2 Corinthians 5-13

Wycliffe Bible

5 And we know, that if our earthly house of this dwelling be dissolved, that we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, everlasting in heavens.

² For why in this thing we mourn, coveting to be clothed above with our dwelling, which is of heaven;

³ if nevertheless we be found clothed, and not naked.

⁴ For why we that be in this tabernacle, sorrow within, and be heavied [grieved], for that we will not be spoiled, but be clothed above; that that thing that is deadly, be swallowed up of life^[a].

⁵ But who is it that maketh us into this same thing? God, that gave to us the earnest of the Spirit. [Forsooth he that maketh us into this same thing, is God, that gave to us the earnest of Spirit.]

⁶ Therefore we be hardy always, and know that the while we be in this body, we go in pilgrimage from the Lord;^[b]

⁷ for we walk by faith, and not by clear sight.

⁸ But we be hardy [Forsooth we be hardy], and have good will, more to be in pilgrimage from the body, and to be present to God.

⁹ And therefore we strive, whether absent, whether present, to please him.

¹⁰ For it behooveth us all to be showed before the throne of Christ, that every man tell the proper things of the body^[c], as he hath done, either good, either evil.

¹¹ Therefore we witting the dread of the Lord, counsel men, for to God we be open; and I hope, that we be open also in your consciences.

¹² We commend not us selves again to you, but we give to you occasion to have glory for us [We commend not ourselves again to you, but we give to you occasion to glory for us], that ye have [understanding] to them that glory in the face, and not in the heart.

¹³ For either we by mind pass to God, either we be sober to you. [Soothly whether we by mind, or reason, pass it is to God, whether we be sober it is to you?]

¹⁴ For the charity of Christ driveth us; guessing this thing [guessing, or deeming, this thing], that if one died for all, then all were dead.

¹⁵ And Christ died for all, that they that live, live not now to themselves, but to him that died for them, and rose again.

¹⁶ Therefore we from this time know no man after the flesh; though we (have) known Christ after the flesh [And so we from this time have known no man after the flesh; and if we knew Christ after the flesh], but [right] now we know not.

¹⁷ Therefore if any new creature is in Christ, the old things be passed [old things have passed]. Lo! all things be made new,

¹⁸ and all things be of God, which reconciled us to him by Christ, and gave to us the service of reconciling [and gave to us the ministry, or service, of reconciling].

¹⁹ And God was in Christ [Soothly, for God was in Christ], reconciling to him the world, not reckoning to them their guilts, and putted in us the word of reconciling [and put in us the word of reconciling].

²⁰ Therefore we use message for Christ [Therefore we be set in legacy, or message, for Christ], as if God admonisheth by us; we beseech you for Christ, be ye reconciled to God.

²¹ God the Father made him sin for us, which knew not sin, that we should be made [the] rightwiseness of God in him.

6 But we helping [you in work and word] admonish [you], that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

² For he saith, In time well pleasing I have heard thee [In time accepted, or well pleasing, I have heard thee], and in the day of health I have helped thee. Lo! now a time acceptable, lo! now a day of health.

³ Give we to no man any offence, that our service be not reproved; [To no man giving any offence, or hurting, that our ministry, or service, be not reproved;]

⁴ but in all things give we us selves [but in all things give we ourselves] as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in anguishes,

⁵ in beatings [in scourgings], in prisons, in dissensions within, in travails, in wakings, in fastings,

⁶ in chastity, in knowing [in science, or knowing], in long abiding, in sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity not feigned,

⁷ in the word of truth, in the virtue of God; by armours of rightwiseness on the right half and on the left half;

⁸ by glory and unnobleness [by glory and unnobility]; by evil fame and good fame; as deceivers, and true men;

⁹ as they that be unknown and known; as men dying, and lo! we live; as chastised, and not made dead;

¹⁰ as sorrowful, and evermore joying; as having need, but making many men rich [as sorrowful, but evermore joying; as needy men, soothly making many rich]; as nothing having, and wielding all things.

