Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe.

The seconde Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul, to the Corinthians.

The summe of this Epistle.

• Chap. I. The consolacion of God in trouble The loue of Paul towarde the Corinthians, and his excuse that he came not vnto them.
• Chap. II. He sheweth the cause of his absence and exorteth thē to forgeue the man that was fallen, and to receaue him agayne with loue.
• Chap. III. He prayseth the preachinge of the Gospell aboue the preachinge of the lawe.
• Chap. IIII. A true preacher is diligent, he cor∣ruppeth not the worde of God, he preacheth not himselfe, but se••eth the honoure of Christ, yee though it be with the parell of his life.
• Chap. V. The rewarde for suffringe trouble.
• Chap. VI. An exortacion to receaue the worde of God with thank fulnesse and amendmēt of life. The diligence of Paul in the gospell, and how he warneth them to eschue the company of the Heythen.
• Chap. VII. He exorteth thē to receaue the pro∣mises of God than fully The Corinthiās are commended for their obediēce and loue towar¦de Paul.
• Chap. VIII.IX. He putteth them in remembraunce to helpe the poore sayntes at Ierusalem, acor∣dinge as the Macedonians dyd.
• Chap. X. He toucheth the false apostles, and defendeth his auctorite and callynge.
• Chap. XI. Paul (vnder sufferaūce) cōmendeth himselfe, and defendeth his auctorite agaynst the false prophetes.
• Chap. XII. Paul is takē vp in to the thirde hea¦uen, and heareth wordes not to be spoken off.
• Chap. XIII. He promiseth to come vnto them, and exhorteth them so to ordre them selues that he maye fynde them parfecte, and of one mynde.

The seconde Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul, to the Corinthians.

[illustration]

The first Chapter.

PAul an Apostle of Ie∣su [ A] Christ, by the will of God, and brother Ti∣motheus. Vnto the congregacion of God which is at Corinthū, with all the sayntes which are ī all Achaia.

Grace be with you, and peace frō God oure father, and from the LORDE Iesus Christ.

Blessed be God the father of oure LOR∣DE Iesus Christ, the father of mercy and y^e God of all comforte, which comforteth vs in all oure trouble: in so moch y^t we are able to comforte them that are in eny maner of trouble, with the same comforte wherwith we oure selues are comforted of God. For as the afflicciōs of Christ are plenteous in vs, euen so is o cōsolacion plenteous by Christ. But whether we haue trouble or comforte, it is done for youre welth. Yf it be trouble, it is done for youre cōforte and health, which health sheweth h••r power, in that ye suffre the same affliccions which we suffre. Yf it be comforte, it is done also for youre comfor¦te and health. Therfore is oure hope fast for you, in as moch as we knowe, that, like as ye are partakers of the afflicciōs, so shal ye be partakers also of the consolacion.

Brethren we wolde not haue you igno∣raunt [ B] of oure trouble, which happened vn¦to vs in Asia, for we were greued out off measure passynge strength, so that we euen dispared of life, and had concluded in oure selues y^t we must nedes dye. But this was done, because we shulde not put oure trust

in oure selues, but in God, which rayseth vp the deed to life agayne: which delyuered vs from so greate a death, and yet delyuereth daylie, On whom we trust, that he wil dely∣uer vs here after also, by the helpe of youre prayer for vs that on oure behalfe many thankes maye be geuen by many personnes, for the gifte that is geuen vs.

For oure reioysinge is this, euen the testi¦mony of oure conscience, that in synglenes & godly purenesse, not in fleshlye wyszdome, but in the grace of God, we haue had oure conuersacion in the worlde, but most of all with you. For we wryte nothinge els vnto you, then that ye rede and also knowe. Yee & I trust that ye shal fynde vs vnto the ende, euen as ye haue founde vs partly.

[ C] For we are youre reioysinge, euē as ye al∣so are oure reioysinge in y^e daye of the LOR¦DE Iesus. And in this confidence was I mynded the other tyme to come vnto you (that ye mighte haue yet another pleasure more) & to passe by you into Macedonia, & to come againe out of Macedonia vnto you & to be led forth to Iewrye warde of you.

Whan I thus wyse was mynded, dyd I vse lightnesse? Or are my thoughtes fleshly? Not so but with me yee is yee, and nay is naye. O faitfull God, that oure wor∣de vnto you hath not bene yee and naye. For Gods sonne Iesus Christ, which was preached amonge you by vs (namely, by me and Siluanus and Timotheus) was not yee and naye, but in him it was yee. For all the promyses of God are yee in him, & are Amē in him, to the prayse of God by vs. But it is God which stablysheth vs w^t you in Christ, and hath anoynted us, and sealed us, and ge¦uen the ernest of the sprete in oure hertes.

