WEBVTT 00:00:00.920 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:09.220 in a year. Today's reading is from the second 00:00:09.220 --> 00:00:11.599 epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, chapters 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:16.460 1 to 7. Chapter 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus 00:00:16.460 --> 00:00:19.199 Christ by the will of God, and Timothy, our brother, 00:00:19.320 --> 00:00:22.460 to the church of God, which is at Corinth, with 00:00:22.460 --> 00:00:25.239 all the saints who are in all Achaia, Greece 00:00:25.239 --> 00:00:28.039 to you, and peace from God our Father and the 00:00:28.039 --> 00:00:31.260 Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father 00:00:31.260 --> 00:00:34.039 of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies 00:00:34.039 --> 00:00:37.600 and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:40.399 our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:43.240 those who are in any trouble, with the comfort 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:46.560 with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:49.500 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, 00:00:49.619 --> 00:00:53.179 so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 00:00:53.579 --> 00:00:57.100 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation 00:00:57.100 --> 00:00:59.630 and salvation. which is effective for enduring 00:00:59.630 --> 00:01:02.710 the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or, 00:01:02.829 --> 00:01:05.390 if we are comforted, it is for your consolation 00:01:05.390 --> 00:01:08.569 and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, 00:01:08.750 --> 00:01:11.489 because we know that as you are partakers of 00:01:11.489 --> 00:01:14.290 the sufferings, so also you will partake of the 00:01:14.290 --> 00:01:17.530 consolation. For we do not want you to be ignorant, 00:01:17.769 --> 00:01:20.569 brethren, of our trouble which came to us in 00:01:20.569 --> 00:01:24.030 Asia, that we were burdened beyond measure, above 00:01:24.030 --> 00:01:26.989 strength, so that we despaired even of life. 00:01:27.450 --> 00:01:29.989 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, 00:01:30.349 --> 00:01:33.250 that we should not trust in ourselves, but in 00:01:33.250 --> 00:01:36.469 God who raises the dead, who delivered us from 00:01:36.469 --> 00:01:39.709 so great a death, and does deliver us, in whom 00:01:39.709 --> 00:01:43.090 we trust that he will still deliver us. You also 00:01:43.090 --> 00:01:46.170 helping together in prayer for us, that thanks 00:01:46.170 --> 00:01:49.230 may be given by many persons on our behalf for 00:01:49.230 --> 00:01:52.290 the gift granted to us through many. For our 00:01:52.290 --> 00:01:55.299 boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience 00:01:55.299 --> 00:01:58.640 that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:02.219 and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom 00:02:02.219 --> 00:02:05.579 but by the grace of God and more abundantly towards 00:02:05.579 --> 00:02:08.680 you. For we are not writing any other things 00:02:08.680 --> 00:02:11.780 to you than that which you read and understand. 00:02:12.650 --> 00:02:15.349 Now I trust you will understand even to the end, 00:02:15.409 --> 00:02:18.810 as also you have understood us in part, that 00:02:18.810 --> 00:02:22.490 we are your boast as you also are ours in the 00:02:22.490 --> 00:02:25.110 day of the Lord Jesus. And in this confidence 00:02:25.110 --> 00:02:28.310 I intended to come to you before, that you might 00:02:28.310 --> 00:02:31.310 have a second benefit, to pass by way of you 00:02:31.310 --> 00:02:34.050 to Macedonia, to come again from Macedonia to 00:02:34.050 --> 00:02:37.430 you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea. 00:02:37.689 --> 00:02:40.789 Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do 00:02:40.789 --> 00:02:43.979 it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according 00:02:43.979 --> 00:02:47.159 to the flesh, that with me there should be yes, 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:50.479 yes, and no, no? But as God is faithful, our 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:54.219 word to you was not yes and no. For the Son of 00:02:54.219 --> 00:02:57.199 God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you 00:02:57.199 --> 00:03:00.919 by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not 00:03:00.919 --> 00:03:04.840 yes and no, but in him was yes. For all the promises 00:03:04.840 --> 00:03:08.879 of God in him are