The Testimony of Yeshua

2 Corinthians 1: From Paul, an envoy of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, by the will of Yehovah, and from Timothy our brother, to the assembly of Aloha in Corinth and to all the 'special ones' [saints everywhere in Achaia.

2 May loving kindness and peace be yours, from Yehovah our Father and from our Master Yeshua Messiah.

3 Praise Yehovah, the Father of our Master Yeshua Messiah, the Father of mercies, and the Aloha of all encouragement, 4 who encourages us in all our afflictions, so that we’re also able to encourage those who are being oppressed with the kind of encouragement that we ourselves are encouraged with by Yehovah. 5 As the sufferings of the Messiah overflows in us, our encouragement also overflows thru the Messiah. 6 Even tho we’re oppressed, it is for your encouragement and for your eternal Life that we’re oppressed, and when we’re encouraged, it’s so you’ll be encouraged and you’ll be energized, and able to endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is certain, because we know that if you are partners in the sufferings, you’ll also share in our consolation.

8 Friends, we want you to know about the tribulation we had in Asia Minor, because we were oppressed beyond description, beyond our strength, and had given up all hope of life itself. 9 We had resigned ourselves to death, so that our confidence wouldn’t be in ourselves, but in Yehovah who raises the dead, 10 who rescued us from imminent death, and we hope that He’ll rescue us again 11 with the help of your prayers on our behalf, so that His gift to us would be a favor done for many people, and many would praise Him on our behalf.

12 Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that is by honesty and purity, and by the compassion of Yehovah, and not due to the wisdom of mortals. This is how we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially towards you. 13 We are writing nothing to you that differs from what you can read and are thoroly acquainted with [in the Scriptures]. And I trust that you’ll remain thoroly acquainted with them to the very end. 14 As you are somewhat aware, we are your cause for celebration, as you are ours, on the Day of our Master Yeshua Messiah.

15 Confident of this, I wanted to come to you so that you could receive twice as much compassion. 16 My plans had been to pass your way into Macedonia, and come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you accompany me to Judea. 17 So when I was considering this, was I perhaps being careless or was I acting entirely worldly, so that coming from me you would hear “Yes, yes” but then “No, no?”

18 Just as Yehovah is faithful, our word to you was not both “Yes” and “No”. 19 Yehovah’s Son, Yeshua Messiah, who was heralded to you by us, namely by me, by Sylvanus and by Timothy was not Yes” and “No”, but with Him it was “yes”. 20 All of the promises of Yehovah in Him, in the Meshiha, are “Yes”. And so thru Him we can say “awmain” to the splendor of Yehovah. 21 Now it is Yehovah who establishes us with you in the Messiah, and has anointed us, 22 and has set His seal on us, and has given us the downpayment of His spirit in our minds.

23 I call on Yehovah as a witness for myself, that I didn’t come to Corinth in order to spare you. 24 Not that we dominate your spiritual convictions, but we’re companions of your joy, because it is by your spiritual convictions that you are established.

2 Corinthians 2: I determined by myself that I wouldn’t return to you in sadness. 2 If I were to make you sad, who would make me joyful other than those I had made sad? 3 I wrote this very thing to you, fearing that when I came, the people who I should bring joy to would make me sad, but I’m convinced that my joy is the same joy as yours. 4 I wrote those things to you in much distress and mental turmoil, with many tears, not to cause you sorrow, but so that you would know the great love I have for you.

The Offending Brother

5 If anyone has caused grief, they haven’t only grieved me, but to a degree all of you, so I won’t be overly burdensome to you. 6 The punishment coming from many of you is enough for him. 7 On the other hand, you should disregard his offenses and encourage him, because such a person might be consumed with overwhelming grief. 8 So I encourage you to confirm your love for him. 9 This is why I wrote to you before, so that I could determine by a trial whether you would be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you pardon I’ll also pardon, because anything that I pardon someone of, is pardoned for your sakes in the presence of the Messiah, 11 otherwise Satan could take advantage of us, because we know his tactics.

12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas proclaiming the Good News of the Messiah, and a door was opened to me by the Master, 13 there was no relief in my spirit because I didn’t find my brother Titus, so I said goodbye and went to Macedonia.

