71 Having, then, these promises, beloved, may we cleanse ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting sanctification in the fear of God;

Paul's Joy at the Church's Repentance

2 receive us; no one did we wrong; no one did we waste; no one did we defraud; 3 not to condemn you do I say 'it', for I have said before that in our hearts ye are to die with and to live with; 4 great 'is' my freedom of speech unto you, great my glory on your behalf; I have been filled with the comfort, I overabound with the joy on all our tribulation,

5 for also we, having come to Macedonia, no relaxation hath our flesh had, but on every side we are in tribulation, without 'are' fightings, within—fears; 6 but He who is comforting the cast-down—God—He did comfort us in the presence of Titus; 7 and not only in his presence, but also in the comfort with which he was comforted over you, declaring to us your longing desire, your lamentation, your zeal for me, so that the more I did rejoice, 8 because even if I made you sorry in the letter, I do not repent—if even I did repent—for I perceive that the letter, even if for an hour, did make you sorry. 9 I now do rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry to reformation, for ye were made sorry toward God, that in nothing ye might receive damage from us; 10 for the sorrow toward God reformation to salvation not to be repented of doth work, and the sorrow of the world doth work death, 11 for, lo, this same thing—your being made sorry toward God—how much diligence it doth work in you! but defence, but displeasure, but fear, but longing desire, but zeal, but revenge; in every thing ye did approve yourselves to be pure in the matter.

12 If, then, I also wrote to you—not for his cause who did wrong, nor for his cause who did suffer wrong, but for our diligence in your behalf being manifested unto you before God— 13 because of this we have been comforted in your comfort, and more abundantly the more did we rejoice in the joy of Titus, that his spirit hath been refreshed from you all; 14 because if anything to him in your behalf I have boasted, I was not put to shame; but as all things in truth we did speak to you, so also our boasting before Titus became truth, 15 and his tender affection is more abundantly toward you, remembering the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye did receive him; 16 I rejoice, therefore, that in everything I have courage in you.

The Offering for the Saints

81 And we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God, that hath been given in the assemblies of Macedonia, 2 because in much trial of tribulation the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, did abound to the riches of their liberality; 3 because, according to 'their' power, I testify, and above 'their' power, they were willing of themselves, 4 with much entreaty calling on us to receive the favour and the fellowship of the ministration to the saints, 5 and not according as we expected, but themselves they did give first to the Lord, and to us, through the will of God, 6 so that we exhorted Titus, that, according as he did begin before, so also he may finish to you also this favour,

7 but even as in every thing ye do abound, in faith, and word, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us, that also in this grace ye may abound; 8 not according to command do I speak, but because of the diligence of others, and of your love proving the genuineness, 9 for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that because of you he became poor—being rich, that ye by that poverty may become rich. 10 and an opinion in this do I give: for this to you 'is' expedient, who not only to do, but also to will, did begin before—a year ago, 11 and now also finish doing 'it', that even as 'there is' the readiness of the will, so also the finishing, out of that which ye have, 12 for if the willing mind is present, according to that which any one may have it is well-accepted, not according to that which he hath not; 13 for not that for others release, and ye pressured, 'do I speak,' 14 but by equality, at the present time your abundance—for their want, that also their abundance may be for your want, that there may be equality, 15 according as it hath been written, 'He who 'did gather' much, had nothing over; and he who 'did gather' little, had no lack.'

16 And thanks to God, who is putting the same diligence for you in the heart of Titus, 17 because indeed the exhortation he accepted, and being more diligent, of his own accord he went forth unto you, 18 and we sent with him the brother, whose praise in the good news 'is' through all the assemblies, 19 and not only so, but who was also appointed by vote by the assemblies, our fellow-traveller, with this favour that is ministered by us, unto the glory of the same Lord, and your willing mind; 20 avoiding this, lest any one may blame us in this abundance that is ministered by us, 21 providing right things, not only before the Lord, but also before men; 22 and we sent with them our brother, whom we proved in many things many times being diligent, and now much more diligent, by the great confidence that is toward you, 23 whether—about Titus—my partner and towards you fellow-worker, whether—our brethren, apostles of assemblies—glory of Christ; 24 the shewing therefore of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf, to them shew ye, even in the face of the assemblies.

91 For, indeed, concerning the ministration that 'is' for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you, 2 for I have known your readiness of mind, which in your behalf I boast of to Macedonians, that Achaia hath been prepared a year ago, and the zeal of you did stir up the more part, 3 and I sent the brethren, that our boasting on your behalf may not be made vain in this respect; that, according as I said, ye may be ready, 4 lest if Macedonians may come with me, and find you unprepared, we—we may be put to shame (that we say not—ye) in this same confidence of boasting. 5 Necessary, therefore, I thought 'it' to exhort the brethren, that they may go before to you, and may make up before your formerly announced blessing, that this be ready, as a blessing, and not as covetousness.

6 And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap; 7 each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love, 8 and God 'is' able all grace to cause to abound to you, that in every thing always all sufficiency having, ye may abound to every good work, 9 (according as it hath been written, 'He dispersed abroad, he gave to the poor, his righteousness doth remain to the age,') 10 and may He who is supplying seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 in every thing being enriched to all liberality, which doth work through us thanksgiving to God, 12 because the ministration of this service not only is supplying the wants of the saints, but is also abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 through the proof of this ministration glorifying God for the subjection of your confession to the good news of the Christ, and 'for' the liberality of the fellowship to them and to all, 14 and by their supplication in your behalf, longing after you because of the exceeding grace of God upon you; 15 thanks also to God for His unspeakable gift!