Qorintyah Bet–Second Corinthians
To The Believing Remnant Of Yisrael
1 Shaul, a sholiach of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 Ha Moshiach by the will of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and Timtheous our brother, to the Yisraelite congregation of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 which is at Qorintyah, with all the Yisraelite kidushim that are in all Achayah:
2 Unmerited favor be to you and shalom from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 our Abba and from the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 Ha Moshiach.
3 Blessed be 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, even The Abba of our Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 Ha Moshiach, The Abba of all rachamim and the Eloha of all comfort;
4 Who comforts us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by Eloha.
5 For as the sufferings of Moshiach abound in us, so our comforts also abound by Moshiach.
6 And whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, being worked out in enduring the same sufferings, which we also suffer: or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort and salvation.
7 And our tikvah for you is steadfast, knowing, that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the comforts.
8 For we would not, Yisraelite brothers, have you ignorant of our trouble that came to us in Asia Minor, that we were weighed down, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of our chayim:
9 But we were even ready to die, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 who raises the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death and does deliver: in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us;
11 You also helping together by making tefillah for us that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, hodu may be given to many on our behalf.
12 For our gilah is this, the testimony of our conscience, in simplicity, sincerity and cleanliness, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the unmerited favor of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, we have had our behavior in the olam hazeh and even more so to you.
13 For we write no other things to you, than what you read, or acknowledge; and I trust you shall acknowledge even to the end;
14 As also you have understood us in part, that we are also your gilah, even as you also are our gilah in the Yom of the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏.
15 And in this confidence I desired and intended to come to you before, that you might have a double benefit;
16 And to pass by you into Makedonia and to come again out of Makedonia to you and by you to be brought on my way toward the province of Yahudah.
17 When I was therefore considering this, did I do so lightly? Or, the things that I plan, do I plan according to the flesh; that with me there should be the confusion of yes, yes and no, no?18 But as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is emet, our word toward you was not even yes and no. 19 For The Son of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 Ha Moshiach, who was proclaimed among you by us, even by me and Sila and Timtheous, was not yes and no, but in Him was yes.
20 For all the promises of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in Him are yes and in Him ahmein, to the tifereth of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 through us.
21 Now He who establishes us with you as echad in Moshiach and has anointed us all, is 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄;
22 Who has also sealed us and given the pledge of the Ruach in our levavot.
23 Moreover I call 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 for a record upon my being, that to spare you I decided not to come yet to Qorintyah.
2 Not that we have rule over your emunah, but are helpers of your simcha: for by emunah you stand.
2 But I determined this within myself that I would not come again to you in sadness.
2 For if I make you sorrowful, who is he then that makes me have simcha, but the same ones who are made sorrowful by me?
3 And I wrote this same to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from the ones I ought to gilah with; having confidence in you all, that my simcha is your simcha as well.
4 For out of much affliction and anguish of lev I wrote to you with many tears; not that you should be made sad, but that you might know the abundant ahava which I have for you.
5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not made me sad only, but to a certain degree all of you: therefore the news will not be a shock to you.
6 The rebuke of many persons is sufficient for such a man.
7 So that from now on you should forgive him and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with excessive sorrow.
8 Therefore I appeal to you that you would confirm your ahava toward him.
9 For that is why I wrote to you, that I might know by your words to me, whether you are obedient in all things.
10 To whom you forgive anything, I forgive also: for anything I have forgiven, to whomever I forgave it, it is for your sakes that I forgave it in the presence of The Moshiach;
11 Lest s.a.tan should get an advantage over us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to proclaim The Besorah of Moshiach and a door was opened to me by 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄,
13 I had no rest in my ruach, because I did not find Teitus my Yisraelite brother: therefore I left them and I went from there into Makedonia.
14Now thanks be to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, who always causes us to triumph in The Moshiach and makes manifest the fragrance of His chochmah through us in every place.
15 For we are to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 a sweet fragrance of Moshiach, in them that are being saved and in them that are perishing:
16 To the one we are the fragrance of death to death; and to the other the fragrance of chayim to chayim. And who is worthy for these things?