¹¹ A! ye Corinthians [O! ye Corinthians], our mouth is open to you, our heart is alarged;

¹² ye be not anguished in us, but ye be anguished in your inwardnesses.^[d]

¹³ And I say as to sons, ye that have the same reward, be ye alarged. [Forsooth, we having the same reward, I say as to sons, and be ye alarged.]

¹⁴ Do not ye bear the yoke with unfaithful men. For what parting of rightwiseness with wickedness [Soothly what parting, or communing, of rightwiseness with wickedness]? or what fellowship of light to darknesses?

¹⁵ and what according of Christ to Belial? or what part of a faithful [man] with the unfaithful [or heathen]?

¹⁶ and what consent to the temple of God with maumets? And ye be the temple of the living God, as the Lord saith, For I shall dwell in them, and I shall walk among them; and I shall be [the] God of them, and they shall be a people to me. [but what consent to the temple of God with idols? Forsooth ye be the temple of quick God, as the Lord saith, For I shall dwell in them, and I shall walk in; and I shall be the God of them, and they shall be to me a people.]

¹⁷ For which thing go ye out of the middle of them, and be ye separated [and be ye parted], saith the Lord, and touch not unclean thing; and I shall receive you,

¹⁸ and I shall be to you into a Father, and ye shall be to me into sons and daughters, saith the Lord almighty.

7 Therefore, most dear-worthy brethren, we that have these promises, cleanse we us from all filth of the flesh and of the spirit, doing holiness in the dread of God.^[e]

² Take ye us; we have hurt no man, we have impaired no man [we have corrupted no man], we have beguiled no man.

³ I say not to your condemning; for I said before, that ye be in our hearts, to die together and to live together [to die together, and live together].

⁴ Much trust is to me with you, much glorying is to me for you. I am filled with comfort, I am plenteous [I abound, or am plenteous,] in joy in all our tribulation.

⁵ For when we were come to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we suffered all tribulation; withoutforth fightings, and dreads [were] within [forsooth withoutforth, fightings, withinforth, dreads].

⁶ But God that comforteth meek men, comforted us in the coming of Titus.

⁷ And not only in the coming of him, but also in the comfort by which he was comforted in you, telling to us your desire, your weeping, your love for me, so that I joyed more.

⁸ For though I made you sorry in an epistle, it rueth me not; though it rued, [I] seeing that though that epistle made you sorry at an hour,

⁹ now I have joy; not for ye were made sorrowful [not for ye were made sorry], but for ye were made sorrowful to penance. For why ye be made sorry after God, that in nothing ye suffer impairment of us.

¹⁰ For the sorrow that is after God, worketh penance into steadfast health; but sorrow of the world worketh death.

¹¹ For lo! this same thing, that ye be sorrowful after God, how much busyness it worketh in you; but defending, but indignation, but dread, but desire, but love, but vengeance. In all things ye have given yourselves to be undefouled in the cause.

¹² Therefore though I wrote to you, I wrote not for him that did the injury, neither for him that suffered, but to show our busyness, which we have for you before God.

¹³ Therefore we be comforted, but in your comfort more plenteously we joyed more on the joy of Titus, for his spirit is fulfilled of all you.

¹⁴ And if I gloried any thing with him of you, I am not confounded [I am not confounded, or shamed]; but as we have spoken to you all things [in truth], so also our glory that was at Titus, is made truth.

¹⁵ And the inwardness of him be more plenteously in you [And the entrails of him be more plenteous in you], which hath in mind the obedience of you all, how with dread and trembling ye received him.

¹⁶ I have joy, that in all things I trust in you. [I joy, that in all things I trust in you.]

8 But, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God, that is given in the churches of Macedonia,

² that in much assaying of tribulation, the plenty of the joy of them was [the abundance, or plenty, of the joy of them was], and the highest poverty of them was plenteous into the riches of the simpleness of them.

³ For I bear witnessing to them, after might and above might they were willful [after virtue, or power, and above virtue they were willful],

⁴ with much admonishing beseeching us the grace and the communing of [the] ministering, that is made to holy men.

⁵ And not as we hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, afterward to us by the will of God.