yes, and in him, ameen, to 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:40.060 the glory of God through us. Chapter 2 But I 00:03:40.060 --> 00:03:42.979 determined this within myself, that I would not 00:03:42.979 --> 00:03:45.860 come again to you in sorrow. For if I make you 00:03:45.860 --> 00:03:49.300 sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but 00:03:49.300 --> 00:03:52.400 the one who is made sorrowful by me? And I wrote 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:55.280 this very thing to you, lest when I came I should 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:58.020 have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have 00:03:58.020 --> 00:04:01.039 joy, having confidence in you all, that my joy 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:04.319 is the joy of you all. for out of much affliction 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:06.840 and anguish of heart i wrote to you with many 00:04:06.840 --> 00:04:09.520 tears not that you should be grieved but that 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:12.860 you might know the love which i have so abundantly 00:04:12.860 --> 00:04:16.540 for you but if any one has caused grief he has 00:04:16.540 --> 00:04:19.480 not grieved me but all of you to some extent 00:04:19.480 --> 00:04:22.920 not to be too severe this punishment which was 00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:25.740 inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such 00:04:25.740 --> 00:04:28.720 a man so that on the contrary you ought rather 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:31.879 to forgive and comfort him lest perhaps such 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:35.259 a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow therefore 00:04:35.259 --> 00:04:39.019 i urge you to reaffirm your love to him for to 00:04:39.019 --> 00:04:42.180 this end i also wrote that i might put you to 00:04:42.180 --> 00:04:44.779 the test whether you are obedient in all things. 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:48.120 Now, whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. 00:04:48.379 --> 00:04:51.459 For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have 00:04:51.459 --> 00:04:54.339 forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence 00:04:54.339 --> 00:04:57.300 of Christ. Lest Satan should take advantage of 00:04:57.300 --> 00:05:00.860 us, for we are not ignorant of his devices. Furthermore, 00:05:01.139 --> 00:05:03.819 when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, 00:05:04.189 --> 00:05:06.769 And a door was opened to me by the Lord. I had 00:05:06.769 --> 00:05:09.589 no rest in my spirit, because I did not find 00:05:09.589 --> 00:05:12.350 Titus my brother. But taking my leave of them, 00:05:12.430 --> 00:05:15.670 I departed for Macedonia. Now thanks be to God, 00:05:15.730 --> 00:05:18.750 who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and 00:05:18.750 --> 00:05:21.370 through us diffuses the fragrance of his knowledge 00:05:21.370 --> 00:05:24.810 in every place. For we are to God the fragrance 00:05:24.810 --> 00:05:28.069 of Christ among those who are being saved, and 00:05:28.069 --> 00:05:30.810 among those who are perishing. To the one we 00:05:30.810 --> 00:05:33.779 are the aroma of death leading to death. and 00:05:33.779 --> 00:05:36.500 to the other the aroma of life leading to life. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:39.360 And who is sufficient for these things? For we 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:42.639 are not, as so many, peddling the word of God, 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:46.560 but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:52.800 in the sight of God in Christ. Chapter 3 Do we 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:55.699 begin again to commend ourselves, or do we need, 00:05:55.720 --> 00:05:58.180 as some others, epistles of commendation to you 00:05:58.180 --> 00:06:01.069 or letters of commendation from you? you are 00:06:01.069 --> 00:06:04.629 our epistle written in our hearts known and read 00:06:04.629 --> 00:06:07.870 by all men clearly you are an epistle of christ 00:06:07.870 --> 00:06:11.389 ministered by us written not with ink but by 00:06:11.389 --> 00:06:14.129 the spirit of the living god not on tablets of 00:06:14.129 --> 00:06:17.329 stone but on tablets of flesh that is of the 00:06:17.329 --> 00:06:20.769 heart And we have such trust through Christ toward 00:06:20.769 --> 00:06:23.329 God, not that we are sufficient of ourselves 00:06:23.329 --> 00:06:25.810 to think of