17 For we are not as many, who corrupt The Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄: but as men of sincerity, according to the emet, in the sight of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, we speak through Moshiach.
3 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or, do we need, as some others, letters of recommendation to you, or letters of recommendation from you?
2 You are our letter written on our levavot, known and read by all men:
3 For you are known to be the letter of The Moshiach served by us, written not with ink, but with the Ruach of the living Eloha; not in tablets of stone, but on fleshy tablets of the living lev.
4 And this is the trust we have through Moshiach towards 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄:
5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to think anything of ourselves; but our sufficiency is from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄;
6 Who also has made us worthy avadim of the Brit Chadasha; not of the letter, but of the Ruach: for the letter kills, but the Ruach gives chayim.
7 But if the administration of death, written and engraved in stones, was full of so much tifereth, that b’nai Yisrael could not behold the face of Moshe for the tifereth of his countenance; which tifereth was not lasting:
8 Why then should not the administration of the Ruach be with even more tifereth?
9 For if the administration of condemnation was with tifereth, much more does the administration of tzedakah exceed in tifereth.
10 For even that which was made in tifereth had no tifereth in this respect, by reason of the tifereth that exceeds it.
11 For if that which was not lasting was with tifereth, how much more that which remains is full of tifereth.
12 Seeing then that we have such tikvah, we speak and conduct ourselves bravely:
13 And not as Moshe, who put a veil over his face that b’nai Yisrael should not look on the tifereth that was not lasting:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this yom there remains the same veil not taken away in the reading of the Tanach; which veil is removed by Moshiach.
15 But even to this yom, when Torah is read, the veil is upon their lev.
16 Nevertheless, whenever a man makes teshuvah to the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, the veil shall be taken away by the Ruach Hakodesh.
17 Now the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is that same Ruach: and where the Ruach of the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is, there is freedom.
18 But we all, with an open face seeing ourselves in a mirror see the tifereth of the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and are changed into the same likeness from tifereth to tifereth, even by the Ruach of the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
4 Therefore we are not weary of this service, just as we are not weary of the rachamim we have received and so we don’t lose lev;
2 But have renounced the hidden things of shame, not practicing cunning, nor handling The Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the emet commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of Eloha.
3 But if our Besorah is hid, it is hid to them that are lost and perishing:
4 In whom the sar-ruler of this olam has blinded the minds of those who believe not, lest The Light of the tifereth filled Besorah of Moshiach, who is the image and likeness of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, should shine on them.
5 For we proclaim not ourselves, but The Moshiach 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 the Master; and ourselves your avadim for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏’s sake.
6 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, who commanded The Light to shine out of darkness, has shone in our levavot, to give The Light of the chochmah of the tifereth of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in the face of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 Ha Moshiach.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and not from us.
8 We are distressed on every side, yet not overwhelmed; we are perplexed, but not conquered;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in our bodies the death of the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏, so that the chayim also of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 might be made manifest in our bodies.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏’s sake, that the chayim also of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 mightbe made manifest in our mortal bodies.
12 So then death is close to us, but chayim is in you.
13 We all have the same Ruach of emunah, as it is written, I believed and therefore have I spoken; we also believe and therefore we also speak;
14 Knowing that He who raised up the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 shall raise us up also by 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 and shall present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes that the abundant unmerited favor might through the hodu of many overflow to the tifereth of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
16 For this reason we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed yom by yom.
17 For our light and tiny afflictions, which is just for a moment, prepares for us a far greater and limitless tifereth, le-olam-va-ed;
18 We look not and gilah not at the things, that are seen, but at the things that are not seen: for the things that are seen are temporal; but the things that are not seen are le-olam-va-ed.
5 For we know that if our earthly bayit of this tent were destroyed, we still have a building of Eloha, a bayit not made with hands, eternal in the shamayim.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our bayit, which is from the shamayim:
3 So that then, unlike now, we will not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tent do groan, because of its weight: not because we are willing to leave it, but rather to add to it and put on the other body, so that mortality might be swallowed by chayim.
