20 My son, attend to MY words; incline thine ear unto MY sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
(Providing daily encouragement for the body of Christ by the Spirit of God to help the church in the end times.)
3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
7 Therefore,
as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge,
and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this
grace also.
8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
9 For
ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich,
yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be
rich.
10 And
herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun
before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
11 Now
therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to
will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14 But
by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply
for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want:
that there may be equality:
15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.
18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;
19 And
not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with
us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same
Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:
21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22 And
we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved
diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great
confidence which I have in you.
23 Whether
any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning
you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the
churches, and the glory of Christ.
24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
2 (For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of
salvation have I succoured (aided) thee: behold, now is the accepted time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.)
3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
14 Be
ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship
hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light
with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And
what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple
of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in
them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be MY sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.