Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the second
epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, chapters
1 to 7. Chapter 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus
Christ by the will of God, and Timothy, our brother,
to the church of God, which is at Corinth, with
all the saints who are in all Achaia, Greece
to you, and peace from God our Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies
and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all
our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
those who are in any trouble, with the comfort
with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us,
so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation
and salvation. which is effective for enduring
the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or,
if we are comforted, it is for your consolation
and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast,
because we know that as you are partakers of
the sufferings, so also you will partake of the
consolation. For we do not want you to be ignorant,
brethren, of our trouble which came to us in
Asia, that we were burdened beyond measure, above
strength, so that we despaired even of life.
Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves,
that we should not trust in ourselves, but in
God who raises the dead, who delivered us from
so great a death, and does deliver us, in whom
we trust that he will still deliver us. You also
helping together in prayer for us, that thanks
may be given by many persons on our behalf for
the gift granted to us through many. For our
boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience
that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity
and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom
but by the grace of God and more abundantly towards
you. For we are not writing any other things
to you than that which you read and understand.
Now I trust you will understand even to the end,
as also you have understood us in part, that
we are your boast as you also are ours in the
day of the Lord Jesus. And in this confidence
I intended to come to you before, that you might
have a second benefit, to pass by way of you
to Macedonia, to come again from Macedonia to
you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea.
Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do
it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according
to the flesh, that with me there should be yes,
yes, and no, no? But as God is faithful, our
word to you was not yes and no. For the Son of
God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you
by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not
yes and no, but in him was yes. For all the promises
of God in him are yes, and in him, ameen, to
the glory of God through us. Chapter 2 But I
determined this within myself, that I would not
come again to you in sorrow. For if I make you
sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but
the one who is made sorrowful by me? And I wrote
this very thing to you, lest when I came I should
have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have
joy, having confidence in you all, that my joy
is the joy of you all. for out of much affliction
and anguish of heart i wrote to you with many
tears not that you should be grieved but that
you might know the love which i have so abundantly
for you but if any one has caused grief he has
not grieved me but all of you to some extent
not to be too severe this punishment which was
inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such
a man so that on the contrary you ought rather
to forgive and comfort him lest perhaps such
a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow therefore
i urge you to reaffirm your love to him for to
this end i also wrote that i might put you to
the test whether you are obedient in all things.
Now, whom you forgive anything, I also forgive.
For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have
forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence
of Christ. Lest Satan should take advantage of
us, for we are not ignorant of his devices. Furthermore,
when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel,
And a door was opened to me by the Lord. I had
no rest in my spirit, because I did not find
Titus my brother. But taking my leave of them,
I departed for Macedonia. Now thanks be to God,
who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and
through us diffuses the fragrance of his knowledge
in every place. For we are to God the fragrance
of Christ among those who are being saved, and
among those who are perishing. To the one we
are the aroma of death leading to death. and
to the other the aroma of life leading to life.
And who is sufficient for these things? For we
are not, as so many, peddling the word of God,
but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak
in the sight of God in Christ. Chapter 3 Do we
begin again to commend ourselves, or do we need,
as some others, epistles of commendation to you
or letters of commendation from you? you are
our epistle written in our hearts known and read
by all men clearly you are an epistle of christ
ministered by us written not with ink but by
the spirit of the living god not on tablets of
stone but on tablets of flesh that is of the
heart And we have such trust through Christ toward
God, not that we are sufficient of ourselves
to think of anything as being from ourselves,
but our sufficiency is from God, who also made
us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant,
not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the
letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But
if the ministry of death, written and engraved
on stones, was glorious, so that the children
of Israel could not look steadily, at the face
of Moses because of the glory of his countenance,
which glory was passing away, how will the ministry
of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the
ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry
of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
For even what was made glorious had no glory
in this respect because of the glory that excels.
For if what is passing away was glorious, what
remains is much more glorious. Therefore, since
we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech,
unlike Moses who put a veil over his face so
that the children of Israel could not look steadily
at the end of what was passing away. But their
minds were blinded. For until this day the same
veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old
Testament, because the veil is taken away in
Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read,
a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless, when
one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit
of the Lord is, There is liberty, but we all
with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror
the glory of the Lord, are being transformed
into the same image from glory to glory, just
as by the Spirit of the Lord. Chapter 4 Therefore,
since we have this ministry, as we have received
mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced
the hidden things of shame. not walking in craftiness,
nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but
by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves
to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled
to those who are perishing, whose minds the God
of this age has blinded, who do not believe,
lest the light of the gospel of the glory of
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but
Christ Jesus the Lord. and ourselves your bondservants
for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded
light to shine out of darkness, who has shone
in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the excellence of the power may be of God
and not of us. We are heart -pressed on every
side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed, but
not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken.
struck down but not destroyed, always carrying
about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested
in our body. For we who live are always delivered
to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus
also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So
then death is working in us, but life in you.