5 Now He that has prepared us for the same purpose is Eloha, who also has given to us the pledge of His Ruach.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄:
7 For we have our halacha by emunah, not by sight:
8 This is why we are confident, I say, willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
9 Therefore we labor, that, whether present, or absent from home, we may be pleasing to Him.
10 For we must all appear before the bema seat of Moshiach; that every one may receive the things done with his body, according to what he has done, whether it be tov, or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the fear of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, we persuade and win men; so that we are understood by 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄; and I trust also by you in your consciences.
12 For we commend not ourselves again to you, but we give you an occasion to boast about us, that you may have something to answer them who take pride in appearance and not in lev.
13 For if we are wrong, we answer to Eloha: or if we are tzadikim, it is for your sake.
14 For the ahava of Moshiach compels us; because we have judged this to be emet, that if One died for all, then all were dead:
15 And that He died for all, that those who live should not from now on live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
16 And from now on we know no man after the body: yes, though we have known Moshiach after the body, yet now we don’t know Him any longer in this way.
17 Therefore if any man is in Moshiach, he is a renewed creation: old things have passed away; behold, all things have become renewed.
18 And all things are of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, who has restored us to Himself by 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 Ha Moshiach and has given to us the service of restoration and renewal;
19 Definitely then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 was in Moshiach, restoring the olam to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them; and has committed to us The Word of restoration.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for The Moshiach, as though Eloha is asking you through us: we beg you on Moshiach’s behalf, be restored to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
21 For He has made Him to be the sin sacrifice for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the tzedakah of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in Him.
6 We then, as workers together with Him, appeal to you also that you receive not the unmerited favor of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in vain.
2 For He said, I have heard you in an accepted time and in the yom of salvation have I helped you: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the yom of salvation.
3 Giving no offence in anything that the service of restoration is not blamed:
4But in all things showing ourselves to be the avadim of Eloha, in much patience, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
5 In scourgings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in vigils, in fastings;
6 In clean Torah living, in da’at, in longsuffering, in chesed, in the Ruach Hakodesh, in sincere ahava,
7 In The Word of emet, in the power of Eloha, in the armor of tzedakah on the right hand and on the left,
8 In honor and dishonor, in evil report and tov report: as deceivers and yet being emet;
9 In unknown and yet well known; in dying and, behold, we live; in chastening and yet not killed;
10 As sad, yet always in gilah; in poverty, yet making many rich; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.
11 Oy Qorintyahim, we have told you everything, our lev is exposed.
12 You are not constrained by us, but you are restrained by your own levavot.
13 Now repay me the same way; I speak to my children; also become increased in your ahava for me.
14 Do not unite together in marriage with unbelievers: for what fellowship has tzedakah with Torah-less-ness? And what mingling has Light with darkness?
15 And what accord, or brit has Moshiach with s.a.tan? Or, what portion has he that believes with an unbeliever?
16 And what union has the Beit HaMikdash of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 with idols? For you are the Beit HaMikdash of the living Eloha; as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their Eloha and they shall be My Ami-people.
17 Therefore come out from among them and be kadosh, says the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and touch not the unclean things; and I will receive you,
18 And will be an Abba to you and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 the Almighty.
7 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and ruach, perfecting our set-apartness in the fear of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
3 I speak this not to condemn you: for I have said before, that you are in our levavot to die and live with you.
4 Great is my boldness of speech towards you, great is my boasting about you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceedingly in simcha in all our tribulation.
5 For, when we were come into Makedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; around us fighting and disputes, within were fears and pressure.
6 Nevertheless Eloha, that comforts those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Teitus;
7 And not by his coming only, but by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, when he told us of your longing desire, your mourning, your zeal towards me; so that I had even more simcha.
8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it before: for I perceive that the same letter has made you sad, though it was only for a little while.
9 Now I have gilah, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed leading you to full teshuvah: for you were made sorry according to the things of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, that you might not be damaged by us in any way.