The II. Chapter.

[ A] BVt I call God to recorde vnto my soule, that to fauoure you withall I came not agayne vnto Corinthum. Not that we are lordes ouer youre faith, but we are helpers of youre ioye, for ye ston∣de in faith. But I determyned this w^t my selfe, that I wolde not come agayne to you in heuynes. For yf I make you sory, who is it that shal make me glad, but the same which is made sory by me? And the same haue I wrytten vnto you, lest whā I come, I shul¦de take heuynes of them, of whom I ough∣te to reioyse: for somoch as I haue this con¦fidence in you all, that my ioye is the ioye of you all. For in greate trouble and anguysh of hert wrote I vnto you with many teares: not y^t ye shulde be sory, but that ye mighte perceaue the loue, which I haue most speci¦ally vnto you.

But yf eny man haue caused sorowe, the [ B] same hath not made me sory, but partely, lest I shulde greue you all. It is sufficient, that the same man is so rebuked of many, so that from hence forth ye oughte the more to for∣geue him and to comforte him, lest he be swalowed vp in ouer moch heuynesse. Wher¦fore I exhorte you, that ye shewe loue vpō him. For therfore dyd I wryte vnto you al∣so, that I mighte knowe the profe of you, whether ye were obediēt in all thinges. But loke vnto whō ye forgeue eny thinge, I for∣geue hī also. For I also, yf I forgeue ought vnto eny mā, that forgeue I for youre sakes in the rowme of Christ, lest we shulde be pre∣uented of Sathan. For his thoughtes are not vnknowne vnto vs.

But whā I came to Troada to preach [ C] y^e Gospell of Christ (and a dore was opened vnto me in y^e LORDE) I had no rest in my sprete, because I founde not Titus my bro∣ther: but I toke my leue of them, and wente awaye into Macedonia. Yet thankes be vn¦to God, which allwaye geueth vs the victo¦ry in Christ, and openeth y^e sauoure of his knowlege by vs in euery place. For we are vnto God the good sauoure of Christ, both amonge thē y^t are saued, & amonge thēm y^t perishe. To these, y^e sauoure of death vnto death: but vnto y^e other, the sauoure of life vnto life. And who is mete therto? For we are not as many are, which choppe & chaun¦ge w^t the worde of God, but euē out of pure¦nesse, and out of God, in y^e sighte of God, so speake we in Christ.

The III. Chapter·

BEgynne we then agayne to prayse o selues? Or nede we (as some other) of pistles of commēdacion vnto you or letters of commēdacion from you? Ye are oure epistle wrytten in oure hertes: which is vnderstonde and red of all mē, in that ye are knowne, how that ye are y^e epistle of Christ, mynistred by vs, and wryttē, not with ynke, but with the sprete of the lyuynge God: not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the hert. Soch trust haue we thorow Christ to God warde, not that we are sufficient of oure selues to thynke eny thinge, as of oure selues, but oure ablenesse commeth of God, which hath made vs able, to be mynisters of the new Testament: not of the letter, but of the sprete. For the letter kylleth, but the sprete geueth life.

But yf the mynistracion y^t kylleth tho∣row

the letter, and was figured in stones, was glorious, so that the childrē of Israel mighte not beholde the face of Moses, for y^e clearnesse of his countenaūce, (which glory neuertheles is done awaye) how shal not y^e mynistracion of y^e sprete be moch more glo¦rious? For yf the office that preacheth dam¦nacion be glorious, moch more doth the offi¦ce that preacheth righteousnes exceade in glory. For y^e other parte that was glorified is nothinge glorified in respecte of this ex∣ceadinge glory. For yf that which is done awaye, be glorious, moch more shal y^t which remayneth, be glorious.

[ C] Seynge then that we haue soch trust, we vse greate boldnesse, and do not as Moses, which put a vayle before his face, so that y^e children of Israel mighte not se the ende of it, that is done awaye. But their myndes are blynded. For vnto this daye remayneth the same coueringe vntakē awaye in the ol¦de Testament, whan they rede it, which in Christ is put awaye. But euen vnto this daye whan moses is red, the vayle hangeth before their hertes: Neuertheles whā they turne to the LORDE, the vayle shalbe taken awaye. For the LORDE is a sprete: & where the sprete of the LORDE is, there is libertye. But now the glory of y^e LORDE apeareth in vs all with open face, and we are chaun∣ged into the same ymage, from one clearnes to another, euē as of the sprete of the LOR∣DE.

The IIII. Chapter.

[ A] THerfore seynge we haue soch an offi¦ce (euen as mercy is come vpon vs) we faynte not, but cast from vs the clokes of vnhonestye, and walke not in craf∣tines: nether corruppe we the worde of God but open the trueth, and reporte oure selues to euery mans conscyence in the sighte of God.

