Study Desk

For I knowe your readinesse of minde, whereof I boast my selfe of you vnto them of Macedonia, and say, that Achaia was prepared a yeere agoe, and your zeale hath prouoked many.

As euery man wisheth in his heart, so let him giue, not grudgingly, or of necessitie: for God loueth a cheerefull giuer.

( As it is written, He hath sparsed abroad and hath giuen to the poore: his beneuolence remayneth for euer.

Also hee that findeth seede to the sower, will minister likewise bread for foode, and multiplie your seede, and increase the fruites of your beneuolence,)

For the ministration of this seruice not onely supplieth the necessities of the Saintes, but also aboundantly causeth many to giue thankes to God,

(Which by the experiment of this ministration praise God for your voluntarie submission to the Gospell of Christ, and for your liberall distribution to them, and to all men)

And in their praier for you, to log after you greatly, for the aboundant grace of God in you.

Thankes therefore bee vnto God for his vnspeakeable gift.

(For the weapons of our warrefare are not carnall, but mightie through God, to cast downe holdes)

For though I shoulde boast somewhat more of our authoritie, which the Lorde hath giuen vs for edification, and not for your destruction, I should haue no shame.

For the letters, sayeth hee, are sore and strong, but his bodily presence is weake, and his speache is of no value.

For wee dare not make our selues of the nomber, or to compare our selues to them, which praise themselues: but they vnderstand not that they measure themselues with themselues, and compare themselues with themselues.

For we stretche not our selues beyonde our measure, as though wee had not attained vnto you: for euen to you also haue we come in preaching the Gospel of Christ,

For hee that praiseth himselfe, is not alowed, but he whome the Lorde praiseth.

For I am ielous ouer you, with godly ielousie: for I haue prepared you for one husband, to present you as a pure virgine to Christ:

For if he that commeth, preacheth another Iesus whome we haue not preached: or if yee receiue another spirite whome ye haue not receiued: either another Gospell, which yee haue not receiued, ye might well haue suffered him.

And when I was present with you, and had neede, I was not slouthfull to the hinderance of any man: for that which was lacking vnto me, the brethre which came from Macedonia, supplied, and in all thinges I kept and will keepe my selfe, that I should not be grieuous to you.

For such false apostles are deceitfull workers, and transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ.

And no marueile: for Satan himselfe is transformed into an Angel of light.

For ye suffer fooles gladly, because that yee are wise.