14 But we thank Yehovah who always allows us to triumph in the Messiah, and dispenses the fragrance of His knowledge everywhere. 15 Those of us who live, and in those of us who die are a sweet fragrance to Yehovah because of the Messiah. 16 To some we are the stench of death leading to death, and for others the fragrance of life leading to Life. Who is worthy of these things? 17 We aren’t like the hucksters who profit by diluting the Word of Aloha, but as men of sincerity, commissioned by Yehovah, we speak thru the Messiah in the presence of Yehovah.

 

2 Corinthians 3: Should we introduce ourselves again? Do we, as others, need diplomas to present to you? Or do we need for you to issue diplomas for us? 2 You are our documentation, engraved in our minds, known and read by everyone. 3 You are the documentation of the Messiah that we attend to, not written with ink but by the spirit of the living Aloha, not on tablets of stone but on the mortal tablets of the mind.

The New Covenant, Our Hope

4 This is the kind of confidence that we have in the Messiah towards Yehovah. 5 Not that we have sufficient ability to think anything of ourselves, but our competency is from Yehovah, 6 who has qualified us to be ministers of the New Covenant [1], not in the letter, but in the Spirit, because the letter kills, but the spirit produces Life.

7 Now if the ministry that brought death, that was engraved in letters on stone, was so brilliant that Israel’s descendants couldn’t even gaze at Moses’ face [Exodus 34:29] due to the remaining brilliance on his face, 8 then won’t the ministry that brings the spirit be even more brilliant? 9 If there is brilliance in the ministry ‘that pronounces’ condemnation, how much more does the ministry of justification exceed it in brilliance? 10 For what was adorned in luster had no luster in this regard, in comparison with this that excels in brightness. 11 If what is being inactivated [condemnation, v.11] is brilliant, how much more brilliant must ‘redemption’ be that lasts forever? 12 So because we have this hope, we speak even more boldly.

The Spiritual Blindness of Israel

13 We aren’t like Moses who threw a veil over his face, so that Israel’s descendants couldn’t even gaze at the remnant of the glow that ended. 14 But they’ve been blinded [2] in their understanding to this very day, when the ancient covenant [“old covenant”] [3] is read, because their veil hasn’t been lifted, nor is it apparent to them that the veil was severed [Matthew 27:51] by the Messiah. 15 To this day when Moses [Torah] is read, the veil is still standing in their minds. 16 Yet when one of them is converted to the Master, the veil that completely surrounds them is taken away. 17 Now the Master Himself is the spirit. And where the spirit of the Master is there is liberty. 18 All of us with unveiled faces, reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Master, are undergoing a metamorphosis [Gr. metamorphoo] [4] into His likeness, from our brightness to His brightness, just like the Master’s spirit.

2 Corinthians 4: Because of this, we don’t become exhausted by the ministry we have received because of the mercy we have experienced. 2 We have renounced the secrets of shamefulness, and we don’t ‘live’ by specious knowledge [1], nor do we corrupt the Word of Aloha. But by a clear statement of the truth we strive to commend ourselves in the presence of Yehovah to every human conscience. 3 So if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 those whose minds the aloha [god] of this age [or world] has blinded so that they don’t believe, otherwise the radiance of the Good News of the Messiah (who is the likeness of Yehovah) would dawn on them. 5 We aren’t heralding about ourselves, but the Messiah Yeshua, our Master, and as for ourselves, we’re your servants for Yeshua’s sake. 6 For the Aloha who said, “Light must shine thru the darkness”, has personally shone in our minds, so that we would be illuminated with the knowledge of the splendor of Aloha in the presence of Yeshua Messiah.

Persecution and Perseverance

7 We have this treasure in a fragile vase of clay, so that the surpassing greatness of the power would be from Yehovah, not from us. 8 We are pressured in every way but not abandoned, we’re harassed but not condemned. 9 We’re being persecuted but not forsaken, we’re being struck down but we’re not being killed. 10 We continually bear in our bodies the death of Yeshua, so that the Life of Yeshua will also be apparent in our bodies. 11 If those of us who are alive are handed over to death for Yeshua’s sake, then Yeshua’s Life also becomes apparent in our mortal bodies. 12 So death works for us, but Life works for you.

