Letters to the Churches

so that contrariwise ye should rather forgive him and comfort him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow.

Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him.

For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things.

But to whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes have I forgiven it in the presence of Christ;

that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and when a door was opened unto me in the Lord,

I had no relief for my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia.

But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place.

For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish;

to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

For we are not as the many, corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.

Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you?

Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;

being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh.

And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward:

not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;

who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away:

how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?

For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth.

For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory.

Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

andarenot as Moses, whoput a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away:

but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ.