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.
So working together (with God) we indeed appeal to you, not in vain to receive the grace of God. For he says: ‘At an acceptable time, I listened to you and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ Look, now is the acceptable time, Look, now is the day of salvation.
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, Eternal Pity, have mercy upon us; that with all our heart and mind and soul and strength we may seek thy face and be brought by thine infinite mercy to thy holy presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and who gave to us the ministry of reconciliation. That is God was, in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning against them their trespasses and having committed to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ on behalf of Christ as God appeals through us. We beseech Be reconciled to God. God made the one who did not know sin sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God.
Lord, you have given me so much, I ask for one more thing – a grateful heart.
Therefore from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Even if we knew Christ according to the flesh, yet we regard him no longer (like this). Therefore if anyone is in Christ (there is) a new creation the old has gone away, look! the new has come to be.
Contrasts from 2 Cor 4:16-5:15
outer self wasting away
inner self being renewed
light momentary affliction
eternal weight of glory
things seen
things unseen
transient
eternal
tent
building
earthly
in the heavens
destructible
eternal
clothed
further clothed (and not naked)
mortal
life
outward appearance
what is in the heart
Be thou a bright flame before me, Be thou a guiding star above me Be thou a smooth path below me Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me Today – tonight -forever Amen.
So knowing the fear of the Lord, we (try to) persuade people we are well known to God. I hope we are well known to your consciences also. So we are not commending ourselves again to you, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us so that you might have (something to say) in response to those who boast about ‘outward appearance (face) and not ‘Inward character’ (heart). Whether we are out of our mind, its for God or we are in our right mind, its for you. For the love of Christ controls us, having made this judgement: that one died for all, therefore all have died. and he died for all that those who are living might no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised.
O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me. O Love, who redeemed me, fill up in me whatever part of your love has fallen into neglect within me. O Love, O God, who first loved me, grant that with my whole heart, and with my whole soul, and with my whole strength, I may love you.