And since we have the same spirit of faith, according
to what is written, I believed and therefore
I spoke. We also believe and therefore speak,
knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus
will also raise us up with Jesus and will present
us with you. For all things are for your sakes,
that grace, having spread through the many, may
cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of
God. Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though
our outward man is perishing, yet the inward
man is being renewed day by day. For our light
affliction, which is but for a moment, is working
for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight
of glory. While we do not look at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen. For the things which are seen are temporary,
but the things which are not seen are eternal.
a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be
clothed with our habitation which is from heaven.
If indeed, having been clothed, we shall not
be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan,
being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed,
but further clothed, our mortality may be swallowed
up by life. Now he who has prepared us for this
very thing is God, who also has given us the
Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident,
knowing that while we are at home in the body,
we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith,
not by sight. We are confident, yes, while pleased,
rather to be absent from the body and to be present
with the Lord. Therefore, we make it our aim,
whether present or absent, to be well -pleasing
to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ, that each one may receive the
things done in the body, according to what he
has done, whether good or bad. Knowing therefore
the terror of the Lord, we persuade men, but
we are well known to God, and I also trust are
well known in your consciences. For we do not
commend ourselves again to you, but give you
opportunity to boast on our behalf. that you
may have an answer for those who boast in appearance
and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves,
it is for God, or if we are of sound mind, it
is for you. For the love of Christ compels us,
because we judge thus, that if one died for all,
then all died. And if he died for all, that those
who live should live no longer for themselves,
but for him who died for them and rose again.
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according
to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ
according to the flesh, yet now we know him thus
no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creation. Old things have passed
away. Behold, all things have become new. Now
all things are of God, who has reconciled us
to himself through Jesus Christ and has given
us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, that
God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself,
not imputing their trespasses to them, and has
committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now
then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though
God were pleading through us. We implore you
on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For
he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us,
that we might become the righteousness of God
in him. Chapter 6 We then as workers together
with him also plead with you not to receive the
grace of God in vain. For he says, In an acceptable
time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation
I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted
time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. We
give no offense in anything that our ministry
may not be blamed. But in all things we commend
ourselves as ministers of God. in much patience,
in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in
stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors,
in sleeplessness, in fastings, by purity, by
knowledge, by long -suffering, by kindness, by
the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word
of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of
righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good
report, as deceivers and yet true. as unknown
and yet well known, as dying and behold we live,
as chastened and yet not killed, as sorrowful
yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many
rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all
things. O Corinthians, we have spoken openly
to you. Our heart is wide open. You are not restricted
by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
Now in return for the same, I speak as to children.
you also be open. Do not be unequally yoked together
with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness
with lawlessness? And what communion has light
with darkness? And what accord has Christ with
Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
And what agreement has the temple of God with
idols? For you are the temple of the living God.
As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk
among them. I will be their God and they shall
be my people. Therefore, come out from among
them and be separate says the lord do not touch
what is unclean and i will receive you i will
be a father to you and you shall be my sons and
daughters says the lord almighty chapter 7 therefore
having these promises beloved let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and
spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of god
open your hearts to us we have wronged no one
We have corrupted no one. We have cheated no
one. I do not say this to condemn, for I have
said before that you are in our hearts, to die
together and to live together. Great is my boldness
of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on
your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly
joyful in all our tribulation. For indeed, when
we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest,
but we were troubled on every side. Outside were
conflicts, inside were fears. Nevertheless, God,
who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the
coming of Titus, and not only by his coming,
but also by the consolation with which he was
comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest
desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that
I rejoiced even more. For even if I made you
sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though
I did regret it. For I perceive that the same
epistle made you sorry, though only for a while.
Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry,
but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you
were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might
suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow
produces repentance, leading to salvation, not
to be regretted. But the sorrow of the world
produces death. For observe this very thing,
that you sorrowed in a godly manner. What diligence
it produced in you. what clearing of yourselves,
what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire,
what zeal, what vindication. In all things you
proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not
do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong,
nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but
that our care for you in the sight of God might
appear to you. Therefore we have been comforted
in your comfort, and we rejoiced exceedingly
more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit
has been refreshed by you all. For if in anything
I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed.
But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even
so our boasting to Titus was found true. And
his affections are greater for you, as he remembers
the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling
you received him. Therefore, I rejoice that I
have confidence in you in everything. I hope
you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did,
and I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow
to continue on our journey. God bless you and
have a great day.