The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

For he accepted the request yee rather he was so well willynge that of his awne accorde came vnto you.

We haue sent with him that brother whose laude is in the gospell thorow out all the congregacions:

and not so only but is also chosen of the congregacions to be a felowe with vs in oure iorney concerninge this benivolence that is ministred by vs vnto the prayse of the lorde and to stere vp youre prompt mynde.

For thys we eschue that eny man shuld rebuke vs in this plenteous distribucion that is ministred by vs

and therfore make provision for honest thynges not in the sight of god only but also in the sight of men.

We have sent with them a brother of oures whom we have ofte tymes proved diliget in many thynges but now moche more diligent. The great confidence which I have in you: hath caused me this to do:

partly for Titus sake which is my felowe and helper as concernynge you partly because of other which are oure brethren and the messengers of the congregacions and the glory of Christ.

Wherfore shewe vnto them the proffe of youre love and of the reioysynge that we have of you that the congregacions maye se it.

Of the ministrynge to the saynctes it is but superfluous for me to write vnto you:

for I knowe youre redynes of mide wherof I bost my silfe vnto them of Macedonia and saye that Achaia was prepared a yeare a goo and youre ferventnes hath provoked many.

Never thelesse yet have I sent these brethren lest oure reioysynge over you shuld be in vayne in this behalfe and that ye (as I have sayd) preparare youre selues

lest paraveture yf they of Macedonia come with me and fynde you vnprepared the boost that I made in this matter shuld be a shame to vs: I saye not vnto you.

Wherfore I thought it necessary to exhorte the brethren to come before hode vnto you forto prepare youre good blessynge promysed afore that it myght be redy: so that it be a blessynge and not a defraudynge.

This yet remember howe that he which soweth lytell shall reepe lytell: and he that soweth plenteously shall reepe plenteously.

And let every man do accordynge as he hath purposed in his herte not groudgyngly or of necessite. For god loveth a chearfull gever.

God is able to make you ryche in all grace that ye in all thynges havynge sufficiet vnto the vttmoste maye be ryche vnto all manner good workes

as it is written: He that sparsed abroade and hath geven to the povre his rightewesnes remayneth for ever.

He that fyndeth the sower seed shall minister breed for fode and shall multiplie youre seed and increace the frutes of youre rightewesnes

that on all parties ye maye be made ryche in all synglenes which causeth thorowe vs thankes gevynge vnto god.

For the office of this ministracion not only supplieth the nede of the sayntes: but also is aboundaunt herein that for this laudable ministrynge thankes myght be geven to god of many

whiche prayse god for the obedience of youre professynge the gospell of Christ and for youre synglenes in distributynge to them and to all me:

and in their prayers to God for you longe after you for the aboundaunt grace of God geven vnto you.

Thankes be vnto God for his vn speakeable gyft.

I Paule my silfe beseche you by the mekenes and softnes of Christ which when I am present amonge you am of no reputacion but am bolde towarde you beinge absent.

I besech you that I nede not to be bolde when I am present (with that same confidence wher with I am supposed to be bolde) agaynst some which repute vs as though we walked carnally.

Neverthelesse though we walke compased with the fleshe yet we warre not flesshlye

For the weapes of oure warre are not carnall thinges but thynges myghty in god to cast doune stronge holdes

wherwith we overthrowe ymaginacyons and every hye thynge that exalteh it silfe agaynst the knowledge of god and brynge into captivite all vnderstondynge to the obedience of Christ

and are redy to take vengeaunce on all disobedience when youre obedience is fulfilled.

Loke ye on thynges after the vtter apparence? Yf eny man trust in him silfe that he is Christis let the same also considre of him silfe that as he is Christis even so are we Christes.

And though I shuld bost my silfe somewhat moare of oure auctorite which the lorde hath geven vs to edifie and not to destroye you it shulde not be to my shame.

This saye I lest I shuld seme as though I went about to make you a frayde with letters.

For the pistles (sayth he) are sore and stronge: but his bodyly presence is weake and his speache rude.

