This is significant for it indicates that it is to make a major contribution in the relations between Paul and the Corinthians. New International Version (NIV), Encyclopedia of The Bible Second Epistle to the Corinthians. 12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. Meanwhile, Paul prepared to leave Ephesus for Macedonia, where he expected Titus to rejoin him and report on developments at Corinth. Blue Letter Bible offers several daily devotional readings in order to help you refocus on Christ and the Gospel of His peace and . 13On account of this, we are encouraged. 'from Clement to Corinthians'), often referred to as 2 Clement (pronounced "Second Clement"), is an early Christian writing. For another, the unsettled and tense relations between Paul and Corinth had interrupted the efforts to complete the collection in Corinth. As for our brothers, they are messengersd of the churches, to the glory of Christ. Some five or six years later Paul spent three months in Greece, presumably at Corinth, following which he went to Macedonia and from there to Jerusalem. 2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB CORINTHIANS, SECOND EPISTLE TO THE (, ; the second of two books or epistles in the New Testament addressed by St. Paul to the Christian community at Corinth). The explanation is found in the work of the ministry, which has succeeded because of the triumphant power of the Spirit (3:4-6). He told us about your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more. The first part reveals a deep emotional outpouring of grateful thanksgiving over the easing of the tense situation. Other scholars dispute this claim, however. 5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Next, Paul discusses the work of the ministry in connection with the predicament of trial. 16I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to return to you from Macedonia, and then to have you help me on my way to Judea. 10If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. A. Greetings (1:1-2) B. 7And our hope for you is sure, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you will share in our comfort. Details Select delivery location Description. The Pauline Epistles Listen to Chuck Swindoll's overview of 2 Corinthians in his audio message from the Classic series God's Masterwork. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those super-apostles, even though I am nothing. Forgive me this wrong! 8I am not making a demand, but I am testing the sincerity of your love in comparison to the earnestness of others. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance. Key Verses: 2 Corinthians 3:5: "Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God." 2 Corinthians 3:18: "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 7You are looking at outward appearances. 10-13 have a severe tone, this is not the only tone found in this section (cf. Unity. 6If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which accomplishes in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we experience. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. Details Or fastest delivery June 22 - 26. 5. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to cheer me but those whom I have grieved? 17In this confident boasting of mine, I am not speaking as the Lord would, but as a fool. Lias, Second Corinthians.[16]. 29Who is weak, and I am not weak? He shared the weakness of humanity and felt the gusts of emotion, whether in affectionate love or vehement indignation. 11I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. Departing from Philippi, Paul arrived in Jerusalem in time for Pentecost (20:16). 1-9 have a thankful tone, this is not the only tone found in this section (cf. 16What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? 11For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body. His appeal to the Corinthians to complete the collection has three grounds: (1) since the Macedonian churches were so liberal in their giving, the Corinthians should know of this; (2) since Jesus Christ so willingly gave Himself, the Corinthians should emulate Him (8:9); (3) since they had earlier pledged, Paul urges them to fulfill their pledge as a matter of integrity and conscience (8:10-12). For Paul all Christian giving was to be considered in the light of the immeasurable and constant gifts of God, and the example of the self-giving of Christ (5:18; 8:9; 9:15). The second letter is the pastoral letter, more commonly known as the canonical epistle (1 Cor) in which Paul treated a number of problems existing in the Christian congregation at Corinth. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Bibliography J. H. Kennedy, The Second and Third Epistles of St. Paul to the Corinthians (1900); K. Lake, The Earlier Epistles of St. Paul (1911); A. Menzies, The Second Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians (1912); A. Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians (1915); R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Pauls First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians (1935); R. H. Strachan, The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians (1935); H. Lietzmann, An die Korinther I - II, 4th ed. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell. 2 Corinthians 2New International Version. The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:1-10. Introduction to the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians Although the tribulations have taken an exhausting toll of the outward man, the power of God has renewed the inner man (4:16). 