Yf oure Gospell be yet hyd, it is hyd in them that are lost: amonge whom the God of this worlde hath blynded y^e myndes of them which beleue not, that y^e lighte of the Gospell of the glory of Christ ( which is the ymage of God) shulde not shyne vnto them. For we preach not o^r selues, but Iesus Christ to be the LORDE, and oure selues youre ser∣uauntes for Iesus sake.

[ B] For God that cōmaunded the light to shyne out of darcknesse, hath geuen a clea¦re shyne in oure hertes, y^t by vs y^e light of y^e knowlege of the glory of God mighte come forth, in the face of Iesus Christ.

But this treasure haue we in earthen vessels, that y^e power which excelleth might be of God, and not of vs. We are troubled on euery syde, yet are we not without shift. We are in pouertie, but not vtterly without somwhat. We are persecuted, but we are not forsaken. We are oppressed, neuertheles we perish not. We allwayes be are aboute in oure body the dyenge of the LORDE Iesus y^t the life also of the LORDE Iesus might appeare in oure body. For we which lyue, are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Ie∣sus sake, that the life also of Iesus might ap¦peare in oure mortall flesh.

Therfore is death now mightie in vs, [ C] but life in you. But seynge that we haue the same sprete of faith (acordinge as it is wryt∣ten: I beleued, and therfore haue I spokē.) we also beleue, & therfore we speake, for we knowe that he, which raysed vp y^e LORDE Iesus, shal rayse vs vp also by y^e meanes of Iesus, and shal set vs with you. For all thin¦ges do I for youre sakes, that the plēteous grace by the thākesgeuynge of many, maye redounde to the prayse of God. Therfore are we not weery, but though o^r outwarde man be corrupte, yet the inwarde is renewed daye by daye. For oure trouble, which is but tem¦porall and lighte, worketh an exceadinge and an eternall weighte of glorye vnto vs, which loke not on the thinges that are sene, but on them which are not sene. For y^e thin∣ges which are sene, are temporall: but the thinges that are not sene, are eternall.

The V. Chapter.

WE knowe surely, y^t yf oure earthy [ A] house of this dwellynge were des∣troyed, we haue a buyldynge ordey∣ned of God, an house not made with han∣des, but euerlastynge in heauen. And in the same sighe we also after oure māsion, which is from heauen: and longe to be clothed ther∣with, so yet, yf that we be founde clothed, and not naked. For as longe as we are in this tabernacle, we sighe and are greued, for we had rather not be vnclothed, but to be clothed vpon, that mortalite might be swa∣lowed vp of life. But he that hath ordeyned vs for this, is God, which hath geuen vs the earnest of the sprete. Therfore are we allwaye of good cheare, and knowe, that as longe as we dwell here in the body, we are not at home with the LORDE: for we wal∣ke in faith, and se him not. Neuertheles we are of good comforte, and had leuer to be absent from the body, & to be at home with the LORDE.

Wherfore, whether we be at home or frō [ B]

home, we endeuoure oure selues to please him. For we must all appeare before the iudgment seate of Christ, y^t euery one maye receaue in his body, acordinge to y^t he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Seynge then that we knowe, how that the LORDE is to be feared, we fare fayre with men, but we are knowne well ynough vnto God: I trust also, that we are knowne in youre con¦sciences. We prayse not oure selues agayne vnto you, but geue you an occasion to reioy¦se of vs, y^t ye maye haue to reioyse agaynst them, which reioyse after the outwarde ap∣pearaunce, and not after the hert. For yf we do to moch, we do it vnto God: yf we kepe measure, we do it for youre sakes. For the lo¦ue of Christ constrayneth vs, in as moch as we thus iudge, that yf one be deed for all, then are all deed. And therfore dyed he for all, that they which lyue, shulde not hence forth lyue vnto them selues, but vnto him, which dyed for them and rose agayne.

[ C] Therfore hence forth knowe we noman after y^e flesh: and though we haue knowne Christ also after the flesh, yet knowe we him now so nomore. Therfore yf eny man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Olde thin∣ges are past awaye, beholde, all are beco∣me new. Neuertheles all thinges are off God, which hath reconcyled vs vnto him∣selfe by Iesus Christ, and hath geuen vs the office to preach the attonement. For God was in Christ, and reconcyled the worlde vnto himselfe, and counted not ther synnes vnto them, and amonge vs hath he set vp the worde of y^e attonemēt. Now thē are we messaungers in the rowme of Christ, euen as though God exhorted by vs. We beseke you now therfore in Christes steade, that ye be at one with God: for he hath made him which knewe no synne, to be synne for vs, y^t we by his meanes shulde be that righteous∣nes, which before God is alowed.

The VI. Chapter.

