The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Part 42

(34)Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of G.o.d. I say it to your shame.

(35)But some one will say: How do the dead rise? And with what kind of body do they come? (36)Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die; (37)and what thou sowest, not the body that shall be sowest thou, but bare grain, perchance of wheat, or of some other grain. (38)But G.o.d gives it a body as it pleased him, and to each of the seeds its own body.

(39)All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, another of birds.

(40)There are also heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and that of the earthly is another. (41)There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

(42)So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it rises in incorruption. (43)It is sown in dishonor, it rises in glory. It is sown in weakness, it rises in power. (44)It is sown a natural body, it rises a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual. (45)So also it is written: The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam a life-giving spirit. (46)But the spiritual is not first, but the natural; and afterward the spiritual. (47)The first man was of the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. (48)As was the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. (49)And as we bore the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

(50)And this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of G.o.d; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. (51)Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52)in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (53)For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (54)And when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then will be brought to pa.s.s the saying, that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. (55)Where, O death, is thy sting? Where, O death, is thy victory? (56)The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (57)But thanks be to G.o.d, who gives us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(58)Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

XVI.

NOW concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. (2)On each first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, according as he is prospered, that there may be no collections when I come. (3)And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve, them I will send with letters to carry your benefaction to Jerusalem. (4)And if it be worthy of my going also, they shall go with me.

(5)And I will come to you, when I shall pa.s.s through Macedonia. For I pa.s.s through Macedonia; (6)and it may be that I will remain, or even pa.s.s the winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go. (7)For I wish not to see you now, in pa.s.sing; for I hope to remain some time with you, if the Lord permit. (8)But I shall remain at Ephesus until the Pentecost. (9)For a great and effectual door is open to me, and there are many adversaries.

(10)Now if Timothy come, see that he may be with you without fear; for he works the work of the Lord, as I also do. (11)Let no one therefore despise him; but send him forward in peace, that he may come to me; for I look for him with the brethren.

(12)And concerning Apollos the brother, I besought him much to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his will to come at this time, but he will come when he shall have a convenient time.

(13)Watch, stand fast in the faith, acquit you like men, be strong.

(14)Let all your acts be done in love.

(15)And I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first-fruits of Achaia, and that they devoted themselves to the service of the saints,) (16)that ye also submit yourselves to such, and to every one that works with us, and labors.

(17)I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus; for what was lacking on your part they supplied. (18)For they refreshed my spirit and yours; therefore acknowledge those who are such.

(19)The churches of Asia salute you.

Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. (20)All the brethren salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss.

(21)The salutation of me, Paul, with my own hand.

(22)If any one loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.

Maran atha[16:22]!

(23)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (24)My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

THE SECOND LETTER OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS.

I.

PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of G.o.d, and Timothy the brother, to the church of G.o.d which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia: (2)Grace to you and peace from G.o.d our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(3)Blessed be G.o.d, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the G.o.d of all consolation; (4)who consoles us in all our affliction, that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction, by the consolation wherewith we ourselves are consoled by G.o.d. (5)Because, as the sufferings of Christ abound toward us, so through Christ abounds also our consolation.

(6)But whether we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer; or whether we are consoled, it is for your consolation and salvation. (7)And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so are ye also of the consolation.

(8)For we would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were exceedingly oppressed, above our strength, so that we despaired even of life.

(9)Yea, we ourselves had in ourselves the sentence of death, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in G.o.d who raises the dead; (10)who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom is our hope that he will still deliver; (11)ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication, that for the mercy bestowed on us through many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

(12)For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and G.o.dly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of G.o.d, did we deport ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you. (13)For we write no other things to you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I trust ye will acknowledge even to the end; (14)as also ye did acknowledge us in part, that we are your glorying, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

(15)And in this confidence I was desirous to come to you before, that ye might have a second benefit; (16)and to pa.s.s by you into Macedonia, and from Macedonia to come again to you, and by you to be brought on my way to Judea. (17)When therefore I purposed this, did I act with levity? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the yea, yea, and the nay, nay?

(18)But G.o.d is faithful, our word to you is not yea and nay. (19)For the Son of G.o.d, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me and Silva.n.u.s and Timothy, was not made yea and nay, but has been made yea in him. (20)For however many are the promises of G.o.d, in him is the yea, and in him the Amen, to the glory of G.o.d through us. (21)Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is G.o.d; (22)he who also sealed us, and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

(23)But I invoke G.o.d for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I came not yet to Corinth. (24)Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy; for in faith ye stand fast.

II.

AND I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. (2)For if I make you sorry, who then is he that makes me glad, but the same who is made sorry by me? (3)And I wrote this very thing to you, that I might not, when I came, have sorrow from those of whom I ought to have joy; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. (4)For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears; not that ye might have sorrow, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly toward you.

(5)But if any has caused sorrow, he has not caused sorrow to me, but in part (that I be not too severe on him) to you all. (6)Sufficient for such a one is this punishment, which was inflicted by the many.

(7)So that, on the contrary, ye ought rather to forgive and console him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. (8)Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love toward him.

(9)For to this end also I wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things. (10)To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also; for what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes I forgave it in the person of Christ, (11)that no advantage might be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

(12)And when I came to Troas to preach the good news of Christ, and a door was opened to me in the Lord, (13)I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not t.i.tus my brother; but taking leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia. (14)But thanks be to G.o.d, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest by us in every place the savor of the knowledge of him. (15)Because we are to G.o.d a sweet savor of Christ, in those who are saved, and in those who perish; (16)to the one a savor of death unto death, to the other a savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? (17)For we are not as the many, corrupting the word of G.o.d; but as of sincerity, but as of G.o.d, in the sight of G.o.d we speak in Christ.

III.

DO we again begin to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some, letters of commendation to you, or of commendation from you? (2)Ye are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; (3)being made manifest that ye are a letter of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living G.o.d; not in tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart.

(4)And such confidence have we through Christ, toward G.o.d. (5)Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of G.o.d; (6)who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit makes alive.

(7)But if the ministration of death, engraven with letters in stones, was made glorious, so that the sons of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away; (8)how shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious? (9)For if the ministration of condemnation is glory, much more does the ministration of righteousness abound in glory. (10)For even that which was made glorious has no glory in this respect, on account of the glory that excels. (11)For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which abides is glorious.

(12)Having therefore such hope, we use great plainness of speech; (13)and not as Moses put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the end of that which was to be done away. (14)But their understandings were hardened; for until this day the same vail on the reading of the old covenant remains, not being taken away; which vail is done away in Christ[3:14]. (15)But even unto this day, when Moses is read, a vail lies upon their heart.

(16)But whenever it turns to the Lord, the vail is taken away.

(17)Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (18)But we all, with unvailed face beholding in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.

IV.