⁶ So that we prayed Titus, that as he began, so also he perform in you this grace.

⁷ But as ye abound in all things, in faith, and word, and knowing [and science, or knowing], and all busyness, moreover and in your charity into us, that also in this grace ye abound.

⁸ I say not as commanding, but by the busyness of other men proving also the good wit of your charity.

⁹ And ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he was made needy for you, when he was rich, that ye should be made rich by his neediness [that ye should be made rich by his mis-ease, or neediness].

¹⁰ And I give counsel in this thing; for this is profitable to you, that not only have begun to do, but also ye began to have will from the former year [but and to desire from the former year].

¹¹ But now [Now forsooth] perform ye in deed, that as the discretion of will is ready [to desire good], so be it also of performing of that that ye have.

¹² For if the will be ready, it is accepted after that that it hath, not after that that it hath not.

¹³ And not that it be remission to other men^[f], and to you tribulation;

¹⁴ but of evenness in the present time your abundance fulfill the need of them, that also the abundance of them be a fulfilling of your need, that evenness be made; [but of evenness, in this present time your abundance fulfill the mis-ease of them, that and the abundance of them be supplement, or fulfilling, of your mis-ease, or need, that evenness be made;]

¹⁵ as it is written, He that [hath] gathered much, was not increased, and he that [had] gathered little, had not less.

¹⁶ And I do thankings to God, that gave the same busyness for you in the heart of Titus,

¹⁷ for [soothly] he received exhortation; but when he was busier, by his will he went forth to you [with his will he went forth to you].

¹⁸ And we sent with him a brother, whose praising is in the gospel by all churches.

¹⁹ And not only [praised], but also he is ordained of churches the fellow of our pilgrimage into this grace, that is ministered of us to the glory of the Lord, and to our ordained will;

²⁰ eschewing this thing, that no man blame us in this plenty, that is ministered of us to the glory of the Lord.

²¹ For we purvey good things, not only before God, but also before all men.

²² For we sent with them also our brother, whom we have proved in many things oft, that he was busy, but now much busier, for much trust in you, [Forsooth we sent with them and our brother, whom we have proved in many things oft, to be busy, now forsooth much busier, in much trust in you,]

²³ either for Titus, that is my fellow and helper in you, either for our brethren [either our brethren], apostles of the churches of the glory of Christ.

²⁴ Therefore show ye to them in the face of churches, that showing that is of your charity [the showing that is of your charity] and of our glory for you.

9 For of the ministry that is made to holy men, it is to me of plenty to write to you.

² For I know your [ready] will, for the which I have glory of you with Macedonians, for also Achaia is ready from a year passed, and your love hath stirred full many.

³ And we have sent brethren, that this thing that we glory of you, be not voided in this part, that as I said, ye be ready.

⁴ Lest when Macedonians come with me, and find you unready, we be shamed, that we say you not/that we saw you not, in this substance.

⁵ Therefore I guessed necessary to pray brethren, that they come before to you, and make ready this promised blessing to be ready, so as blessing, and not as avarice.

⁶ For I say this thing [This thing forsooth I say], he that soweth scarcely, shall also reap scarcely; and he that soweth in blessings, shall reap also of blessings.

⁷ Each man as he casted in his heart [Each man as he cast in his heart], not of heaviness, or of need; for God loveth a glad giver.

⁸ And God is mighty to make all grace abound in you, that ye in all things evermore have all sufficience, and abound into all good work [that ye, in all things evermore having all sufficience, abound into all good work];

⁹ as it is written, He dealed abroad, he gave to poor men, his rightwiseness dwelleth without end [his rightwiseness dwelleth into without end].

¹⁰ And he that ministereth seed to the sower, shall give also bread to eat, and he shall multiply your seed, and make much the increasings of fruits of your rightwiseness;^[g]

¹¹ that in all things ye made rich wax plenteous into all simpleness [that in all things made rich abound into all simpleness], which worketh by us doing of thankings to God.