[ A] WE as helpers therfore exhorte you, that ye receaue not y^e grace of God in vayne. For he sayeth: I haue herde the in the tyme accepted, and in the daye of saluacion haue I succoured the. Be∣holde, now is the accepted tyme, now is the daye of saluacion. Let vs geue no man occa¦sion of euell, that oure office be not euell spo¦ken of: but in all thinges let vs behaue oure selues as the mynisters of God: in moch pa¦cience, in troubles, in necessities, in anguys∣shes, in strypes, in presonmentes, in vprou∣res, in laboures, in watchinges, in fastyn∣ges, in purenesse, in knowlege, in longe suffe¦rynge, in kyndnesse, in the holy goost, in loue vnfayned, in the worde of the trueth, in the power of God, by the armoure of righteous¦nes on the righte hande and on the lefte, by honoure and dishonoure, by euell reporte and good reporte: as disceauers, & yet true: [ B] as vnknowne, and yet knowne: as dyenge, and beholde, we lyue: as chastened, and not kylled: as sorowynge, and yet allwaye mery: as poore, & yet make many riche: as hauyn∣ge nothinge, & yet possessynge all thinges.

O ye Corinthians, oure mouth is open vnto you, oure hert is made large. Ye are in no straytnesse on oure behalfe: but where as ye are in straytnesse, that do ye of youre ow∣ne hertely meanynge. I speake to you, as to childrē, that haue like rewarde with vs. Set youre selues therfore at large.

Beare not a straunge yock with the vn¦beleuers. [ C] For what fellishippe hath righte∣ousnes with vnrighteousnes? What compa¦ny hath lighte w^t darknesse? How agreeth Christ with Belial▪ Or what parte hath the beleuer with the infydele? How acordeth y^e tēple of God with ymages? Ye are the tem∣ple of the lyuynge God, as sayeth God: I wyl dwell in them, and walke in them, and wyl be their God, & they shalbe my people. Wherfore come out from amōge them, and separate youre selues (sayeth the LORDE) and touche no vncleane thinge, so wyl I re∣ceaue you, & be youre father, & ye shalbe my sonnes and doughters, sayeth y^e Allmightie LORDE.

The VII. Chapter.

SEynge now that we haue soch pro∣myses [ A] (dearly beloued) let vs clense oure selues from all fylthynes of the flesh and sprete, and growe vp to full holy∣nes in y^e feare of God. Vnderstōde vs right. We haue hurte no mā, we haue corrupte no man, we haue defrauded no man. I speake not this to cōdemne you, for I haue shewed you before, that ye are in oure hertes, to dye and to lyue w^t you. I am very bolde towarde you, I make moch boost of you, I am fylled with comforte, I am exceadynge ioyous in all oure tribulacion. For whan we were co∣me into Macedonia, oure flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on euery syde: outwar¦de was fightinge, inwarde was feare. Ne∣uertheles God that comforteth the abiecte, comforted vs by the cōmynge of Titus.

Not onely by his commynge, but also by [ B] the cōsolacion wherwith he was cōforted of you, whan he tolde vs yo^r desyre, youre we∣pynge,

yo feruēt mynde for me, so y^t I now reioyse y^e more. For where as I made you so¦ry by the letter, it repenteth me not, though I dyd repēte. For I se, that the same epistle made you sory (though it were but for a cea¦son). But now I reioyce, not that ye were sory, but that ye were sory to repentaunce. For ye sorowed godly, so that in nothinge ye were hurte by vs. For godly sorowe causeth repentaunce vnto saluacion, not to be repen∣ted of: but worldly sorowe causeth death. Beholde, where as ye haue had godly so∣rowe, what diligence hath it wrought in you? Yee a sufficiet answere, displeasure, fea∣re, desyre, a feruēt mynde, punyshment. For in all poyntes ye haue shewed youre selues, that ye are cleare in that matter.

[ C] Wherfore though I wrote vnto you, yet is it not done for his cause that dyd hurte, ne¦ther for his cause that was hurte, but that youre diligence (which ye haue for vs in the sighte of God) mighte be manifest w^t you. Therfore are we comforted, because ye are comforted: but exceadingly the more ioyed we, for the ioye of Titus, because his sprete was refreszhed of you all. I am therfore not now ashamed, though I boasted my selfe vnto him of you: but like as all is true that I haue spokē vnto you, euen so is oure boas∣tinge vnto Titus founde true also. And his inwarde affeccion is more abundaunt to∣warde you, whan he remembreth the obe∣dience of you all, how ye receaued him with feare and trēblynge. I reioyse, that I maye be bolde ouer you in all thinges.

The VIII. Chapter.

