Paul’s Change of Plans
12 For our boast is this, uthe testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity1 and vgodly sincerity, wnot by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. 13 For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully understand— 14 just as you did xpartially understand us—that yon the day of our Lord Jesus zyou will boast of us as awe will boast of you.
1 tWorking together with him, then, uwe appeal to you vnot to receive the grace of God in vain.
The Temple of the Living God
14 zDo not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For awhat partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or bwhat fellowship has light with darkness? 15 cWhat accord has Christ with Belial?1 Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For dwe are the temple of the living God; as God said,
e“I will make my dwelling among them and fwalk among them,
and gI will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore hgo out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18 iand I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
1 Since we have these promises, beloved, jlet us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body2 and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
13 By their approval of this service, fthey1 will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your gconfession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 hThanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
7 So fto keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,1 ga thorn was given me in the flesh, ha messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 iThree times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, j“My grace is sufficient for you, for kmy power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that lthe power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 mFor the sake of Christ, then, nI am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For owhen I am weak, then I am strong.
4 For rhe was crucified in weakness, but slives by the power of God. For twe also are weak in him, but in dealing with you uwe will live with him by the power of God.