13 So having the same spirit of faith, (as the Scriptures say, “I believed, so I have spoken”), we also believe, and so we also speak. 14 We know that the One who raised our Master Yeshua will also raise us BY [not with] Yeshua, and will stand beside us with you. 15 Everything is for your benefit so that compassion reaches more and more people, to the magnificence of Yehovah.

16 Because of this we won’t become exhausted, because altho our outer self is perishing, our inner self is renewed daily. 17 The distress of the present time, tho very small and light [2], is preparing us for magnificence, for eternity. 18 We don’t contemplate the things that are visible, but the things that are invisible, because the things we can see are temporary, but the things we can’t see are eternal.

2 Corinthians 5: We know that if our earthly home, our human body, is destroyed, we will still have a building made by Yehovah, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. 2 Because of this we sigh, longing to be clothed with our new dwelling place from the Heavens. 3 When clothed, we won’t be found naked. 4 While we’re here in this human body, we sigh under its burden, yet we don’t want to throw off our mortal clothing, we want to be better clothed so that our mortality will be immersed in real Life. 5 Yehovah is the One who prepares us for this very thing, and has given us His spirit as a downpayment.

6 So we know with confidence that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with our Master, 7 because we live by faith rather than by outward appearances. 8 This is why we’re confident and would prefer to leave this body and live in our own country with our Master. 9 We earnestly strive, whether we’re present or absent to please Him, 10 because we will all stand before the Messiah’s judgment seat, so that each of us will receive compensation for what we have done while in the body, whether honorable or wicked.

11 So because we know that our Master strikes terror, we persuade people to believe. Our ‘motives’ are quite apparent to Yehovah, and I hope you understand them as well. 12 We aren’t building our own credibility for you, rather, we’re giving you an opportunity to commend us to those who are superficially sincere, but lacking in real character. 13 If we appear to be amazing, it is for Yehovah, and if we appear of more moderate passions, it is for you. 14 The love of the Messiah limits us to one determination: if One died for everyone, then everyone died. 15 He died for everyone so that those who live wouldn’t live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and rose again.

16 So from now on we don’t think of anyone ‘as mere mortals’, and tho we have known the Messiah in mortal form, we no longer know Him that way. 17 So whoever ‘belongs to’ the Messiah is a new creation, the old things are past, new things have come[Etheridge]. 18 Everything has been made new [1] by Yehovah who has restored [2] us to Himself by the Messiah and has given us the the job of serving others for their restoration. 19 Thru the Messiah, Yehovah was reconciling the world to Himself by His majesty, so He hasn’t taken our sins into account, but He has placed in us the Word of reconciliation. 20 Now we’re ambassadors for the Messiah, and it is as if Yehovah was calling you aside thru us. So on behalf of the Messiah, we long for you to be reconciled to Yehovah. 21 He has made the One who knew no sin to become sin for you, so that we could become the righteousness of Yehovah thru Him.

2 Corinthians 6: As we work with you, we encourage you, so that the compassion of Yehovah that you have taken in hand won’t become empty handed. 2 He has said, “In an acceptable time [1] I have heard you, and in a day of Life I have helped you.” Now is an acceptable time! Now is a day of Life!

3 Don’t set out any obstacles for anyone in any way, so there won’t be any fault finding with our service. 4 In every way we would present ourselves to be the servants of Yehovah, in patient enduring, in afflictions, in calamities, in distresses, 5 in scourgings, in imprisonment, in chaos, in troublesome work, in sleeplessness, and in hunger, 6 by purity, by knowledge, by perseverance, by integrity, by the special spirit, by sincere love, 7 by speaking the truth, by the power of Yehovah, by the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 amid honor and dishonor, amid praise and defamation, as deceivers, yet true, 9 as unknown, yet we’re well known, as dieing, but look, we’re alive, as scourged but not killed, 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as destitute, yet enriching many, as possessing nothing, yet having everything.

Don’t Be Unequally Yoked

11 O you Corinthians, we have spoken openly to you and we embrace you in love. 12 We aren’t withholding our love from you, but you’re withholding your love from us [2]. 13 I speak as if you were my children, asking in return that you open up your love towards me.

