Saturday, December 17, 2016
2 Corinthians 8 and 9 NIV
II.Hortatory: The Collection for the Christians at Jerusalem (chs. 8-9)
- Generosity Encouraged (8:1-15)
- Titus and His Companions Sent to Corinth (8:16;9:5)
- Results of Generous Giving (9:6-15)
2 Corinthians 8 NIV
1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want
you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
2 In the midst of a very severe trial,
their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich
generosity.
3 For I testify that they gave as much as
they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,
4 they urgently pleaded with us for the
privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.
5 And they exceeded our expectations: They
gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to
us.
6 So we urged Titus, just as he had
earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your
part.
7 But since you excel in everything—in
faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have
kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you, but I want to
test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you
through his poverty might become rich.
10 And here is my judgment about what is
best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but
also to have the desire to do so.
11 Now finish the work, so that your eager
willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your
means.
12 For if the willingness is there, the
gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does
not have.
13 Our desire is not that others might be
relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.
14At the present time your plenty will supply
what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The
goal is equality,
15 as it is written: “The one who gathered
much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too
little.”
16 Thanks be to God, who put into the heart
of Titus the same concern I have for you.
17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal,
but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.
18 And we are sending along with him the
brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel.
19 What is more, he was chosen by the
churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order
to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.
20 We want to avoid any criticism of the
way we administer this liberal gift.
21 For we are taking pains to do what is
right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.
22In addition, we are sending with them our
brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now
even more so because of his great confidence in you.
23 As for Titus, he is my partner and
co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the
churches and an honor to Christ.
24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the
reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.
2 Corinthians 9 NIV
1 There is no need for me to write to you
about this service to the Lord’s people.
2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I
have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last
year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of
them to action.
3 But I am sending the brothers in order
that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that
you may be ready, as I said you would be.
4For if any Macedonians come with me and find
you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having
been so confident.
5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers
to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you
had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly
given.
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly
will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap
generously.
7 Each of you should give what you have
decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God
loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to bless you abundantly,
so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound
in every good work.
9 As it is written: “They have freely
scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower
and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will
enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
11 You will be enriched in every way so
that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will
result in thanksgiving to God.
12 This service that you perform is not
only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many
expressions of thanks to God.
13 Because of the service by which you have
proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies
your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing
with them and with everyone else.
14 And in their prayers for you their
hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given
you.
15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Friday, December 16, 2016
2 Corinthians 5:11- 7:16 NIV
I. Apologetic: Paul's Explanation of His Conduct and Apostolic Ministry (chs. 1-7)
A. Greetings (1:1-2)
B.Thanksgiving for Divine Comfort in Affliction (1:3-11)C.The Integrity of Paul's Motives and Conduct (1:12;2:4)D.Forgiving the Offending Party at Corinth (2:5-11)E.God's Direction in Ministry (2:12-17)F.The Corinthian Believers -- a Letter from Christ (3:1-11)G.Seeing the Glory of God with Unveiled Faces (3:12;4:6)H.Treasure in Clay Jars (4:7-16a)I.The Prospect of Death and What It Means for the Christian (4:16b;5:10)- J.The Ministry of Reconciliation (5:11;6:10)
- K.A Spiritual Father's Appeal to His Children (6:11;7:4)
- L.The Meeting with Titus (7:5-16)
2 Corinthians 5 NIV
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try
to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to
your conscience.
12We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are
giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who
take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.
13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God;
if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced
that one died for all, and therefore all died.
15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer
live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.
Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has
come: The old has gone, the new is here!
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through
Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message
of reconciliation.
20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were
making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled
to God.
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that
in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 6 NIV
1 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace
in vain.
2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in
the day of salvation I helped you.”I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor,
now is the day of salvation.
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our
ministry will not be discredited.
4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every
way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;
5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work,
sleepless nights and hunger;
6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the
Holy Spirit and in sincere love;
7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons
of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report;
genuine, yet regarded as impostors;
9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on;
beaten, and yet not killed;
10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many
rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide
our hearts to you.
12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are
withholding yours from us.
13 As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide
your hearts also.
14 Do not be yoked together with
unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship
can light have with darkness?
15 What harmony is there between Christ and
Belial ? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
16 What agreement is there 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.”
17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be
separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
18 And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons
and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 7 NIV
1 Therefore, since we have these promises,
dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body
and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2 Make room for us in your hearts. We have
wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.
3 I do not say this to condemn you; I have
said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die
with you.
