Study Desk

For in what respect are you made worse off more than the rest of the churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you. For I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

But I will spend and be expended most gladly for your lives. If I love you much more, am I to be loved less?

Have you been thinking all this time that we are defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and all these things, dear friends, are for your edification.

For I am afraid lest somehow when I arrive, I will not find you as I want, and I may be found by you as you do not want. I am afraid lest somehow there will be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, pride, disorder.

For indeed, he was crucified because of weakness, but he lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him because of the power of God toward you.

For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but rather only for the truth.

For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong, and we pray for this: your maturity.

Because of this, I am writing these things although I am absent, in order that when I am present I may not have to act severely according to the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

Final Warnings to the Church at Corinth This is the third time I am coming to you. By the testimony of two or three witnesses every word will be established. I have already said when I was present the second time, and although I am absent now I also say in advance to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare anyone, since you are demanding proof that Christ, who is not weak toward you, but is powerful among you, is speaking in me. For indeed, he was crucified because of weakness, but he lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him because of the power of God toward you. Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are unqualified? And I hope that you will recognize that we are not unqualified! Now we pray to God that you not do wrong in any way, not that we are seen as approved, but that you do what is good, even though we are seen as though unqualified. For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but rather only for the truth. For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong, and we pray for this: your maturity. Because of this, I am writing these things although I am absent, in order that when I am present I may not have to act severely according to the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down. Finally, brothers, rejoice, be restored, be encouraged, be in agreement, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

who gave himself for our sins in order to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

For am I now making an appeal to people or to God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

For I make known to you, brothers, the gospel that has been proclaimed by me, that it is not of human origin.

For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism, that to an extraordinary degree I was persecuting the church of God, and trying to destroy it,

to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, in order that the truth of the gospel might remain continually with you.

But from those who were influential (whatever they were, it makes no difference to me, God does not show partiality)—for those who were influential added nothing to me.

(for the one who was at work through Peter for his apostleship to the circumcision was at work also through me for the Gentiles),

For before certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he was afraid of those who were of the circumcision,

For if I build up again these things which I destroyed, I show myself to be a transgressor.