But if someone has caused pain he has not caused pain to me but in a certain respect – not to say too much- (he has pained) all of you, Enough it is for such a one this punishment by the many; so that you should rather forgive and comfort him lest somehow such a person be swallowed up by too great a grief
Therefore I encourage you to reaffirm love to him.
For this reason also I wrote to you: that I might come to know your character- if you are obedient in everything.
Then, anyone whom you forgive – me too. For what I have forgiven – if I have forgiven something- is because of you ‘in the presence of’ Christ. so that we might not be bettered by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.
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.
Now I call upon God as witness upon my life, that sparing you I did not come to Corinth. I do not lord it over your faith but are co-workers of your joy. For we stand – by faith. For I considered this by myself not to come to you again with grief. For if I cause you grief who would cheer me up except for the one who was grieved by me? And I wrote this very thing to you that I might not be received with sorrow by those who ought to (make me) rejoice having confidence in all of you that all my joy is yours. For out of many afflictions and distresses of the heart I wrote to you with many tears so that you might not be grieved but that you might know the love which I have all the more for you all.
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.
And in this confidence I planned to come to you first, so that you might have a second gift /grace. to ‘visit you on our way’ to Macedonia and to come again from Macedonia and be sent on our way to Judea by you.
Therefore planning to do this, was I indecisive then? Or the things which I plan do I plan them according to the flesh so that with me there is ‘Yes, yes’ and ‘no, no’? Be as God is faithful our word to you is not ‘Yes and no’ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you, by us by me, Silvanus and Timothy was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ but has been ‘Yes’ in him. For all God’s promises are Yes in him. therefore also through him is the Amen to God, for the glory ((that comes) through us. But he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God and he is the one who seals and gave us the guarantee of the Sprit in our hearts
Teach us, good Lord, to serve thee as thou deservest; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labour and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do thy will, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
For our boast is this — our conscience is witness- that in simplicity and purity of God –not in earthly wisdom –but in the grace of God we conducted ourselves in the world -and all the more towards you.
For we do not write to you anything that you cannot read or recognise. So I hope that you will recognise (us) completely as you have recognised us partly that we are your boast -just so you also are ours on the day of the Lord Jesus.
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
For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers/sisters, about our affliction which happened in Asia; that we were burdened excessively, beyond (our) strength so that we despaired even of life. But we in ourselves, have received the sentence of death so that we might not rely on ourselves but upon God who raises the dead who rescued us from so great a death and he will deliver (us) in whom we have hoped that he will yet deliver (us) – you also helping us in prayer- so that thanksgiving might be made for us by many (faces) for the gift given to us through many.
Thank you, dear Jesus, for all you have given me, for all you have taken away from me, for all you have left me.
Blessed be the God and Father our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of consolation and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our afflictions, so that we might be able to comfort those in all afflictions through the comfort which we ourselves received from God.
For as the sufferings of the Christ overflow towards us so through Christ our comfort overflows (to you). So either we are being afflicted, for your comforting and salvation or if we are comforted, (it is) for your comforting which produces endurance of the same suffering which we also suffer.
And our hope is steadfast for you, knowing that as you are partners in suffering so also comfort.
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
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, through the will of God and Timothy, the brother to the church of God, which is in Corinth with all the ‘holy ones’ who are in the whole of Achaia-
grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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.
Do not fear, little flock, because your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom. Sell your possessions and give alms, make a money bag, which doesn’t wear out, inexhaustible treasure in the heavens, where a thief cannot draw near nor a moth destroy. For where your treasure is there also is your heart.
Let your loins be girded about and (your) lamps burning. be like people waiting for their master, when he returns home from the wedding so that when he comes and knocks immediately they might open (the door) for him. Blessed are those slaves, whom the master, coming, finds awake. Truly I tell you, he will make himself ready (to serve) have them recline and he will come and serve them. And even if in the second or third watch he comes and finds like that blessed are those ones.
But know this that if the householder had known what time the thief was coming he would not have left him to dig through (into) his house. And you all – be ready, because the Son of Man comes at the time you do not suppose.
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
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible…
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance, and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith, with Sarah’s involvement, he received power of procreation, even though he was too old, because he considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”
All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better homeland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
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.
10 Listen to Yahweh’s word, rulers of Sodom! Give ear to our God’s instruction, people of Gomorrah! 11 What use to me is the large number of your sacrifices? (Yahweh says). I’m full of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fatlings. In the blood of bulls and lambs and goats I do not delight. 12 When you come to appear to my face, who sought this from your hand? Trampling my courtyards – 13 you will do it no more, bringing an empty offering. Incense is an offence to me, new month and sabbath, the calling of a convocation. I cannot bear trouble and assembly;
14 your new moons and your appointed times my entire being dislikes. They’ve become a burden to me that I’m weary of carrying. 15 And when you spread the palms of your hands, I shall lift up my eyes from you. Even when you offer many a plea, there will be no listening on my part. Your hands are full of bloodshed – 16 wash, get clean. Remove the badness of your practices from in front of my eyes. Stop dealing badly, 17 learn doing good. Require the exercise of authority, put the oppressor right, exercise authority for the orphan, argue for the widow.
18 Come on, please, let’s argue it out (Yahweh says). If your wrongdoings are like scarlet, they’re to be white like snow. If they’re red like crimson, they’re to be like wool. 19 If you’re willing and you listen, you will consume the good things of the country. 20 But if you refuse and rebel, you’ll be consumed by the sword; because Yahweh’s mouth has spoken.
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.