anything as being from ourselves, 00:06:26.149 --> 00:06:29.649 but our sufficiency is from God, who also made 00:06:29.649 --> 00:06:31.850 us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, 00:06:32.069 --> 00:06:35.350 not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the 00:06:35.350 --> 00:06:38.649 letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But 00:06:38.649 --> 00:06:41.149 if the ministry of death, written and engraved 00:06:41.149 --> 00:06:43.889 on stones, was glorious, so that the children 00:06:43.889 --> 00:06:46.569 of Israel could not look steadily, at the face 00:06:46.569 --> 00:06:49.189 of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, 00:06:49.209 --> 00:06:52.589 which glory was passing away, how will the ministry 00:06:52.589 --> 00:06:55.750 of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the 00:06:55.750 --> 00:06:58.470 ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry 00:06:58.470 --> 00:07:01.589 of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 00:07:02.060 --> 00:07:04.800 For even what was made glorious had no glory 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:07.800 in this respect because of the glory that excels. 00:07:07.939 --> 00:07:10.819 For if what is passing away was glorious, what 00:07:10.819 --> 00:07:14.459 remains is much more glorious. Therefore, since 00:07:14.459 --> 00:07:17.500 we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech, 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:21.180 unlike Moses who put a veil over his face so 00:07:21.180 --> 00:07:23.540 that the children of Israel could not look steadily 00:07:23.540 --> 00:07:26.959 at the end of what was passing away. But their 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:29.769 minds were blinded. For until this day the same 00:07:29.769 --> 00:07:32.850 veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old 00:07:32.850 --> 00:07:35.569 Testament, because the veil is taken away in 00:07:35.569 --> 00:07:38.790 Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, 00:07:38.990 --> 00:07:42.329 a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless, when 00:07:42.329 --> 00:07:44.870 one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 00:07:45.189 --> 00:07:47.910 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit 00:07:47.910 --> 00:07:51.509 of the Lord is, There is liberty, but we all 00:07:51.509 --> 00:07:54.850 with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror 00:07:54.850 --> 00:07:57.410 the glory of the Lord, are being transformed 00:07:57.410 --> 00:08:01.389 into the same image from glory to glory, just 00:08:01.389 --> 00:08:07.509 as by the Spirit of the Lord. Chapter 4 Therefore, 00:08:07.629 --> 00:08:10.430 since we have this ministry, as we have received 00:08:10.430 --> 00:08:13.829 mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced 00:08:13.829 --> 00:08:17.060 the hidden things of shame. not walking in craftiness, 00:08:17.220 --> 00:08:19.939 nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but 00:08:19.939 --> 00:08:22.920 by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves 00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:25.860 to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:29.399 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled 00:08:29.399 --> 00:08:32.480 to those who are perishing, whose minds the God 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:35.120 of this age has blinded, who do not believe, 00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:37.559 lest the light of the gospel of the glory of 00:08:37.559 --> 00:08:40.120 Christ, who is the image of God, should shine 00:08:40.120 --> 00:08:43.039 on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:46.440 Christ Jesus the Lord. and ourselves your bondservants 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:49.899 for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded 00:08:49.899 --> 00:08:52.700 light to shine out of darkness, who has shone 00:08:52.700 --> 00:08:54.860 in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge 00:08:54.860 --> 00:08:57.759 of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:00.379 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, 00:09:00.620 --> 00:09:03.259 that the excellence of the power may be of God 00:09:03.259 --> 00:09:06.559 and not of us. We are heart -pressed on every 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:09.580 side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed, but 00:09:09.580 --> 00:09:12.659 not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken. 00:09:12.909 --> 00:09:15.669 