¹² For the ministry of this office not only filleth those things that fail to holy men, but also multiplieth many thankings to God [but also aboundeth by many in doing of thankings to the Lord],

¹³ by the proving of this ministry, which glorify God in the obedience of your acknowledging in the gospel of Christ, and in simpleness of communication into them and into all [others],

¹⁴ and in the beseeching of them for you, that desire you for the excellent grace of God in you.

¹⁵ I do thankings to God of the gift of him, that may not be told.^[h]

10 And I myself Paul beseech you, by the mildness and softness of Christ^[i], which in the face am meek among you, and I absent trust in you.

² For I pray you, that lest I present be not bold by the trust, in which I am guessed to be bold into some, that deem us, as if we wander after the flesh.^[j]

³ For we walking in the flesh, fight not after the flesh.

⁴ For the arms of our knighthood be not fleshly, but mighty by God to the destruction of strengths [to the destruction of wardings, or strengths].

⁵ And we destroy counsels, and all highness that higheth itself against the science of God, and drive into captivity all understanding into the service of Christ.^[k]

⁶ And we have ready to venge all unobedience, when your obedience shall be filled. [Also having in readiness to venge all unobedience, when your obedience shall be fulfilled.]

⁷ See ye the things that be after the face. If any man trusteth to himself, that he is of Christ, think he this thing again with himself, for as he is Christ's, so also we [so and we].

⁸ For if I shall glory any thing more of our power, which the Lord gave to us into edifying, and not into your destruction, I shall not be shamed.

⁹ But that I be not guessed as to frighten you by epistles, [Forsooth that I be not guessed as to fear you by epistles,]

¹⁰ for they say, That epistles be grievous and strong, but the presence of the body is feeble, and the word worthy to be despised.^[l]

¹¹ He that is such one, think this, for such as we absent be in word by epistles, such we be present in deed.

¹² For we dare not put us among, or comparison us to some men, that commend themselves; but we measure us in us selves, and comparison us selves to us. [Soothly we dare not put us among, or comparison us to some, that commend themselves; but we meting, or measuring, us in ourselves, and comparisoning ourselves to us.]

¹³ For we shall not have glory over measure, but by the measure of the rule [but after the measure of rule] which God measured to us, the measure that stretcheth [till] to you.

¹⁴ For we overstretch not forth us, as not stretching to you. For [till] to you we came in the gospel of Christ,

¹⁵ not glorying over measure in other men's travails. For we have hope of your faith that waxeth in you to be magnified by our rule in abundance [Soothly we having hope of your faith waxing in you to be magnified after our rule in abundance],

¹⁶ also to preach into those things that be beyond you, not to have glory in other man's rule [not to glory in other man's rule], in these things that be made ready.

¹⁷ [Forsooth] He that glorieth, have glory in the Lord [glory he in the Lord].

¹⁸ For not he that commendeth himself is approved [is proved], but whom God commendeth.

11 I would that ye would suffer a little thing of mine unwisdom, but also support ye me.^[m]

² For I love you by the love of God; for I have espoused [spoused] you to one husband, to yield a chaste virgin to Christ [to give you, a chaste virgin, to one man, Christ].

³ But I dread, lest as the serpent deceived Eve with his subtle fraud, so your wits be corrupted, and fallen down from the simpleness that is in Christ.

⁴ For if he that cometh, preacheth another Christ, whom we preached not, or if ye take another spirit, whom ye took not [whom ye received not], or another gospel, which ye received not, rightly ye should suffer.

⁵ For I ween that I have done nothing less than the great apostles.

⁶ For though I be unlearned in word, but not in knowing. For in all things I am open to you. [For why though I be unlearned in sermon, or word, but not in science, or knowing. Forsooth in all things I am showed, or made known, to you.]

⁷ Or whether I have done sin, meeking myself [meeking, or making low, myself], that ye be enhanced, for freely I preached to you the gospel of God?

⁸ I made naked other churches, and I took wages to your service. [I spoiled, or made naked, or took gifts, of other churches, taking wages to your service.]

