Study Desk

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh,

since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments

For if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be put to shame.

For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak and his public speaking amounts to nothing.”

For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves, they lack understanding.

For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we had not reached you, since we have come to you with the gospel of Christ.

For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband—to present a pure virgin to Christ.

For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit, which you had not received, or a different gospel, which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools!

I say this to our shame: We have been too weak for that!

Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.

For if I want to boast, I wouldn’t be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me,

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power

So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

So in what way are you worse off than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me for this wrong!

Look, I am ready to come to you this third time. I will not burden you, since I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children ought not save up for their parents, but parents for their children.