Portal:Covenant Press

“ Because I do not love you? God has known! 12 And what I do, I also will do, that I may cut off the occasion of those wishing an occasion, that in that which they boast they may be found according as we also; 13 for those such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ, 14 and no wonder—for even Satan transforms himself into a messenger of light; 15 [it is] no great thing, then, if his servants also transform themselves as servants of righteousness—whose end will be according to their works. ”

“ Chapter 5 1 For we have known that if the tent of our earthly house may be thrown down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands—perpetual—in the heavens, 2 for also in this we groan, earnestly desiring to clothe ourselves with our dwelling that is from Heaven, 3 if so be that, having clothed ourselves, we will not be found naked, 4 for we also who are in the tent groan, being burdened, seeing we do not wish to unclothe ourselves, but to clothe ourselves, that the mortal may be swallowed up of life. ”

“ Chapter 4 1 Because of this, having this ministry, according as we received kindness, we do not faint, 2 but renounced for ourselves the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully using the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth recommending ourselves to every conscience of men, before God; 3 and if our good news is also veiled, it is veiled in those perishing, 4 in whom the god of this age blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that there does not shine forth to them the enlightening of the good news of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God ”

“ Chapter 2 1 And I decided this to myself, not to come again to you in sorrow, 2 for if I make you sorry, then who is he who is making me glad, except he who is made sorry by me? 3 And I wrote to you this same thing, that having come, I may not have sorrow from them of whom it was necessary [for] me to have joy, having confidence in you all, that my joy is of you all, 4 for out of much tribulation and pressure of heart I wrote to you through many tears, not that you might be made sorry, but that you might know the love that I have more abundantly toward you. ”

“ God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, 4 who is comforting us in all our tribulation, for our being able to comfort those in any tribulation through the comfort with which we are comforted ourselves by God ”

“ God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness," who shined in our hearts, for the enlightening of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us, 8 being in tribulation in every [way] , but not crushed ”

“ Chapter 7 1 Having, then, these promises, beloved, may we cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting sanctification in the fear of God; 2 receive us; no one did we wrong; no one did we ruin; no one did we defraud; 3 I do not say [it] to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together; 4 great [is] my freedom of speech to you, great my glory on your behalf ”

“ But defense, but displeasure, but fear, but longing desire, but zeal, but revenge; in everything you approved yourselves to be pure in the matter. 12 If, then, I also wrote to you—not for his cause who did wrong, nor for his cause who suffered wrong, but for our diligence in your behalf being revealed to you before God— 13 because of this we have been comforted in your comfort, and more abundantly the more we rejoiced in the joy of Titus, that his spirit has been refreshed from you all ”