Study Desk

And what agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are a temple of the living God, even as God said, "I will" dwell in them and "walk among them , and I will betheir God, and they shall be My people." Lev. 26:12; Ezek. 37:27

Make room for us. We wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we overreached no one.

I do not speak to condemnation, for I have said before that you are in our hearts, for us to die together and to live together.

For, indeed, we coming into Macedonia, in our flesh no one had rest, but being troubled in every way, with fightings on the outside and fears on the inside.

And not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted over you, relating to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal on my behalf, so as for me to rejoice more.

For even if I grieved you in the letter, I do not regret, if indeed I did regret, for I see that letter grieved you for an hour.

Now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to God, that you might suffer loss in nothing by us.

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.

For this reason we have been comforted over your comfort, and we rather rejoice more abundantly over the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.

For I testify that according to their ability and beyond their ability, they willingly gave ,

for us to call on Titus, that even as he began before, so also he might complete this grace to you also.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that being rich, He became poor for your sake, so that you might become rich by the poverty of that One.

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.

For if the eagerness is present, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not 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.