23I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. Furthermore, apparently because there remained residual elements of unrepentant minorities, Paul wrote with extraordinary vigor and vehemence concerning his authority as an apostle. Paul writes 2 Corinthians, indicating his desire to visit the Corinthian church a third time (2 Cor 12:14, 2 Cor 13:1). The Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians was written from Macedonia in about 55 ce. The epistle was occasioned by the information which the apostle had received form Titus, and also, as it would certainly seem probable, from Timothy, of the reception of the first epistle. Second Epistle to the Corinthians. 28Apart from these external trials, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Start for FREE. 18Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I too will boast. 2For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). It may be that some progress can be made toward a partial understanding of the contents of the letter by correlating Pauls probable second visit to Corinth and the strained relations involved with the painful letter which he wrote in an attempt to alleviate the tense crisis. Assuming that Paul wrote such a letter after such a painful visit to Corinth, he may well have written concerning matters which distressed him greatly and which had occasioned his hurried and humiliating departure from Corinth. In Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, he again refers to himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God and reassures the people of Corinth that they will not have another painful visit, but what he has to say is not to cause pain but to reassure them of the love he has for them. Immediately preceding this period there had been serious differences which endangered Pauls leadership at Corinth. 9And now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. The complexity of the occasion requires that oversimplification of stating the purpose be avoided. 3And I know that this manwhether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows 1Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to youI, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.16 a Literally To the one, indeed, an aroma from death to death; but to the other, an aroma from life to life. This disunity is borne out by the difference in the tone of chs. Presumably, he sent a fellow worker, St. Titus, to deliver the letter to the community at Corinth. Second Corinthians could have been written in October prior to his arrival in December to spend the winter months with the Corinthians. 1Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? 2 Corinthians Summary - Bible Hub 10And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 1:23), and while chs. 1This is the third time I am coming to you. Titus may have carried this letter also. Moreover, he gloried in infirmities (12:9) and was content with weaknesses, insults, persecutions and calamities for the sake of Christ. 16I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. Notwithstanding the MS support for the unity of 2 Corinthians there have been and continue to be impressive attempts to show that there is internal evidence of disunity. 11For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures! All of this constrains Paul to write to the Corinthians that he expects to visit them shortly. 14At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. 6So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it. And it does not become us to think lightly of our salvation; for if we think little of Him, we shall also hope but to obtain little [from Him]. 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. Neither psychological persuasion nor sociological trends adequately explain the phenomenon of the Christian community at Corinth. For God loves a cheerful giver.a Our Future Destiny. The first section contains references to the past (1:23; 2:3, 9), while the second section contains references to the future (10:6; 13:2, 10). 3 I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be saddened by those who ought to make me rejoice. The glory of the Lord has transfigured the afflictions (4:17). External evidence attests his authorship, for it has been a well-documented fact that 2 Corinthians was circulated throughout the churches as early as a.d. 140. 9I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters. 7Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. 9For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness! [13], Paul wrote 2 Corinthians from Macedonia in 55 or 56 AD, roughly a year after writing 1 Corinthians and a year before he wrote his letter to the Romans from Corinth. 12And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from Godnot in worldlyb wisdom, but in the grace of God. 4was caught up to Paradise. 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, [3] According to Jerome, Titus was the amanuensis of this epistle. 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?c Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 6Although I am not a polished speaker, I am certainly not lacking in knowledge. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Some challenged his authority as an apostle, and he compares the level of difficulty to other cities he has visited who had embraced it, like the Galatians. 12Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and a door stood open for me in the Lord, Did Titus exploit you in any way? In trying to determine the length of the interval, it is necessary to allow sufficient time for the activities of Paul which occurred during this period. After a lapse of time extending for some days or weeks, Titus reached Paul and gave him a heartening report. Corinthians, Second Epistle to the - Bible Study Tools Moreover, he wrote to them concerning the collection which he expected to gather for the church at Jerusalem. For we are not unaware of his schemes. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 4Great is my confidence in you; great is my pride in you; I am filled with encouragement; in all our troubles my joy overflows. 30If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 1So I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad. 3:3), and the importance of being a person of Christ and giving generously to God's people in Jerusalem, and ends with his own experience of how God changed his life (Sandmel, 1979). 32In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me. Upon realizing how serious the deterioration really was, Paul sent Titus to Corinth with the painful letter (cf. Paul informs the Corinthians that Titus and others are coming to help them in this project. 13It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality. In this letter Paul was attempting to relieve the strained relations. And your zeal has stirred most of them to do likewise. 3We put no obstacle in anyones way, so that no one can discredit our ministry. 1 a For we know that if our earthly dwelling, * a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven. The self-portrait of Paul is one of the truly fascinating features of this letter. Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians 14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. The Glory of the New Covenant(Exodus 34:1035). 15And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. [3] I have said before that you so occupy our hearts that we live and die together with you. 6For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness,b made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.c. 10-13 were written some time before chs. He would have time to be in Macedonia and he could send 2 Corinthians sometime in October of a.d. 57 before his arrival for the winter months in Corinth. Content, including outline. 3I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be saddened by those who ought to make me rejoice. He is criticized for the way he speaks and writes and finds it just to defend himself with some of his important teachings. He then leaves Corinth and spends about 3 years in. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, written in 1859, has remained a standard resource for teach ers, pastors, and educated laypersons. 10For some say, His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is unimpressive, and his speaking is of no account. 22placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians (The New International Greek Testament Commentary): Harris, Murray J.: 9780802871268: Amazon.com: Books Books Christian Books & Bibles Bible Study & Reference Buy new: $189.00 FREE delivery June 26 - 28. The first epistle contains sufficient material to produce the effects in the Corinthians and also in the mind and heart of the apostle of which he writes in the above passages. He has devoted two chs. Indeed, we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ. His message was Jesus Christ as Lord (4:5). This probability rests upon data gleaned from 2 Corinthians. Outline. He also reaffirms the reality of Christs Resurrectiondoubted or denied by someas the very foundation of Christian faith. Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with grief? Regarding the phrase a year ago (2 Cor 8:10; 9:2), Paul did not intend a full chronological year. Reference already has been made to the two visits which are recorded in Acts. Finally, Paul describes the theme of the ministry. Yet it is unmistakably clear that a newness has come into his life. Second Epistle to the Corinthians. 3It is clear 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. 3 I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. 10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. The homily known as 2 Clement was traditionally attributed to Pope Clement I of Rome. Describing the work of the ministry as a long triumphant march, Paul gives thanks to God (2:14). 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 8will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? True Christian giving builds unity, understanding and mutual concern among all Christians (9:12-14). 10This is why I write these things while absent, so that when I am present I will not need to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. Corinthians, Second Epistle to The: was written a few months subsequent to the first, in the same year-about the autumn of A.D. 57 or 58-at Macedonia. The first letter is commonly referred to as the lost letter (cf. 8through glory and dishonor, slander and praise; viewed as imposters, yet genuine; 10:1 13:10 A polemic defense of his apostleship, Paul visits Corinth for the first time, spending about 18 months there (Acts 18:11). 2 Corinthians 2:1 calls this a "painful visit". THE mission of Titus, which occupies so prominent a place in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, has been the subject of much discussion with regard to its object and relation to other communications of St Paul with the same Church, especially the similar and almost contemporaneous mission of Timotheus. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. 18Along with Titus we are sending the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in the gospel. 11Consider what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what vindication! 15Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. Paul affirmed that he was faithful in the performance of this ministry (6:3-10). Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians | EWTN 1As Gods fellow workers,a then, we urge you not to receive Gods grace in vain. The epistle is attributed to Paul the Apostle and a co-author named Timothy, and is addressed to the church in Corinth and Christians in the surrounding province of Achaea, in modern-day Greece. The Spirit of God working through the ministry of Paul has accomplished this (3:2, 3). Not in the same footsteps? In the light of this impossibility, there is a strong inclination today to consider the probability of another visit. 14For Christs love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died. Second Epistle to the Corinthians - C. K. Barrett - Google Books The arguments for the unity of the epistle are: (1) there is no evidence of MS disturbance which would permit the supposition that 2 Corinthians was originally two letters, or parts of two letters, incorporated into one letter; (2) while chs. So am I. He states the importance of forgiving others, and God's new agreement that comes from the Spirit of the living God (2 Cor. Epistle Reading - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America 9as unknown, yet well-known; dying, and yet we live on; punished, yet not killed; 21To my shame I concede that we were too weak for that! From various passages we learn that the apostle Paul wrote this Epistle under much pressure of spirit. 6Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. 16I rejoice that I can have complete confidence in you. He wrestled with the problems of human existence. The chief purpose of 2 Corinthians is to prepare the church at Corinth for Pauls visit which he is soon to make. Loading audio player . 5in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger; In this part Paul reveals his delicate sensitiveness to the strained relations. Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps?b. A group of people Paul calls "false apostles" were spreading rumors that . So to keep me from becoming conceited,a I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. So am I. In utter frankness, he spoke of his bodily presence as weak and his speech as contemptible (10:10). 13I had no peace in my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there. In attempting to determine the extent of the correspondence which Paul had with the Corinthians, the most widely-discussed hypothesis refers to four letters. 23Are they servants of Christ? Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. Paul wrote this letter to the church in Corinth to defend and protect his Apostleship, and to teach and warn against false teachers who were spreading heresy. The abrupt change of tone from being previously harmonious to bitterly reproachful in 2 Corinthians 1013 has led many to infer that chapters 1013 form part of the "letter of tears" which were in some way appended to Paul's main letter. 1Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry,a we do not lose heart. For Paul, the whole enterprise [of the Jerusalem collection exhorted at 2 Cor 8:13-14] was rooted in the conviction that the advent of the eschatological kingdom of God had inaugurated a new socio-economic order, which was to become distinctive of the emergent Christ-believing communities on . . 6Therefore we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord. 2 Cor 2:4). The MS evidence for the unity of 2 Corinthians is particularly impressive. Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? Some scholars view these chapters as a misplaced part of another letter to the Corinthians, thus supporting the speculation about the loss of some intervening communication. 4For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily. Acts 20:1-6). 14Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. The author of more than sixty books and pamphlets, Moule followed in the English scholar-bishop tradition . Summary of the Book of 2 Corinthians - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org 12The true marks of an apostlesigns, wonders, and miracleswere performed among you with great perseverance. 13In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians and the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians are the seventh and eighth books of the New Testament canon. Accordingly, some attempt is necessary to include all of Pauls known activities during this period. 11Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. Brethren, working together with him, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. Although he had been robbed, starved, and imprisoned many times, and although he had to endure the agony of a thorn in the flesh (12:7) as well as the care of all the churches (11:28), he was a living witness to the power of Christ in his life (12:9). CHAPTER 5. 14And their prayers for you will express their affection for you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. [10], Some scholars also find fragments of the "warning letter", or of other letters, in chapters 19,[11] for instance that part of the "warning letter" is preserved in 2 Cor 6:147:1,[12] but these hypotheses are less popular. 9And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. 12It is not our affection, but yours, that is restrained. Cant you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in youunless you actually fail the test? The Second Epistle to the Corinthians[a] is a Pauline epistle of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. 13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. The other reply is that the letter has been lost, just as the letter alluded to in 1 Corinthians 5:9 is regarded lost. Purpose. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my bo. [14][15], The book is usually divided as follows:[8], Paul's contacts with the Corinthian church can be reconstructed as follows:[8]. 18For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
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