14 Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers. What does righteousness have in common with Torah breaking [Gr. anomos]. What association does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does the Messiah have with Satan? What commonality does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement does the Temple of Yehovah have with demons? You are the Temple of the living Aloha, as it is said, “I’ll live with them and walk with them and be their Aloha, and they’ll be My people.” 17 Come out from among them and separate yourselves, says Yehovah, and don’t cling to anyone unclean, and I’ll welcome you 18 and be your Father, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Almighty Master.

2 Corinthians 7: Beloved, seeing that we have these promises, let’s cleanse ourselves from every defilement of our bodies and spirits, and let’s perfect our purity in the fear of Yehovah.

2 Friends, be patient with us. We haven’t treated anyone unjustly, we haven’t corrupted anyone, we haven’t taken advantage of anyone. 3 I don’t say this to condemn you because, as I said before, we treasure you. We’ll die together and live together. 4 I speak very boldly regarding you and have great pride in you, and I’m filled with encouragement. Great joy abounds in me in all of our persecutions.

Outward Warfare, Inward Terror

5 Since we came to Macedonia there has been no rest for our bodies. We suffered in many ways. Outwardly there was warfare, inwardly there was terror. 6 But Yehovah, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the arrival of Titus, 7 not merely by his arrival but also by the encouragement that he received from you. Because he told us of your love toward us [Gr. “me”] and your grief and your zeal on our behalf. When I heard about it I was overjoyed!

8 Altho I saddened you with my letter, I no longer regret it, tho I did regret it, because I see that that letter, tho it briefly saddened you, 9 brought me joy, not because you were sorry, but because your sorrow resulted in a changed mind, because your sorrow was a pure sorrow and you sustained no harm from us in any way. 10 Sorrow regarding Yehovah leads to a changed mind, and that leads to eternal Life, with no regrets, but sorrow over worldly things results in death. 11 Look at the very thing that you were distressed about for the sake of Yehovah, the diligence it produced in you, the reasoned arguments, the righteous indignation, the reverence, the love, the zeal, the earnest desire! And in every way you have shown that you are now pure in that matter. 12 Even tho I wrote to you, it wasn’t for the sake of the one who acted unjustly, or for the sake of the one who was treated unjustly, but that you would understand our earnestness toward you before Yehovah.

13 So we were comforted, and with our encouragement we were even more joyful, because of Titus’ joy, because you refreshed his spirit. 14 I have expressed praises about you, and I haven’t been embarrassed by anything. And since everything we told you was true, the praises we expressed to Titus also proved to be true. 15 His affection for you has increased when he considers the submission you showed for his council, and how you welcomed him with hospitality, reverence and anxiety. 16 So I rejoice that I have full confidence in you in everything.

2 Corinthians 8: Friends, we want you to know about the compassion that Yehovah gave to the assemblies in Macedonia. 2 During great trial and persecution there was an abundance of joy, and the depth of their poverty was only exceeded by the richness of their generosity. 3 I can attest that according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, they willingly volunteered, 4 they persuasively urged us to share in the bounty and contributions of the 'special ones' [saints. 5 Not only as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Master and then to us by the will of Yehovah. 6 So we urged Titus to finish the compassionate work that he had begun with you in the same way. 7 As you abound in everything, in faith, in doctrine, in knowledge, in perseverance, and in our love towards you, you should also abound in compassion.

8 I’m not demanding this of you, but by the prompting of others, I want to prove the sincerity of your love. 9 You know the compassion of our Master Yeshua Messiah, that tho He was rich, yet for your sakes He became destitute, so that by His being destitute you could become rich.

10 I urgently advise you that it would be mutually beneficial for you to help, since you intended to a year ago—not just intended to, but were already doing. 11 So do what you intended to do, so that what you eagerly wanted to do will be accomplished, to the best of your ability. 12 If there is a willingness, a person is acceptable according to what he has, and not according to what he doesn’t have.

13 I definitely don’t mean for others to be relieved while you have hardship, 14 but so there will be equality at this time, your abundance will supply their needs and their abundance will supply your needs, bringing about equality. 15 As the Scriptures say, “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little didn’t do without.”