Let him that is soche thynke on this wyse that as we are in wordes by letters when we are absent soche are we in dedes when we are present.

For we cannot fynde in oure hertes to make oure selves of the nombre of them or to compare oure selves to them which laude the selves neuerthelesse whill they measure the selves with them selves and compare the selves with the selves they vnderstode nought.

But we wyll not reioyce above measure: but accordynge to the quantitie of the measure which god hath distributed vnto vs a measure that reacheth even vnto you.

For we stretche uot out oure selves beyode measure as though we had not reached vnto you. For even vnto you have we come with the gospell of Christ

and we bost not oure selves out of measure in other mens labours. Ye and we hope when youre fayth is increased amonge you to be magnified acordynge to oure measure more largely

and to preache the gospell in those regions which are beyode you: and not to reioyce of that which is by another mans measure prepared all redy.

Let him that reioyseth reioyce in the lorde.

For he that prayseth him silfe is not alowed: but he whom the lorde prayseth.

Wolde to god ye coulde suffre me a lytell in my folysshnes: yee and I praye you forbeare me.

For I am gelous over you with godly gelousy. For I coupled you to one man to make you a chaste virgen to Christ.

But I feare lest as the serpent begyled Eve thorow his sutteltie even so youre wittes shuld be corrupte from the singlenes that is in Christ.

For if he that commeth preache another Iesus then hym whom we preached: or if ye receave another sprete then that which ye have receaved: other another gospell then that ye have receaved ye myght right wel have bene content.

I suppose that I was not behynde the chefe apostles.

Though I be rude in speakynge yet I am not so in knowledge. How be it amonge you we are knowen to the vtmost what we are in all thynges.

Did I therin synne be cause I submitted my silfe that ye myght be exalted and because I preached to you the gospell of God fre?

I robbed other congregacions and toke wages of the to do you service with all.

And when I was present with yov and had nede I was greuous to no man for that which was lackynge vnto me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all thynges I kept my silfe that I shuld not be greveous to you: and so will I kepe my silfe.

Yf the trueth of Christ be in me this ieioysynge shall not be taken from me in the regions of Achaia.

Wherfore? Be cause I love you not? God knoweth.

Neverthe lesse what I doo that will I do to cut awaye occasion from them which desyre occasion that they myght be founde lyke vnto vs in that wherin they reioyce.

For these falce apostles are disceatefull workers and fassion them selves lyke vnto the apostles of Christ.

And no marvayle for satan him silfe is chaunged into the fassion of an angell of light.

Therfore it is no great thynge though his ministers fassion them selves as though they were the ministers of rightewesnes: whose ende shalbe acordynge to their dedes.

I saye agayne lest eny man thynke that I am folishe: or els even now take me as a fole that I maye bost my silfe a lytell.

That I speake I speake it not after the wayes of the lorde: but as it were folysshly whill we are now come to bostynge.

Seynge that many reioyce after the flesshe I will reioyce also.

For ye suffre foles gladly be cause that ye youre selves are wyse.

For ye suffre even if a man brynge you into bondage: yf a man devoure: yf a man take: yf a man exalt hym silfe: yf a man smyte you on the face.

I speake as concernynge rebuke as though we had bene weake. How be it wherin soever eny man dare be bolde (I speake folisshly) I dare be bolde also

They are Ebrues so am I: They are Israelites even so am I. They are the seede of Abraham even so am I.

They are the ministers of Christ (I speake as a fole) I am moare: In labours moare aboundant: In strypes above measure: In preson more plenteously: In deeth ofte.

Of the Iewes five tymes receaved I every tyme .xl. strypes saue one.

Thryse was I beten with roddes. I was once stoned. I suffered thryse shipwracke. Nyght and daye have I bene in the depe of the see.

In iorneyinge often: In parels of waters: In parels of robbers: In ieoperdies of myne awne nacion: In ieoperdies amonge the hethen. I have bene in parels in cities in parels in wildernes in parels in the see in parels amonge falce brethren

in laboure and travayle in watchynge often in honger in thirst in fastynges often in colde and in nakednes.

And besyde the thynges which outwardly happen vnto me I am combred dayly and do care for all congregacions.

