Study Desk

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.

For He says: "In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?

What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people."

Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.

For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction-conflicts on the outside, fears within.

and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he had received from you. He told us about your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more.

Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Although I did regret it, I now see that my letter caused you sorrow, but only for a short time.

And now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you felt the sorrow that God had intended, and so were not harmed in any way by us.

On account of this, we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were even more delighted by the joy of Titus. For his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.

And his affection for you is even greater when he remembers that you were all obedient as you welcomed him with fear and trembling.

For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord,

they pleaded earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire.

For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.

For not only did he welcome our appeal, but he is eagerly coming to you of his own volition.

Along with Titus, we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel.

For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.