16 Thankfully, Yehovah put into Titus’ mind this same diligence for you. 17 He accepted our admonition, and because he was very anxious, he willingly set out to visit you. 18 With him we sent our Friend whose commendation regarding the Good News ‘has spread thru’ all the assemblies. 19 Not only that, but he had also been expressly elected by the assemblies to accompany me with the same compassion that we serve—to the magnificence of Yehovah and the declaration of your zeal. 20 We are careful to see that no one will find fault with us in regard to the bountiful collection that we’re distributing. 21 We give forethought to maintaining an honorable reputation, not only in the presence of Yehovah, but also in public.

22 We also sent with them our Friend who has consistently proved to be diligent in many things, and is now particularly diligent because of the great confidence he has in you. 23 So if Titus is inquired about, he is my associate and assistant on your behalf. Concerning our other Friends, they are envoys of the assemblies to the Messiah’s splendor. 24 So show them in the presence of all the assemblies a demonstration of your love, and of our pride in you.

2 Corinthians 9: Concerning our serving the 'special ones', it is unnecessary for me to write to you, 2 because I know the willingness of your minds, and I spoke well of you to the Macedonians, and Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal has stirred many. 3 Yet I sent the Friends to prevent the praises that we spoke about you, in regard to this matter, from proving useless, and also so that you, as I said, would be prepared. 4 Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you) would be embarrassed for our having done so much bragging about you. 5 So I thought it necessary to encourage these Friends to come to you ahead of me, so that they could prepare the blessing that you were advised about long before to have ready, as truly being a matter of blessing, and not a matter of greediness.

6 Remember this: anyone who sows sparingly will also harvest sparingly, and anyone who sows generously will also harvest generously. 7 Everyone should contribute what they themselves choose, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because Yehovah loves a cheerful giver. 8 Yehovah is capable of causing His compassion to overflow toward you, so that you’ll always have enough for every situation, and it will overflow into all of your good works. 9 As the Scriptures say, “He has scattered everywhere and given to the poor, and His righteousness will continue forever.”

10 Now the One who supplies seed to the sower and bread for your food, will greatly proliferate the seed you sow, and cause the fruit of your righteousness to grow, 11 so that you’ll be enriched by everyone who is not self seeking, resulting in our thankfulness to Yehovah.

12 When we supply others at our own expense, this not only supplements the needs of the 'cherished ones' but it completes our thanksgiving to Yehovah. 13 While our character is tried by our distribution of charity, they praise Yehovah because you “practice what you preach” concerning the Good News of the Messiah, because you generously share with them and with everyone else, 14 and because they pray for you with much love, due to the transcending compassion of Yehovah in you. 15 Thank Yehovah for His indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 10: Now I, Paul, plead with you with the gentleness and kindness of the Messiah—I who keep a low profile in person and seem quite bold towards you when absent. 2 Nevertheless I beg you to understand that when I come, I won’t appear cheerful. I’m confident that I won’t keep a low profile with the people who think that we live our lives like sensuous mortals. 3 Even tho we exist in mortal form, our warfare isn’t against mortal beings. 4 Our armaments for warfare aren’t those of mortals, but those of the power of Yehovah, so that we can destroy fortified strongholds. 5 We refute imaginary suppositions, the towering structures that would rise up [1] against the knowledge of Yehovah, and captivate our every thought into obedience to the Messiah. 6 We are prepared to execute judgment on anyone who disobeys, once you have become obedient.

7 Are your perceptions superficial? When someone is persuaded that they belong to the Messiah, they should realize that they belong to the Messiah, just like we do. 8 Even if I were to boast somewhat more about the judicial authority that our Master has given to us, I shouldn’t be ashamed, because He gave it to us to build you up, not to tear you down. 9 Yet I hesitate, because I don’t want to frighten you away by my letters, 10 because some of you say, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but when he appears in person [Gr. parousia] he is weak and his articulation is dreadful.” 11 Those who say these things should consider this—that what we say in our letters when absent is what we do when present.

12 We wouldn’t dare consider ourselves to be an elite class, or side with the decisions [see root words] of those who band together. They set their own standards. And because they are “group thinkers” [2], their unanimous opinions count for nothing. 13 We won’t pretentiously boast about things that we can’t prove. Instead, we’ll limit our comments to what Yehovah has given to us—to a standard that should even reach as far away as you. 14 It isn’t as tho we were overstepping our limits when we came to you, because we reached all the way to you in Corinth with the Good News of the Messiah. 15 We aren’t bragging beyond proper limits about the work done by others, but we do hope that as your faith grows, you’ll come to appreciate that we’re within the limits of our sphere of influence, 16 and we will be encouraged, as we spread the Good News in the regions far beyond you, without bragging about things already accomplished by someone else. 17 The person who is exuberant should be exuberant in Yehovah. 18 It isn’t the person who highly recommends himself, but the person who the Master highly recommends.