[ A] I Do you to wit (brethren) the grace of God, which is geuē in the congre∣gacions of Macedonia. For their re∣ioysinge was most abundaunt, whan they were tryed by moch trouble: & though they were exceadinge poore, yet haue they geuē exceadinge richely, and that in synglenesse. For to their power (I beare recorde) yee and beyonde their power, they were wyllinge of their awne acorde, and prayed vs with grea¦te instaūce, that we wolde receaue their be∣nefite and fellishippe of the hādreachinge that is done for the sayntes: And not as we loked for, but gaue ouer them selues first to the LODRE, and afterwarde vnto vs by y^e wyl of God, so that we coulde not but desy∣re Titus, that like as he had begonne afore he wolde euen so accomplish the same beni∣uolence amonge you. Now as ye are riche in all poyntes, in faith and in worde, and in knowlege, and in all diligence, and in youre loue towarde vs, euen so se that ye be plen∣teous also in this benyuolēce. This I saye not as commaūdynge, but seynge, other are so diligent, I proue youre loue also, whether it be perfecte or no. For ye knowe the libera∣lite of oure LORDE Iesus Christ, which though he be riche, yet for youre sakes he be∣came poore, y^t ye thorow his pouerte migh∣te be made riche.

And my councell herin I geue, for this [ B] is profitable for you, which haue begonne a yeare a goo, not onely to do, but also to wyll. But now perfourme the dede also, that like as there is a ready mynde to wil, there maye be a ready mynde also to perfourme the de∣de of that which ye haue. For yf there be a wyllinge mynde, it is accepted acordinge to that a man hath, not acordinge to that he hath not. This is not done to the intent, that other shulde haue ease, and ye cōbraun¦ce, but that it be a lyke. Let youre abundaun¦ce sucker their lacke in this tyme off derth, that their abundaunce also herafter maye supplee youre lacke, that there maye be equa¦lite. As it is wrytten: He y^t gathered moch, had not the more: and he that gathered lit∣le, wanted nothinge. Thākes be vnto God, which put in the hert of Titus, the same di∣ligence towarde you. For he accepted the re¦quest in dede, yee he was rather so well wyl∣lynge, that of his awne acorde, he came vn∣to you.

We haue sent with him that brother, [ C] whose prayse is in the Gospell thorow out all the congregacions. Not onely that, but he is chosen also of the congregacions, to be a felowe with vs in oure iourney, for this be∣nyuolence that is mynistred by vs vnto the prayse of the LORDE, and to stere vp youre prompte mynde, and to bewarre, lest eny mā reporte euell of vs because of this plenteous¦nes, which is mynistred by vs: and therfo∣re make we prouision for honest thinges, not onely before the LORDE, but also before men.

We haue sent with them also a brother of oures, whom we haue oft proued diligēt in many thinges, but now moch more dili∣gent. And this haue we done in greate ho∣pe towarde you, whether it be for Titus sa∣ke (which is my felowe and helper amonge you) or for oure brethrē (which are Apostles of the cōgregacions, & the prayse of Christ.) Shewe now the profe off youre loue and off oure boastinge of you, vnto these, and opēly in the sighte of the cogregacions.

[ A] Of the handreachinge vnto y^e sayn¦tes, it is no nede for me to wryte vn∣to you: for I knowe youre redynesse of mynde, wherof I boast my selfe amonge them of Macedonia, and saye: Achaia was ready a yeare agoo. And youre feruentnesse hath prouoked many. Neuertheles yet ha¦ue we sent these brethren, left oure reioysinge ouer you shulde be in vayne in this behalfe, that ye mighte be ready, as I haue repor∣ted of you: left whan they of Macedonia co¦me with me, and fynde you vnprepared, we (I wyl not saye ye) shulde be ashamed in this presumpcion of boostinge.

[ B] Wherfore I thoughte it necessary to ex∣horte the brethren, to come before hande vn¦to you, for to prepare this blessynge promy∣sed afore, that it mighte be ready, so that it be a blessynge, and not a defraudynge. This I thynke: that he which soweth litle, shal reape litle also: and he y^t soweth plenteously, shal likewyse reape plenteously, euery one acordynge as he hath purposed in his hert, not grudgingly, or of compulsion. For God loueth a chearfull geuer. God is able to ma∣ke you riche in all grace, y^t ye in all thinges hauynge sufficiet to the vttemost, maye be riche to all maner of good workes. As it is wryttē: He hath sparsed abrode & geuē to y^e poore, his righteousnes remayneth for euer.

