But as in all things you excel: in faith and in speech and in knowledge and in all eagerness and in the love from us in you so excel also in this grace
Not as a command I am saying (this), but as testing by means of the earnestness of others the genuineness of your love.
For you know the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that because of you he became poor being rich so that by his poverty you might become rich
Grant, Lord, that we may hold to you without parting, worship you without wearying, serve you without failing; faithfully seek you, happily find you, and forever possess you, the only God,blessed now and for ever. Amen
So we want you to know brothers/sisters about the grace of God, which has been given to the churches of Macedonia how in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in the riches of generosity. For according to their power I bear witness and beyond their power of their own choice with much encouragement they begged us for the grace of sharing the ministry for the saints and not (giving) just as we hoped but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us, by the will of God, So we urged Titus that just as he had begun so also he should complete among you this grace.
Thank you, dear Jesus, for all you have given me, for all you have taken away from me, for all you have left me.
Above our comfort /consolation more than ever we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit had been refreshed by all of you. Because if I had boasted (about) something to him about you I have not been disappointed. But as in truth I have spoken everything So also our boasting to Titus became true and his affection for you all is greater as he remembers the obedience of you all how you received him with fear and trembling I rejoice because I have complete confidence in you all.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is discord, union; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy, For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen
For godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation without-regret, but worldly grief produces death. For look!, how much devotion this very thing, this godly grieving, has produced in you, but what a desire-to-clear-yourselves what indignation what fear what longing what zeal, what justice! In all ways you have demonstrated yourselves innocent in this matter So even I wrote to you all it was not (so much) because of the one who did wrong or (or so much) because of the one who was wronged but because (in order that) your devotion for us might be made known to you before God. Because of this we have been comforted.
O Lord Jesus Christ, stay beside me to defend me, within me to guide me, before me to lead me, and above me to bless me, that with you and in you, I may live, and move and have my being, for ever and ever. Amen.
F -or even if I grieved you by my letter, I do not regret (it). – although I did regret (it) (for I see that in that letter I grieved you for a time) – now I rejoice not because you were grieved (but because) you were grieved resulting in repentance For you were grieved according to God(‘s will) so that in no way would you suffer harm because of us.
Eternal God and Father, you create us by your power, and redeem us by your love, guide and strengthen us by your Spirit, that we may give ourselves in love and service to one another and to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
For even having come to Macedonia we (our flesh) had no relief but we were troubled in every way. – battles outside – fears inside. But the one who comforts the downhearted- God – he comforted us by the arrival of Titus and not only in his arrival but also by the comfort by which he was comforted by you all, he told us of your longing, your sorrow, your concern for me so that I rejoiced even more.
O Lord, in whom is our hope, remove far from us, we pray thee, empty hopes and presumptuous confidence. Make our hearts so right with thy most holy and loving heart, that hoping in thee we may do good; until that day when faith and hope shall be abolished by sight and possession, and love shall be all in all.
So having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the body and spirit, making holiness complete by the fear of God.
Make room for us (in your hearts): we have not mistreated anyone we have not corrupted anyone we have not taken advantage of anyone – I do not say this as condemnation For I have said before that you are our in our hearts, – to die together, and to live together – For there is great boldness in me in relation to you, there is great pride in me in relation to you, I am filled with great encouragement I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
Keep us, O Lord, while we tarry on this earth, in a serious seeking after thee, and in an affectionate walking with thee, every day of our lives; that when thou comest, we may be found not hiding our talent, nor yet asleep with our lamp unfurnished, but waiting and longing for our Lord, our glorious King, for ever and ever.
Do not become mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? or what fellowship is there between light and darkness? or what is the common ground between Christ and Beliar? or what share does a believer have with an unbeliever? or what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? for we are the temple of the living God as God said: “I will live in them and walk among (them), and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate, says the Lord, and touch any unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
Lord God, you feed us with the living bread from heaven; you renew our faith, increase our hope, and strengthen our love.
Teach us to hunger for Christ who is the true and living bread, and to live by every word that comes from your mouth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We have opened our mouth to you, Corinthians, our heart has been opened wide. You are not narrowed down among us , but you are narrowed down in your (affections).
As a matching payback – I speak as to children – widen (your hearts) also.
Eternal Light, shine into our hearts; Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil; Eternal Power, be our support; Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance: That we may seek your face with all our heart and mind and soul and strength. Amen.
…giving no offense, in no respect, so that the (our) ministry might not be faulted, but in every thing we commend ourselves as God’s servants, by great endurance: a. in afflictions b. in hardships c. in difficulties A. in beatings B. in imprisonments C. in riots α. in hard work β. in sleepnessness γ. in hunger –
1. by purity 2. by understanding 3. by patience 4. by kindness i. by the Holy Spirit ii. by sincere love – iii. by the word of love iv. by the power of God
by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left – in glory and dishonour in ill repute and good repute
1. (considered) as deceivers, yet are truthful 2. as unknown, yet well known 3. as dying, yet, look, we are live 4. as punished, yet not killed, 5. as sad, but always rejoicing 6. as poor, but making many rich, 7. as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it, Trusting that You will make all things right, If I surrender to Your will, So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next.