10 For sorrow according to the things of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 leads to teshuvah and to salvation that never needs to be repented of: but the sorrow of the olam hazeh works death.
11 For look; the very thing that was distressing you, that you sorrowed over according to the things of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, that has resulted from your great effort, yes in your apology, yes in your anger over your sin, yes in your fear of Eloha, yes in your ahava, desire, zeal and righting of all wrongs! In all things you have proven yourselves to be clear in this matter.
12 So, although I wrote to you, I did not write for the cause of him who had done the wrong, nor for the cause of the one that suffered the wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of Eloha might appear to be evident to you.
13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yes and exceedingly with even more simcha because of the simcha of Teitus, because his ruach was refreshed by all of you.
14 For if I boasted anything to him about you, I am not ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you in emet, even so our boasting, which I made before Teitus, was truthful.
15 And his deep ahava is more abundant toward you, while he remembers your obedience, how with respect and awe you received him.
16 I gilah therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
8 Moreover, Yisraelite brothers, we want you to know the unmerited favor of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 bestowed on the Yisraelite congregations of Makedonia;
2 How that even in great trial of affliction, the plenty of their simcha despite their deep poverty overflowed into their rich liberality.
3 For to their credit and power, yes I bear witness, that even beyond their ability they were willing to give of themselves;
4Begging us with much urgency that we would receive the gift, so they could take part in the service of this mitzvah to the Yisraelite kidushim.
5 And this they did, not only as we expected, but first they gave themselves to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and then to us by the will of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
6 So that we desired Teitus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish with you the same unmerited favor as well.
7 Therefore, as you excel in all things, in emunah and clean speech and in Torah da’at and in all diligence and in your ahava for us, see that you excel in the unmerited favor of giving also.
8 I speak not by Torah commandment, but about the sincerity of others, to prove the sincerity of your ahava.
9 For you know the unmerited favor of our Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 Ha Moshiach, that, though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that through His poverty you might be made spiritually rich.
10 And with this background I give my advice: for this is for your advantage, who have begun before in your own desire about a year ago, to now do.
11 Now therefore perform the actual mitzvah; that as there was a readiness to perform the mitzvah, so there may be a performance of it also from that which you have.
12 For if there is a willing mind, then every man can give according to what a man has and not according to what he has not and then his gift is acceptable.
13 This advice is not intended to relieve other men, for you to be burdened:
14 But that there may be equality, that now at this time your plenty may be a supply for their needs, so that their plenty also may be a supply for your needs: that there may be equality:
15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing extra; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
16 But hodu be to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, who put the same care for you into the lev of Teitus.
17 For indeed he accepted our appeal; but being more eager to receive it, on his own accord he went to see you.
18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose tehilla is in The Besorah throughout all the Yisraelite congregations;
19 And not only that, but he was also chosen by the Yisraelite congregations to travel with us with this financial relief, which is administered by us to the tifereth of the same Master and to also encourage you to do likewise:
20 We are therefore careful in the collection and distribution, that no man should blame us in this plenty that is administered by us:
21 For we are careful to do the honest things, not only in the sight of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, but also in the sight of men.
22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great trust which he has in you.
23 If anyone asks about Teitus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you: or if anyone asks about our Yisraelite brothers, they are the shlichim of the Yisraelite congregations and the very tifereth of Moshiach.
24 Therefore show them and all the Yisraelite congregations, the proof of your ahava and of our boasting on your behalf, by the performance of your intentions.
9 For as touching the service to the Yisraelite kidushim, it is not necessary for me to write to you:
2 For I know the eagerness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Makedonia, that Achayah was ready to give a year ago; and your zeal has provoked very many.
3 Yet have I sent the Yisraelite brothers to you, lest our boasting of you should be worthless in this matter; that, as I said, you should be ready:
4 Perhaps if some from Makedonia come with me and find you unprepared (we speak, not you) you would then be ashamed about our confident boasting.
