Letters to the Churches

the shewing therefore of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf, to them shew ye, even in the face of the assemblies.

For, indeed, concerning the ministration that is for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you,

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,

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,

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.

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.

And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap;

each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love,

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,

(according as it hath been written, `He dispersed abroad, he gave to the poor, his righteousness doth remain to the age,')

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,

in every thing being enriched to all liberality, which doth work through us thanksgiving to God,

because the ministration of this service not only is supplying the wants of the saints, but is also abounding through many thanksgivings to God,

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,

and by their supplication in your behalf, longing after you because of the exceeding grace of God upon you;

thanks also to God for His unspeakable gift!

And I, Paul, myself, do call upon you--through the meekness and gentleness of the Christ--who in presence, indeed am humble among you, and being absent, have courage toward you,

and I beseech you , that, being present, I may not have courage, with the confidence with which I reckon to be bold against certain reckoning us as walking according to the flesh;

for walking in the flesh, not according to the flesh do we war,

for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful to God for bringing down of strongholds,

reasonings bringing down, and every high thing lifted up against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Christ,

and being in readiness to avenge every disobedience, whenever your obedience may be fulfilled.

The things in presence do ye see? if any one hath trusted in himself to be Christ's, this let him reckon again from himself, that according as he is Christ's, so also we are Christ's;

for even if also anything more abundantly I shall boast concerning our authority, that the Lord gave us for building up, and not for casting you down, I shall not be ashamed;

that I may not seem as if I would terrify you through the letters,