struck down but not destroyed, always carrying 00:09:15.669 --> 00:09:18.409 about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, 00:09:18.669 --> 00:09:21.710 that the life of Jesus also may be manifested 00:09:21.710 --> 00:09:25.110 in our body. For we who live are always delivered 00:09:25.110 --> 00:09:28.370 to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus 00:09:28.370 --> 00:09:31.929 also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So 00:09:31.929 --> 00:09:34.629 then death is working in us, but life in you. 00:09:34.850 --> 00:09:37.850 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according 00:09:37.850 --> 00:09:40.049 to what is written, I believed and therefore 00:09:40.049 --> 00:09:43.149 I spoke. We also believe and therefore speak, 00:09:43.450 --> 00:09:45.990 knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus 00:09:45.990 --> 00:09:49.070 will also raise us up with Jesus and will present 00:09:49.070 --> 00:09:51.929 us with you. For all things are for your sakes, 00:09:51.950 --> 00:09:55.049 that grace, having spread through the many, may 00:09:55.049 --> 00:09:57.610 cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of 00:09:57.610 --> 00:10:01.389 God. Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though 00:10:01.389 --> 00:10:04.309 our outward man is perishing, yet the inward 00:10:04.309 --> 00:10:08.139 man is being renewed day by day. For our light 00:10:08.139 --> 00:10:11.360 affliction, which is but for a moment, is working 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:14.700 for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight 00:10:14.700 --> 00:10:17.580 of glory. While we do not look at the things 00:10:17.580 --> 00:10:20.580 which are seen, but at the things which are not 00:10:20.580 --> 00:10:23.039 seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:25.759 but the things which are not seen are eternal. 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:38.940 a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:42.399 For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:45.279 clothed with our habitation which is from heaven. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:48.519 If indeed, having been clothed, we shall not 00:10:48.519 --> 00:10:52.200 be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:55.600 being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, 00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:58.399 but further clothed, our mortality may be swallowed 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:01.940 up by life. Now he who has prepared us for this 00:11:01.940 --> 00:11:04.879 very thing is God, who also has given us the 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:08.120 Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, 00:11:08.379 --> 00:11:10.720 knowing that while we are at home in the body, 00:11:10.840 --> 00:11:13.980 we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:17.580 not by sight. We are confident, yes, while pleased, 00:11:17.659 --> 00:11:20.419 rather to be absent from the body and to be present 00:11:20.419 --> 00:11:23.440 with the Lord. Therefore, we make it our aim, 00:11:23.580 --> 00:11:26.159 whether present or absent, to be well -pleasing 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:28.980 to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment 00:11:28.980 --> 00:11:31.580 seat of Christ, that each one may receive the 00:11:31.580 --> 00:11:34.100 things done in the body, according to what he 00:11:34.100 --> 00:11:37.240 has done, whether good or bad. Knowing therefore 00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:40.279 the terror of the Lord, we persuade men, but 00:11:40.279 --> 00:11:43.059 we are well known to God, and I also trust are 00:11:43.059 --> 00:11:46.039 well known in your consciences. For we do not 00:11:46.039 --> 00:11:48.419 commend ourselves again to you, but give you 00:11:48.419 --> 00:11:51.320 opportunity to boast on our behalf. that you 00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:53.919 may have an answer for those who boast in appearance 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:57.299 and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, 00:11:57.700 --> 00:12:01.240 it is for God, or if we are of sound mind, it 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:04.200 is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, 00:12:04.259 --> 00:12:07.460 because we judge thus, that if one died for all, 00:12:07.620 --> 00:12:11.080 then all died. And if he died for all, that those 00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:13.299 who live should live no longer for themselves, 00:12:13.580 --> 00:12:16.200 but for him who died for them and rose again. 00:12:16.730 --> 00:12:20.409 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according 00:12:20.409 --> 00:12:23.210 to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ 00:12:23.210 --> 00:12:26.450 according to the flesh, yet now we know him thus 00:12:26.450 --> 00:12:29.730 no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 00:12:29.950 --> 00:12:33.350 he is a new creation. Old things have passed 00:12:33.350 --> 00:12:37.289 away. Behold, all things have become new. Now 00:12:37.289 --> 00:12:40.309 all things are of God, who has reconciled us 00:12:40.309 --> 00:12:43.169 to himself through Jesus Christ and has given 00:12:43.169 --> 00:12:46.610 us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, that 00:12:46.610 --> 00:12:49.889 God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, 00:12:50.269 --> 00:12:53.409 not imputing their trespasses to them, and has 00:12:53.409 --> 00:12:56.549 committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now 00:12:56.549 --> 00:12:59.509 then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though 00:12:59.509 --> 00:13:02.250 God were pleading through us. We implore you 00:13:02.250 --> 00:13:05.809 on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For 00:13:05.809 --> 00:13:09.070 he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, 00:13:09.210 --> 00:13:11.789 that we might become the righteousness of God 00:13:11.789 --> 00:13:18.330 in him. Chapter 6 We then as workers together 00:13:18.330 --> 00:13:21.230 with him also plead with you not to receive the 00:13:21.230 --> 00:13:24.789 grace of God in vain. For he says, In an acceptable 00:13:24.789 --> 00:13:27.429 time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation 00:13:27.429 --> 00:13:30.870 I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted 00:13:30.870 --> 00:13:34.509 time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. We 00:13:34.509 --> 00:13:37.049 give no offense in anything that our ministry 00:13:37.049 --> 00:13:40.409 may not be blamed. But in all things we commend 00:13:40.409 --> 00:13:43.710 ourselves as ministers of God. in much patience, 00:13:43.830 --> 00:13:46.830 in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in 00:13:46.830 --> 00:13:50.110 stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, 00:13:50.129 --> 00:13:53.690 in sleeplessness, in fastings, by purity, by 00:13:53.690 --> 00:13:56.570 knowledge, by long -suffering, by kindness, by 00:13:56.570 --> 00:13:59.669 the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word 00:13:59.669 --> 00:14:02.710 of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of 00:14:02.710 --> 00:14:05.370 righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 00:14:05.509 --> 00:14:09.090 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good 00:14:09.090 --> 00:14:12.840 report, as deceivers and yet true. as unknown 00:14:12.840 --> 00:14:16.860 and yet well known, as dying and behold we live, 00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:20.600 as chastened and yet not killed, as sorrowful 00:14:20.600 --> 00:14:24.039 yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many 00:14:24.039 --> 00:14:27.179 rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all 00:14:27.179 --> 00:14:30.759 things. O Corinthians, we have spoken openly 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:34.580 to you. Our heart is wide open. You are not restricted 00:14:34.580 --> 00:14:37.659 by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. 00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:40.860 Now in return for the same, I speak as to children. 00:14:41.230 --> 00:14:44.769 you also be open. Do not be unequally yoked together 00:14:44.769 --> 00:14:47.789 with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness 00:14:47.789 --> 00:14:50.509 with lawlessness? And what communion has light 00:14:50.509 --> 00:14:53.649 with darkness? And what accord has Christ with 00:14:53.649 --> 00:14:57.149 Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 00:14:57.350 --> 00:14:59.870 And what agreement has the temple of God with 00:14:59.870 --> 00:15:02.610 idols? For you are the temple of the living God. 00:15:02.789 --> 00:15:06.009 As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk 00:15:06.009 --> 00:15:08.629 among them. I will be their God and they shall 00:15:08.629 --> 00:15:12.049 be my people. Therefore, come out from among 00:15:12.049 --> 00:15:14.929 them and be separate says the lord do not touch 00:15:14.929 --> 00:15:17.990 what