⁹ And when I was among you, and had need [And when I was with you, and needed], I was chargeous to no man; for brethren that came from Macedonia, fulfilled that that failed to me [supplied, or fulfilled, that that failed to me]. And in all things I have kept [me], and shall keep me without charge to you.

¹⁰ The truth of Christ is in me; for this glory shall not be broken in me in the countries of Achaia [in the regions, or countries, of Achaia].

¹¹ Why? for I love not you? God knoweth.

¹² For that that I do, and that I shall do, is that I cut away the occasion of them that will occasion, that in the thing, in which they glory, they be found [such] as we.

¹³ For such false apostles be treacherous workmen, and transfigure them(selves) into apostles of Christ.^[n]

¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself transfigureth him(self) into an angel of light. [And no wonder; soothly he Satan transfigured him into an angel of light.]

¹⁵ Therefore it is not great, if his ministers be transfigured as the ministers of rightwiseness, whose end shall be after their works.

¹⁶ Again I say, lest any man guess me to be unwise [lest any man deem me unwise]; else take ye me as unwise, that also I have glory a little what.

¹⁷ That that I speak, I speak not after God, but as in unwisdom [but as to unwisdom], in this substance of glory.

¹⁸ For many men glory after the flesh, and I shall glory.

¹⁹ For ye suffer gladly unwise men, when ye yourselves be wise.

²⁰ For ye suffer, if any man driveth you into servage [if any man drive you into servage], if any man devoureth, if any man taketh, if any man is enhanced [by pride], if any man smiteth you on the face.

²¹ By unnobleness I say, as if we were frail in this part^[o]. In what thing any man dare, in unwisdom I say, and I dare.

²² They be Hebrews, and I; they be Israelites, and I; they be the seed of Abraham, and I;

²³ they be the ministers of Christ, and I. As less wise I say, I more; in full many travails, in prisons more plenteously, in wounds above manner [in wounds above manner, or over measure], in deaths oft times.

²⁴ I received of the Jews five times forty strokes one less;

²⁵ thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I was at ship-break, a night and a day I was in the deepness of the sea;

²⁶ in ways oft, in perils of rivers [in perils of floods], in perils of thieves, in perils of kin, in perils of heathen men, in perils in [the] city, in perils in desert, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren,

²⁷ in travail and neediness, in many wakings, in hunger, in thirst [in travail and neediness, either mis-ease, in many wakings, in hunger and thirst], in many fastings, in cold and nakedness.

²⁸ Without those things that be withoutforth, mine each day's travailing is the busyness of all churches. [Without those things that be withoutforth; mine each day's waking, or studying, the busyness of all churches.]

²⁹ Who is frail, and I am not frail? who is caused to stumble, and I am not burnt? [Who is sick, and I am not sick? who is offended, and I am not burnt?]

³⁰ If it behooveth to glory, I shall glory in those things that be of mine infirmity [that be of my infirmity, or frailty].

³¹ [For] God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that is blessed into worlds, knoweth that I lie not [knoweth, that I gab not, or lie not].

³² The provost of Damascus, of the king of the folk of Aretas [The provost, or keeper, of Damascus, of the king of the folk Arteas], kept the city of Damascenes to take me;

³³ and by a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and so I escaped his hands.

12 If it behooveth to have glory, it speedeth not; but I shall come to the visions and the revelations of the Lord. [If it behooveth to glory, soothly it speedeth not; forsooth I shall come to the visions and revelations of the Lord.]

² I know a man in Christ that before fourteen years; whether in body, whether out of body, I know not, God knoweth; that such a man was snatched (up) unto the third heaven [such a man snatched (up) till to the third heaven].

³ And I know such a man; whether in body, or out of body, I know not, God knoweth;

⁴ that he was snatched (up) into paradise, and heard privy words, which it is not leaveful to a man [for] to speak.

⁵ For such manner things I shall glory [For such manner thing I shall glory]; but for me nothing, but in mine infirmities.

⁶ For if I shall desire to glory [For why and if I shall will to glory], I shall not be unwise, for I shall say truth; but I spare, lest any man guess me over that thing that he seeth in me, or heareth any thing of me.