He that geueth sede vnto the sower, shal [ C] mynistre bred also for fode, and shal multi∣plye youre sede, and increase the frutes of yo righteousnes, that in all thinges ye maye be made riche vnto all singlenesse, which cau∣seth thorow vs, thankesgeuynge vnto God. For the hādreachinge of this colleccion not onely suppleeth the nede off the sayntes, but also is abūdaunt herin, that for this lau¦dable mynistracion many mighte geue thā∣kes vnto God, and prayse God for yo obe∣dient professynge of the Gospell of Christ, & for yo^r synglenesse in distributynge vnto thē, and to all men, and in their prayer for you, which longe after you, for the abundaunt grace of God in you. Thankes be vnto God for his vnoutspeakeable gifte.

The X. Chapter.

[ A] I Paul my selfe beseke you by the meke¦nesse and softnesse off Christ, which when I am present amonge you, am of small reputacion, but am bolde towarde you beynge absent. I beseke you that I nede not be bolde whan I am present, & to vse y^t boldnesse wherwith I am supposed to be bolde, agaynst some, which repute vs as though we walked after y^o flesh: for though we walke in the flesh, yet fighte we not after a fleshly maner. For the wapens of oure warre are not fleshly, but mightie before God to cast downe strōge holdes, wherwith we ouerthrowe ymaginacions, & euery hye thinge y^t exalteth it selfe agaynst the know∣lege of God, and brynge in to captiuyte all vnderstondinge to the obedience of Christ, & are ready to take vengeaunce on all disobe∣dience, whan youre obediēce is fulfylled. Lo¦ke ye on thinges after y^e vtter appearaūce?

Yf eny man trust of himselfe y^t he is Chris¦tes, [ B] let him thinke this also by himselfe, y^t like as he is Christes, euē so are we Christes also. And though I shulde boast my selfe somwhat more of oure auctorite which y^e LORDE hath geuē vs to edifye and not to destroye, it shulde not be to my shame. This I saye, lest I shulde seme, as though I wen¦te aboute to make you afrayed with letters. For the pist••les (saye they) are sore and stron¦ge, but his bodely presence is weake, and his speache rude. Let him y^t is soche, thinke on this wyse, that as we are in worde by let∣ters wh•• we are absente, soch are we also in dede whan we are present. For we darre not reken or compare oure selues, vnto some that prayse them selues: Neuertheles whyle they measure them selues by them selues, and holde onely of them selues, they vnderstonde nothinge.

Howbeit we wil not boast o selues aboue [ C] measure, but onely acordinge to the measu∣re of the rule, wherwith God hath distribu¦ted vnto vs the measure to reach euen vnto you. For we stretche not o^r selues to farre as though we had not reached vnto you. For euen vnto you haue we come with the Gos¦pell of Christ, and boast not oure selues out of measure in other mens laboures: Yee and we hope whan youre faith is increased in you, that we wil come farther (acordinge to oure measure) and preach the Gospell vnto them that dwell beyonde you, and not to re¦ioyse in that, which is prepared with ano∣ther mans measure.

The XI. Chapter.

LEt him that reioyseth, reioyse in the [ A] LORDE: for he y^t prayseth him sel¦fe, is not alowed, but he whō y^e LOR¦DE prayseth. Wolde God ye coulde suffre me a litle in my foloshnes, yet do ye forbea∣re me. For I am gelous ouer you w^t godly ge¦lousy. For I haue maried you vnto one mā, to brynge a chaste virgin vnto Christ. But I feare, left as y^e serpēt begyled Eue w^t his sutteltie, euē so yo^r wyttes shulde be corrup∣te

from the synglenesse that is in Christ. For yf he that commeth vnto you, preach ano∣ther Iesus, whom we haue not preached, or yf ye receaue another sprete, y^t ye haue not receaued, or another Gospell which ye haue not accepted, ye might right well haue bene cōtent. For I suppose that I am no lesse thē the hye Apostles are. And though I be ru∣de in speakynge, yet am I not rude in know∣lege. Howbeit amōge you I am knowne to the vttemost. Or dyd I synne therin becau∣se I submytted my selfe, that ye mighte be exalted?

[ B] For I preached vnto you the Gospell of God frely, and robbed other cōgregacions, and toke wages of thē, to preach vnto you. And whan I was present with you, and had nede, I was greuous to no man: for y^t which was lackynge vnto me, the brethren which came fro Macedonia, suppleed. And in all thinges I kepte myselfe so, y^t I shulde not be greuous to you, & so wyl I kepe my selfe. As surely as the trueth of Christ is in me, this reioysinge shal not be taken fro me in the regions of Achaia. Wherfore? becau¦se I shulde not loue you? God knoweth. Ne¦uertheles what I do and wyl do, that do I to cut awaye occasion, from thē which seke occasion, that they mighte boast thē selues to be like vnto vs. For soch false Apostles & disceatfull workers fashion them selues like vnto the Apostles of Christ. And that is no maruell: for Sathan himselfe is chaunged into y^e fashion of an angell of light. Ther∣fore is it no greate thinge, though his my misters fashion them selues as though they were the preachers of righteousnes, whose ende shalbe acordinge to their dedes.

