Study Desk

namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Therefore we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as if God were imploring you through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.

Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

but commending ourselves as servants of God in every way, in much endurance, in afflictions, in distresses, in difficulties,

in the word of truth, in the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and left hand,

And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, "I will live in them and will walk about among them, and I will be their God and they will be my people."

Therefore since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of body and spirit, accomplishing holiness in the fear of God.

But God, who comforts the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus,

now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to the will of God, so that you suffered loss in no way through us.

For grief according to the will of God brings about a repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but worldly grief brings about death.

For behold how much diligence this very thing, being grieved according to the will of God, has brought about in you: what defense of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! In everything you have demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

Consequently, even if I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did wrong or because of the one who had been wronged, but in order that your diligence on our behalf might be revealed to you before God.

Now we make known to you, brothers, the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia,

and not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, by the will of God.

But thanks be to God, who has put in the heart of Titus the same devotion on your behalf,

Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or from compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to cause all grace to abound to you, so that in everything at all times, because you have enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work.

being made rich in every way for all generosity, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God,

because the service of this ministry is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but also is overflowing through many expressions of thanksgiving to God.