Study Desk

That is, that God was in Christ making peace between the world and himself, not putting their sins to their account, and having given to us the preaching of this news of peace.

So we are the representatives of Christ, as if God was making a request to you through us: we make our request to you, in the name of Christ, be at peace with God.

For him who had no knowledge of sin God made to be sin for us; so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

We then, working together with God, make our request to you not to take the grace of God to no purpose.

But in everything making it clear that we are the servants of God, in quiet strength, in troubles, in need, in sorrow,

In the true word, in the power of God; with the arms of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

And what agreement has the house of God with images? for we are a house of the living God; even as God has said, I will be living among them, and walking with them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Because God, then, will give us such rewards, dear brothers, let us make ourselves clean from all evil of flesh and spirit, and become completely holy in the fear of God.

But God who gives comfort to the poor in spirit gave us comfort by the coming of Titus;

For the sorrow which God gives is the cause of salvation through a change of heart, in which there is no reason for grief: but the sorrow of the world is a cause of death.

For you see what care was produced in you by this very sorrow of yours before God, what clearing of yourselves, what wrath against sin, what fear, what desire, what serious purpose, what punishment. In everything you have made it clear that you are free from sin in this business.

So though I sent you a letter, it was not only because of the man who did the wrong, or because of him to whom the wrong was done, but so that your true care for us might be made clear in the eyes of God.

And now we give you news, brothers, about the grace of God which has been given to the churches of Macedonia;

And going even farther than our hope, they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us after the purpose of God.

But praise be to God, who puts the same care for you into the heart of Titus.

Let every man do after the purpose of his heart; not giving with grief, or by force: for God takes pleasure in a ready giver.

And God is able to give you all grace in full measure; so that ever having enough of all things, you may be full of every good work:

Your wealth being increased in everything, with a simple mind, causing praise to God through us.

For this work of giving not only takes care of the needs of the saints, but is the cause of much praise to God;

For when, through this work of giving, they see what you are, they give glory to God for the way in which you have given yourselves to the good news of Christ, and for the wealth of your giving to them and to all;