[ C] I saye agayne, lest eny man thynke that I am folish: or els take me euen now as a fo¦le, y^t I maye boast myselfe a litle also. That I speake now, that speake I not after the LORDE, but as it were in folishnes, whyle we are now come to boastinge: Seynge that many boaste them selues after y^e flesh, I wil boast my selfe also. For ye suffre foles gladly, in so moch as ye youre selues are wyse. For ye suffre euen yf a man brynge you in to bonda¦ge, yf a man put you to dishonesty, yf a man take ought frō you, yf a man exalte himselfe ouer you, yf a man smyte you on the face. I speake concernynge rebuke, as though we were weake.

Wherin so euer now eny man darre be bolde (I speake folishly) therin darre I be bolde also. They are Hebrues, so am I. They are Israelites, euen so am I. They are the sede of Abraham, so am I. They are the my¦nisters of Christ (I speake as a fole) I am more: in laboures more abūdaunt, in strypes aboue measure, in presonmentes more plen∣teously, in death oft. Of the Iewes recea∣ued I fyue tymes fortye strypes, one lesse. Thryse was I beaten with roddes. I was once stoned, I suffred thryse shypwracke: nighte and daye haue I bene in the depe of [ D] the see: I haue oft iourneyed: I haue bene oft in parels of waters, in parels amonge murthurers, in parels amonge the Iewes, in parels amonge the Heythen, in parels in cities, in parels in the wylderners, in parels vpon the See, in parels amonge false bre∣thrē, in laboure & trauayle, in moch watchin¦ges, in honger and thyrst, in moch fastinges in colde and nakednesse: Besyde those thyn∣ges which are outwarde, namely my daylie combraunce, my daylie care for all cōgrega∣cions. Who is weake, and I be not weake? Who is offended, & I burne not? Yf I must nedes make my boast, I wil boast my selfe of myne infirmyte. God y^e father of oure LOR¦DE Iesus Christ, which is blessed for euer, knoweth that I lye not. At Damascon the gouernoure of y^e people vnder kynge Are∣tas, kepte y^e cite of the Damascenes, & wol∣de haue taken me. and at a wyndowe was I let downe in a basket thorow the wall, & so escaped his handes.

The XII. Chapter.

IT profiteth me nothinge (no doute) [ A] to boaste. Neuertheles I wil come to y^e visions and reuelacions off the LORDE. I knowe a man in Christ aboue fourtene yeares a goo (whether he was in y^e body, I can not tell: or whether he was out of the body, I can not tell, God knoweth.) the same was taken vp in to the thirde hea∣uen: and I knowe the same man (whether he was in y^e body or out of the body, I can not tell, God knoweth) how that he was ta¦kē vp in to Paradise, and herde wordes not to be spoken, which no man can vtter. Here of will I boast, but of my selfe wil I make no boast, excepte it be of myne infirmyties. And though I wolde boast myself, I dyd not foolishly, for I wolde saye the trueth. But I refrayne my selfe, lest eny mā shulde thinke of me aboue y^t he seyth in me, or hea∣reth of me. And lest I shulde exalte my sel∣fe out of measure because of the hye reuela∣cions, there is a warnynge geuen vnto my flesh, euen y^e messaunger of Satan, to buffet me, that I shulde not exalte my selfe out off measure: for y^e which I besoughte the LOR¦DE

thryse, that it mighte departe fro me. And he sayde vnto me: My grace is sufficiēt for the. For my strength is made perfecte thorow weaknes. Very glad therfore wil I reioyse in my weaknesses, that the strength of Christ maye dwell in me.

[ B] Therfore am I contente in infirmities, in rebukes, in necessities, in persecucions, in anguyszhes for Christes sake: for whā I am weake, thē am I strōge. I am become a fo∣le ī boastinge my selfe: Ye haue cōpelled me. For I oughte to be cōmended of you, in so moch as I am in nothinge inferior to y^e hye Apostles. Though I be nothinge, yet are y^e tokens of an Apostles wrought amōge you, with all paciēce, with signes, & with wōders & with mightie dedes. For what is it, wher∣in ye are inferiours to the other congrega∣cions? excepte it be y^t I haue not bene gre∣uous vnto you. Forgeue me this wrōge. Be∣holde, I am ready the thirde tyme to come vnto you, and wyl not be chargeable vnto you. For I seke not youres, but you. For y^e childrē ought not to gather treasure for the elders, but the elders for the children. I wil very gladly bestowe, and wyl be bestowed for youre soules: though y^e more I loue you, the lesse am I loue•• agayne.

