Study Desk

For the grief according to God works repentance to salvation, not to be regretted. But the grief of the world works death.

For behold this same thing, you being grieved according to God, how much it fully worked earnestness in you, but also defense, but also indignation, but also fear, but also desire, but also zeal, but also vengeance! In everything you commended yourselves to be clear in the matter.

Then even if I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one doing wrong, nor for the sake of the one being wronged, but for the sake of revealing our earnestness on your behalf, for you before God.

Because if I have boasted anything to him about you, I was not ashamed. But as we spoke all things in truth to you, so also our boasting as to Titus became truth.

But, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given among the assemblies of Macedonia,

And not as we hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us through the will of God,

But even as you abound in everything, in faith, and in word, and in knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love in us, that you also should abound in this grace.

I do not speak according to command, but through the earnestness of others and testing the trueness of your love.

And I give judgment in this, for this is profitable for you, who began before not only to do, but also to be willing from last year.

But now also finish the doing of it , so that even as there was the eagerness in the willing, so also the finishing, giving out of what you have.

For it is not that there may be ease to others, but trouble to you;

but by equality in the present time, your abundance for their need; but also that their abundance may be for your need, that there may be equality;

But thanks be to God, who gives the same earnestness for you in the heart of Titus.

For truly he received the entreating, but being more earnest, he went out to you of his own accord.

But we sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the assemblies,

and not only so , but also he having been chosen by the assemblies as a traveling companion to us with this gift being ministered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself, and your eagerness,

providing right things not only before the Lord, but also before men. Prov. 3:4

But I sent the brothers that our boasting which is on your behalf should not be in vain in this respect, that as I said, you were ready;

Because the ministry of this service is not only making up the things lacking of the saints, but also multiplying through many thanksgivings to God,

But thanks be to God for His unspeakable free gift.