2 Corinthians 11: I want you to be patient with me a little so that I can talk simplistically, but nevertheless, bear with me. 2 You see, I have a burning zeal for you—a pure zeal. I have promised you in marriage to a Husband as a chaste virgin. I want to give you away to the Messiah myself [1], 3 because I’m afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve with his chicanery, in a similar way your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity of the Messiah. 4 Because if someone had come to you heralding another Yeshua—who we hadn’t heralded, or you had received a different spirit than the one you received, or a different Good News than the one you have accepted, you would have been very persuaded!

5 I don’t believe that I’m inferior to the envoys who are considered the greatest. 6 Yet tho I’m a poor speaker, I’m not an unknowledgeable one. We make this quite evident to you in every way. 7 Did I actually commit an offense by humbling myself so that you could be elevated because of my proclaiming the Good News of Yehovah to you freely? 8 I robbed other assemblies by taking wages from them to serve you. 9 When I came to you and was needy, I wasn’t a burden to any of you, because the Friends who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. In every way I refrained from being a burden to you, and I’ll continue to do so. 10 As long as I have the truth of the Messiah, my exuberant profession will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I don’t love you? Yehovah knows.

12 I’ll continue to do what I do so that I can thwart the tactics of those who are plotting an opportunity to be considered our equals in the things that they boast about.

13 They are false envoys, dishonest hirelings impersonating envoys of the Messiah. 14 It’s no wonder, because if Satan impersonates a Messenger of light, 15 it is no great surprise if his “deacons” impersonate servants of righteousness, whose end state is a consequence of their works.

You Put Up With Fools

16 Again I say, no one should think of me as a fool. But at the very least accept me as a fool so that I can rejoice a little. 17 What I’m saying now, I don’t say as being from our Master, but as in folly in this matter of rejoicing. 18 Because many revere physical matters, so I’ll also “revere” them: 19 You gladly put up with fools, considering them to be wise! 20 You tolerate someone who would enslave you, someone who would devour you, someone who would kidnap you, someone who lords it over you, and someone who slaps your face. 21 I’m talking about a disgraceful mindset. I’m talking as if we were feeble minded. So speaking rashly, whatever others speak boldly about, I’ll also speak boldly about.

22 If they are Hebrews, so am I, or if they are Israelites, so am I. If they are the descendants of Abraham, so am I. 23 If they are servants of the Messiah, (again speaking rashly) I’m superior to them. I have worked harder than they have, been wounded more, been in prison many more times, and faced death many times. 24 I was scourged by the Jews five times, each time with forty stripes, minus one. 25 I was beaten with rods three times. Once I was stoned. I was shipwrecked three times. I spent a day and a night in the sea with no ship in sight. 26 Frequently traveling, endangered by rivers, endangered by robbers, endangered by my countrymen, endangered by heathen. I have been endangered in cities, I have been endangered in the desert, endangered in the sea, endangered by false brothers, 27 in intensely troublesome work, in sleeplessness, in hunger and thirst, frequently fasting, cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I have my daily concerns for all the assemblies. 29 Who is weak without me being weak? Who is offended without me being burned?

30 If I must boast, I’ll boast about my infirmities. 31 May Yehovah, the Father of our Master Yeshua Messiah be blessed forever and ever. He knows that I’m not lying. 32 In Damascus, the commander of the army of Aretas the king patrolled the city of the Damascenes trying to catch me. 33 They let me down the wall from a window in a basket and I escaped from his hands.