[ C] But let it be so that I greued you not, ne¦uertheles for so moch as I was craftye, I toke you w^t gyle. Haue I defrauded you by eny of thē, whō I sent vnto you? I desyred Titus, & with him I sent a brother: dyd Ti∣tus defraude you? Haue we not walked in one sprete? Wēte we not in like fotesteppes? Agayne, thynke ye y^t we excuse oure selues? We speake in Christ in the sighte off God. But all this (dearly beloued) is done for yo^r edifyenge. For I feare, lest whan I come, I shal not fynde you soch as I wolde: and lest ye shal fynde me soch as ye wolde not: lest there be amonge you, debates, envyenges, wrathes, stryuynges, bacbytinges, whyspe∣ringes, swellinges, vproures: lest whan I co¦me agayne, God bringe me lowe amōge you & lest I be constrayned to bewayle many of thē y^t haue synned before, & haue not repen∣ted ouer y^e vnclennesse and whordome, and wantonnes, which they haue cōmytted.

The XIII. Chapter.

[ A] NOw come I the thirde tyme vnto you. In the mouth of two or thre witnesses shal euery matter be sta∣bliszhed. I haue tolde you before, & tell you before as present y^e seconde tyme, & wryte it now beynge absent, vnto thē which in tyme passed haue synned, & to all other: & yf I co∣me agayne, I wil not spare, seynge that ye seke experiēce of him, which speaketh in me, euen Christ, which amonge you is not wea∣ke, but is mightie amōge you. And though he was crucified in weaknes, yet lyueth he in the power of God. And though we are weake in him, yet lyue we with him in the power of God amonge you.

Proue youre selues, whether ye are in the [ B] faith, examē youre selues. Or knowe ye not yo^r selues, y^t Iesus Christ is in you? Excepte ye be cast awayes. But I trust ye knowe, y^t we are not cast awayes. I desyre before God y^t ye do no euell: not y^t we shulde seme comen¦dable, but y^t ye shulde do y^t which is good, & let vs be as cast awayes. For we maye do nothinge agaynst y^e trueth, but for y^e trueth. We are glad whan we are weake, & ye stron¦ge: & the same also we wyszhe for, namely yo^r perfectnesse. Therfore wryte I these thinges beynge absent, lest whā I am present, I shul¦de vse sharpnesse, acordinge to the power which the LORDE hath geuē me to edifye, and not to destroye.

Fynally brethren, reioyse, be parfecte, cō∣forte [ C] yo^r selues, be of one mynde, be peacea∣ble, and the God of loue and peace shalbe w^t you. Salute one another with an holykysse. All the sayntes salute you. The grace of ou∣re LORDE Iesus Christ, & the loue of God, and the fellishippe of y^e holy goost be with you all. Amen.

The seconde Epistle to the Corinthians. Sent from Phillippos in Mace¦donia, by Titus and Lucas.

Notes

• Gal. 1. a Ephe. 1. a 1. Pet. 1. a
• Act. 19. c
• ••. Cor. 4. c
• Phil. 2. b 1. Tess 2. c
• 1. Co. 16. a
• Mat. 5. d Iaco. 5. c
• Ephe. 4. c
• Rom. 9. a
• 1. Pet. ••. a
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 34. d
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••4. d
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 11. c
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• Gal. 6. b
• Rom. 8. ••
• Psal. 115. ••
• ••. Cor. 1. ••
• Psal. 29. a Ro. 8. c
• 2. Cor. 4. b
• Rom. 8. c
• Apoc. 16. c
• Rom. 8. b ••. Cor. 1. c
• ••at. 25. c 〈◊〉〈◊〉 14. b
• 1. Tess. 5. b
• Apoc. 21. a
• Col 2. b
• Rom. 3. c Col. 1. b 1. Ioh. 4. b
• Esa. 53. b Rom 8. a Heb. 9. c
• Esa. 53. b Rom 8. a Heb. 9. c
• Esa 49. b
• 1. Co. 4. a 1. Cor. 3. a
• Esa. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••0. c
• 〈…〉〈…〉 c 〈◊〉〈◊〉 1••. d 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 16. a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 9. a
• Pet. 4. b Pro. 3. b
• Luc. 2••
• Exo. 10.
• Rom. 12
• ••••m. 15 d ••••o. 16. a ••••or. 8. a
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 11. c ••••al. 6. a
• ••od. 25. a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 35. a ••cli. 35. a
• ••sal. 111. b
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 9. b
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 20. c
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 4. c
• 〈…〉〈…〉 a
• Deut. 25
• Act. 16. ••
• Act. 14. ••
• Act. 27. ••
• 1. Cor. 8. ••
• Act. 9. d
• Iob. 1. b
• Cor. 9. a
• Act. 20. c
• Deut. 19. c Mat. 18. b
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 1. Cor. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