is unclean and i will receive you i will 00:15:17.990 --> 00:15:20.730 be a father to you and you shall be my sons and 00:15:20.730 --> 00:15:27.429 daughters says the lord almighty chapter 7 therefore 00:15:27.429 --> 00:15:30.450 having these promises beloved let us cleanse 00:15:30.450 --> 00:15:33.210 ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and 00:15:33.210 --> 00:15:35.870 spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of god 00:15:35.870 --> 00:15:39.429 open your hearts to us we have wronged no one 00:15:39.740 --> 00:15:41.899 We have corrupted no one. We have cheated no 00:15:41.899 --> 00:15:45.139 one. I do not say this to condemn, for I have 00:15:45.139 --> 00:15:47.860 said before that you are in our hearts, to die 00:15:47.860 --> 00:15:50.840 together and to live together. Great is my boldness 00:15:50.840 --> 00:15:54.039 of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on 00:15:54.039 --> 00:15:57.419 your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly 00:15:57.419 --> 00:16:01.120 joyful in all our tribulation. For indeed, when 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:03.820 we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, 00:16:04.019 --> 00:16:07.279 but we were troubled on every side. Outside were 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:10.789 conflicts, inside were fears. Nevertheless, God, 00:16:10.870 --> 00:16:14.330 who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the 00:16:14.330 --> 00:16:16.809 coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, 00:16:16.950 --> 00:16:20.129 but also by the consolation with which he was 00:16:20.129 --> 00:16:22.950 comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest 00:16:22.950 --> 00:16:26.269 desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that 00:16:26.269 --> 00:16:29.149 I rejoiced even more. For even if I made you 00:16:29.149 --> 00:16:31.929 sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though 00:16:31.929 --> 00:16:35.190 I did regret it. For I perceive that the same 00:16:35.190 --> 00:16:37.909 epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. 00:16:38.169 --> 00:16:41.070 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, 00:16:41.230 --> 00:16:44.070 but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you 00:16:44.070 --> 00:16:46.649 were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might 00:16:46.649 --> 00:16:49.850 suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow 00:16:49.850 --> 00:16:53.149 produces repentance, leading to salvation, not 00:16:53.149 --> 00:16:55.570 to be regretted. But the sorrow of the world 00:16:55.570 --> 00:16:58.710 produces death. For observe this very thing, 00:16:58.850 --> 00:17:02.009 that you sorrowed in a godly manner. What diligence 00:17:02.009 --> 00:17:04.549 it produced in you. what clearing of yourselves, 00:17:04.869 --> 00:17:07.809 what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, 00:17:08.089 --> 00:17:11.430 what zeal, what vindication. In all things you 00:17:11.430 --> 00:17:13.490 proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 00:17:13.690 --> 00:17:16.049 Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not 00:17:16.049 --> 00:17:18.490 do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, 00:17:18.670 --> 00:17:21.690 nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but 00:17:21.690 --> 00:17:24.329 that our care for you in the sight of God might 00:17:24.329 --> 00:17:27.740 appear to you. Therefore we have been comforted 00:17:27.740 --> 00:17:30.460 in your comfort, and we rejoiced exceedingly 00:17:30.460 --> 00:17:33.359 more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:37.180 has been refreshed by you all. For if in anything 00:17:37.180 --> 00:17:40.240 I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. 00:17:40.539 --> 00:17:44.140 But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even 00:17:44.140 --> 00:17:47.539 so our boasting to Titus was found true. And 00:17:47.539 --> 00:17:50.380 his affections are greater for you, as he remembers 00:17:50.380 --> 00:17:53.720 the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling 00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:56.869 you received him. Therefore, I rejoice that I 00:17:56.869 --> 00:18:04.890 have confidence in you in everything. I hope 00:18:04.890 --> 00:18:06.730 you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did, 00:18:06.869 --> 00:18:08.829 and I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow 00:18:08.829 --> 00:18:11.329 to continue on our journey. God bless you and 00:18:11.329 --> 00:18:12.009 have a great day.