2 Corinthians 12: It is no doubt unprofitable for me to exult myself, so I continue with the visions and revelations of our Master. 2 I knew a man ‘who belonged to’ the Messiah fourteen years ago—whether bodily or whether out of his body, I don’t know—Yehovah knows. He was snatched to the third region of Heaven. 3 I know that this man—whether in his body or out of his body I don’t know, Yehovah knows— 4 was snatched to Paradise and heard words too pure for anyone to repeat. 5 I’ll exalt Him but I won’t exalt myself, except about my infirmities. 6 If I wanted to tell stories, they wouldn’t be without reasons, because I tell the truth. But I’ll refrain out of concern that some might think of me above and beyond what they actually see and hear from me.

7 To insure that I wouldn’t exalt myself, because of the superiority of the revelations, I was given a thorn in my flesh, an angel from Satan, to repeatedly strike me so that I wouldn’t become arrogant. 8 I asked my Master three times to make my problem disappear. 9 He told to me, “My compassion is sufficient for you, because My power is perfected in weakness.” So I’ll gladly ‘emphasize’ Him with my weakened body, so that the power of the Messiah can reside in me. 10 So I prefer to be weakened and impaired and distressed and persecuted, even in dire calamity for the Messiah’s sake, because when I’m weak, then I’m strong. 11

Look, I appear to the public as foolish in my worship because you compelled me. You should have been commending me, because I was in no way inferior to the envoys who excel the most, altho I’m no one. 12 The miracles of the envoys were done among you with all perseverance, miraculous wonders and powerful works. 13 In what respect were you inferior to the rest of the assemblies, except that I didn’t bother you for help? Pardon me for this wrong [1].

14 Now I’m ready to visit you for a third time, and I won’t be a burden to you because I don’t want your things, ‘I want’ you! Children shouldn’t have to provide for their parents, but parents should provide for their children. 15 I’ll cheerfully spend both my money and myself for you. Do you love me less because I love you so much? 16 Tho I didn’t bother you for help, perhaps by being cunning I snared you by deceit? 17 Or perhaps it was by someone I sent to you that I took advantage of you? 18 I asked for Titus, and with him I sent some other Friends. Did Titus take anything from you? Didn’t we conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Didn’t we follow the same path?

19 Again, do you think that we should give a full accounting to you? Everything that we say is before Yehovah, and by the Messiah. Beloved, everything that we do is for the sake of building you up. 20 I’m very afraid that when I arrive I won’t find you in a desirable condition, and I’m afraid that you won’t find me to your liking. I’m afraid that there will be strife, contention, anger, self-promoting partisans seeking control, defamation, secret slandering, arrogance, and instability. 21 Perhaps when I come to you, my Aloha will humble me and I’ll have to lament over the many who have sinned and haven’t repented of their profligate living, their sexual perversions, and the immortality that they have practiced.

2 Corinthians 13: This is the third time that I have prepared to come to you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word will be established. 2 I’ve told you before, and I’m telling you again (as well as twice in person), that even tho I’m absent, I’m writing to those who have sinned, as well as the others, that if I come again I won’t hold back. 3 Since you demand proof that the Messiah speaks thru me, someone who hasn’t been weak with you, but powerful among you. 4 Tho He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the dynamic power [Gr. dunamis] of Yehovah. We are also weak with Him, yet we will live with Him by the power of Yehovah that is among you.

Are You Counterfeits?

5 Decide for yourselves whether you are in the faith. Prove your own authenticity [Gr. dokimazo]. Don’t you recognize by yourselves that Yeshua Messiah is in you? And if He’s not, you are the counterfeits [Gr. adokimos]! 6 But I trust that you’ll discern that we’re not counterfeits. 7 I pray to Yehovah that there won’t be any evil in you, not so that we’ll be proven to be genuine, but so that you’ll be doing good things, even if we were proven to be counterfeits! 8 We can do nothing against the truth, we are for the truth. 9 We are glad when we’re weak and you’re strong. We also pray that you’ll strive for perfection. 10 I’m writing these things while away, because if I were present I might seem too abrasive. I want to use the authority that my Master has given me to strengthen you, not tear you down.

11 Finally Friends, goodbye. Be perfected and encouraged. May harmony and peace be with you, and the Aloha of love and of peace will be with you. 12 Greet each other with a kiss ‘of Friendship’. 13 All the faithful welcome you. 14 May the peace of our Master Yeshua Messiah, and the love of Yehovah, and the contributing help of the 'special' spirit be with you all. Aw-main.

 

The Testimony of Yeshua was tweaked January 6, 2012