⁷ And lest the greatness of revelations enhance me in pride, the prick of my flesh, an angel of Satan, is given to me, that he buffet me.

⁸ For which thing thrice I prayed the Lord, that it should go away from me.

⁹ And he said to me, My grace sufficeth to thee; for virtue is perfectly made in infirmity. Therefore gladly I shall glory in mine infirmities, that the virtue of Christ dwell in me.

¹⁰ For which thing I am pleased in mine infirmities, in despisings [in wrong despisings, or reprovings], in needs, in persecutions, in anguishes, for Christ; for when I am frail [for when I am sick], then I am mighty.

¹¹ I am made witless [I am made unwitty], ye constrained me. For I ought to be commended of you; for I did nothing less than they that be apostles over measure. Though I am nought [Though I be nought],

¹² nevertheless the signs of mine apostlehood be made on you, in all patience, and signs, and great wonders, and works of power. [nevertheless the signs of my apostlehood be made on you, in all patience, and signs, or miracles, and great wonders, and virtues.]

¹³ And what is it, that ye had less than other churches [that ye had less before other churches], [no] but that I myself grieved you not? Forgive ye to me this wrong.

¹⁴ Lo! this third time I am ready to come to you, and I shall not be grievous to you; for I seek not those things that be yours, but you. For neither sons owe to [make] treasure to father and mother, but the father and mother to the sons.

¹⁵ For I shall give most willfully [For I most willfully shall give], and I myself shall be given over for your souls; though I more love you, and be less loved.

¹⁶ But be it; I grieved not you, but when I was subtle^[p], I took you with guile.

¹⁷ Whether I deceived you by any of them, which I sent to you [whom I sent to you]?

¹⁸ I prayed Titus, and I sent with him a brother. Whether Titus beguiled you? whether we went not in the same spirit? whether not in the same steps?

¹⁹ Sometime ye ween, that we shall excuse us with you. Before God in Christ we speak; and, most dear brethren [forsooth, most dear brethren], all things for your edifying.

²⁰ But I dread, lest when I come, I shall not find you such as I will, and I shall be found of you such as ye will not; lest peradventure strivings, envies, indignations [sturdinesses], dissensions and detractions, privy speeches of discord, swellings by pride, debates be among you;

²¹ and lest again when I come, God make me low with you, and I bewail many of them, that before sinned, and did not penance on the uncleanness, and fornication, and unchastity, that they have done.^[q]

13 Lo! this third time I come to you, and in the mouth of two or of three witnesses [and in the mouth of two or three witnesses] every word shall stand.

² I said before, and [I] say before, as present twice, and now absent, to them that before have sinned, and to all others; for if I come again, I shall not spare.

³ Whether ye seek the proof of that Christ, that speaketh in me, which is not feeble in you, [but is mighty in you]?^[r]

⁴ For though he was crucified of infirmity, but he liveth of the virtue of God. For also we be frail in him [For why and we be sick in him], but we shall live with him of the virtue of God in us.

⁵ Assay yourselves, if ye be in the faith; ye yourselves prove. Whether ye know not yourselves, for Christ Jesus is in you? but (it) happens ye be reprovable [no but peradventure, ye be reprovable].

⁶ But I hope, that ye know, that we be not reprovable.

⁷ And we pray the Lord, that ye do nothing of evil; not that we seem approved [not that we seem proved], but that ye do that that is good, and that we be as reprovable.

⁸ For we be able to do nothing against truth, but for the truth. [Forsooth we may do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.]

⁹ For we joy, when we be frail [when we be sick], but ye be mighty; and we pray this thing, your perfection.

¹⁰ Therefore I absent write these things, that I present do not harder, by the power, which the Lord gave to me into edification, and not into your destruction^[s].

¹¹ Brethren, henceforward joy ye, be ye perfect, excite ye [be ye perfect, and teach ye]; understand ye the same thing; have ye peace, and God of peace and of love shall be with you [and God of peace and love shall be with you].

¹² Greet ye well together in holy kiss.

¹³ All holy men greet you well.

¹⁴ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity of God, and the communing of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.