4 I have spoken to you with great
frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our
troubles my joy knows no bounds.
5 For when we came into Macedonia, we had
no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears
within.
6 But God, who comforts the downcast,
comforted us by the coming of Titus,
7 and not only by his coming but also by
the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep
sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my
letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt
you, but only for a little while—
9 yet now I am happy, not because you were
made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became
sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.
10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that
leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
11 See what this godly sorrow has produced
in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation,
what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At
every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
12 So even though I wrote to you, it was
neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured
party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to
us you are.
13 By all this we are encouraged. In
addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how
happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.
14 I had boasted to him about you, and you
have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our
boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well.
15 And his affection for you is all the
greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear
and trembling.
16 I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.
Thursday, December 15, 2016
2 Corinthians 4:7-5:10 NIV
I. Apologetic: Paul's Explanation of His Conduct and Apostolic Ministry (chs. 1-7)
A. Greetings (1:1-2)
B.Thanksgiving for Divine Comfort in Affliction (1:3-11)C.The Integrity of Paul's Motives and Conduct (1:12;2:4)D.Forgiving the Offending Party at Corinth (2:5-11)E.God's Direction in Ministry (2:12-17)F.The Corinthian Believers -- a Letter from Christ (3:1-11)G.Seeing the Glory of God with Unveiled Faces (3:12;4:6)- H.Treasure in Clay Jars (4:7-16a)
- I.The Prospect of Death and What It Means for the Christian (4:16b;5:10)
J.The Ministry of Reconciliation (5:11;6:10)K.A Spiritual Father's Appeal to His Children (6:11;7:4)L.The Meeting with Titus (7:5-16)
2 Corinthians 4 NIV
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out
of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of
the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of
clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, but
not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck
down, but not destroyed.
10 We always carry around in our body the
death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our
body.
11For we who are alive are always being given
over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our
mortal body.
12 So then, death is at work in us, but
life is at work in you.
13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I
have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also
believe and therefore speak,
14 because we know that the one who raised
the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with
you to himself.
15 All this is for your benefit, so that
the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to
overflow to the glory of God.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though
outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by
day.
17 For our light and momentary troubles are
achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,
since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 5 NIV
1 For we know that if the earthly tent we
live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven,
not built by human hands.
2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed
instead with our heavenly dwelling,
3 because when we are clothed, we will not
be found naked.
4 For while we are in this tent, we groan
and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed
instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up
by life.
5 Now the one who has fashioned us for
this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit,
guaranteeing what is to come.
6 Therefore we are always confident and
know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the
Lord.
7 For we live by faith, not by
sight.
8 We are confident, I say, and would
prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
9 So we make it our goal to please him,
whether we are at home in the body or away from it.
10 For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the
things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
2 Corinthians 3- 4:6 NIV
I. Apologetic: Paul's Explanation of His Conduct and Apostolic Ministry (chs. 1-7)
A. Greetings (1:1-2)
B.Thanksgiving for Divine Comfort in Affliction (1:3-11)C.The Integrity of Paul's Motives and Conduct (1:12;2:4)D.Forgiving the Offending Party at Corinth (2:5-11)E.God's Direction in Ministry (2:12-17)- F.The Corinthian Believers -- a Letter from Christ (3:1-11)
- G.Seeing the Glory of God with Unveiled Faces (3:12;4:6)
H.Treasure in Clay Jars (4:7-16a)I.The Prospect of Death and What It Means for the Christian (4:16b;5:10)J.The Ministry of Reconciliation (5:11;6:10)K.A Spiritual Father's Appeal to His Children (6:11;7:4)L.The Meeting with Titus (7:5-16)
2 Corinthians 3 NIV
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves
again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or
from you?
2 You yourselves are our letter, written
on our hearts, known and read by everyone.
3 You show that you are a letter from
Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of
the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Such confidence we have through Christ
before God.
5 Not that we are competent in ourselves
to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
6 He has made us competent as ministers of
a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but
the Spirit gives life.
7 Now if the ministry that brought death,
which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites
could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory
though it was,
8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be
even more glorious?
9 If the ministry that brought
condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings
righteousness!
10 For what was glorious has no glory now
in comparison with the surpassing glory.
11 And if what was transitory came with
glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we
are very bold.
13 We are not like Moses, who would put a
veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was
passing away.
14 But their minds were made dull, for to
this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been
removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.
15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a
veil covers their hearts.
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord,
the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the
Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory,
which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 4 NIV
1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 Therefore we are always confident and
know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the
Lord.
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