Who is sicke and I am not sicke? Who is hurte in the fayth and my hert burneth not?

Yf I must nedes reioyce I will reioyce of myne infirmities.

The God and father of oure lorde Iesus Christ which is blessed for evermore knoweth that I lye not

In the citie of Damascon the governer of the people vnder kynge Aretas layde watche in the citie of the Damasces and wolde have caught me

and at a wyndowe was I let doune in a basket thorowe the wall and so scaped his hondes.

It is not expediet for me (no dout to reioyce. Neverthelesse I will come to visions and revelacions of the lorde.

I knowe a man in Christ above .xiiij. yeares agone (whether he weare in the body I cannot tell or whether he were oute of the body I cannot tell god knoweth) which was take vp into the thyrd heven.

And I knowe the same man (whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell god knoweth)

howe that he was take vp into paradise and hearde wordes not to be spoke which no man can vtter.

Of this man will I reioyce of my silfe will I not reioyce except it be of myne infirmities.

And yet though I wolde reioyce I shuld not be a fole: for I wolde saye the trouthe. Neverthe lesse I spare lest eny man shuld thynke of me above that he seith me to be or heareth of me.

And lest I shuld be exalted out of measure thorow the aboundance of revelacions ther was geven vnto me vnquyetnes of the flesshe the messenger of Satan to buffet me: be cause I shuld not be exalted out of measure

For this thynge besought I the lorde thryse that it myght departe from me.

And he sayde vnto me: my grace is sufficient for the. For my strength is made perfact thorow weaknes. Very gladly therfore will I reioyce of my weaknes that the strength of Christ maye dwell in me

Therfore have I delectacion in infirmities in rebukes in nede in persecucions in anguyshe for Christis sake. For when I am weake then am I stronge.

I am made a fole in bostynge my silfe. Ye have compelled me: I ought to have bene comeded of you. For in nothinge was I inferior vnto the chefe apostels Though I be nothynge

yet the tokens of an apostle were wrought amonge you with all pacience: with signes and wonders and myghty dedes.

For what is it wherin ye were inferiors vnto other congregacions except it be therin that I was not greveous vnto you. Forgeve me this wronge done vnto you.

Beholde now the thyrde tyme I am redy to come vnto you: and yet will I not be grevous vnto you. For I seke not youres but you. Also the children ought not to laye vp for the fathers and mothers: but the fathers and mothers for the children.

I will very gladly bestowe and wilbe bestowed for youre soules: though the moare I love you the lesse I am loved agayne.

But be it that I greved you not: never the lesse I was crafty and toke you with gile.

Did I pill you by eny of the which I sent vnto you?

I desyred Titus and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus defraude you of eny thynge? walked we not in one sprete? walked we not in lyke steppes?

Agayne thynke ye that we excuse oure selves? We speake in Christ in the sight of God. But we do all thynges dearly beloved for youre edifyinge.

For I feare lest it come to passe that when I come I shall not fynde you soche as I wolde: and I shalbe foude vnto you soche as ye wolde not: I feare lest ther be founde amonge you debate envyinge wrath stryfe backbytynges whisperynges swellynges and discorde.

I feare lest when I come agayne God brynge me lowe amonge you and I be constrayned to bewayle many of the which have synned all redy and have not repented of the vnclennes fornicacion and wantanes which they haue committed.

Now come I the thyrd tyme vnto you. In the mouth of two or thre witnesses shall every thinge stonde.

I tolde you before and tell you before: and as I sayde when I was present with you the seconde tyme so wryte I now beynge absent to them which in tyme past have synned and to all other: that if I come agayne I will not spare

seynge that ye seke experience of Christ which speaketh in me which amonge you is not weake but is myghty in you.

And verely though it came of weaknes that he was crucified yet liveth he thorow the power of God. And we no dout are weake in him: but we shall live with him by the myght of God amonge you.

Prove youre selves whether ye are in the fayth or not. Examen youre owne selves: knowe ye not youre awne selves how that Iesus Christ is in you excepte ye be castawayes?