5 Therefore I thought it necessary to ask the Yisraelite brothers, that they would go before me to you and make up beforehand your gift, about which you gave notice before, that the gift might be ready, as a bracha for you and not as an act of extortion.
6 But this I say, He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposed in his lev, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for Eloha loves a cheerful giver.
8 And Eloha is able to make all unmerited favor abound towards you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every tov mitzvah:
9 As it is written, He has dispersed liberally; He has given to the poor: His tzedakah remains le-olam-va-ed.
10 Now He that gives zera to the sower including lechem for food, shall supply and multiply your zera sown and increase the fruits of your tzedakah;
11 Being enriched in every way in all liberality, which causes us to give and perfect our hodu to Eloha.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the Yisraelite kidushim, but it causes an overflowing of hodu by many Yisraelites to Eloha;
13 Through the actual evidence of this service they give tifereth to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 for your confession and subjection to The Besorah of Moshiach and for your liberal distribution to them and to all men;
14 And by their tefillot for you, who long after you for the great unmerited favor of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in you.
15 Hodu also be to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 for His incomparable gift.
10 Now I Shaul myself appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Moshiach, who in presence am lowly when among you, but being absent still have confidence towards you:
2 But I appeal to you, not to be troubled when I arrive, since I think I will have to be bold and brave against some, who think that we walk according to the flesh.
3 For though we are walking in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh:
4For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through our Eloha to the pulling down of strongholds;
5 Casting down imaginations and every high human matter that exalts itself against the da’at of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, taking captive every thought to be obedient to Moshiach;
6 And we are ready to revenge all disobedience among some, when your obedience is complete.
7 Do you look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trusts that he belongs to Moshiach, let him rethink and understand, that, as he belongs to Moshiach, even so we belong to Moshiach.
8 For even if I should boast more of our authority, that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has given us, not for your destruction but for your edification, I should not be ashamed:
9 I am hesitant so that I may not terrify you by my letter.
10 For his letters, they say, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak and his speech is weak.
11 Let the ones who think this understand, that, such as we are in word by letter when we are absent, so will we be also in action when we are present.
12 For we dare not count, or compare ourselves with those who are proud of, or who commend, themselves, for they measure themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
13 But we will not boast of things outside our limits, but according to the limits of the authority that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has distributed to us, the limit needed to reach out even to you.
14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our limits of authority, as if we did not ever reach you: for we have come all the way to you also by proclaiming The Besorah of Moshiach:
15 Not boasting of things beyond our limited measure, that is, of other men’s labors; but having tikvah, that as your emunah is increased, we also shall be increased by you, according to our limits among you,
16 And so we shall proclaim The Besorah in the regions beyond you, so as not to boast in another man’s limited authority, or what others have accomplished.
17 But he that boasts, let him boast about 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
18 For not he that praises himself is approved, but whom the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 praises.
11 I would that you could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed you are bearing with me.
2 For I am zealous over you with the zeal of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄: for I have given you in marriage to one Husband, that I may present you as an innocent virgin to Moshiach.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Chavah through his tricks, so your minds should also be corrupted away from the simplicity that is in Moshiach.
4 For when someone comes and proclaims another 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏, whom we have not proclaimed, or if you receive another ruach, which you have not before received, or another Besorah, which you have not before accepted, sometimes you still put up with it!
5 For I suppose I am not inferior to the most distinguished shlichim.
6 But though I may be unskilled in speech, yet not in da’at; for we have been fully transparent and open among you in all things.
7 Have I committed an offence in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I have proclaimed to you The Besorah of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 without pay?
8 I took from other Yisraelite congregations, taking some assistance from them, to do you tov service.
9 And when I was present with you and was in lack, I was a burden to no man: for that which was lacking for me the Yisraelite brothers who came from Makedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you and so will I continue to keep myself.
10 As the emet of Moshiach is in me, no man shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achayah.
11 Why? Because I don’t love you? 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 knows I do.
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off any opportunity from those who desire opportunity; that in whatever they boast, they may not be found equal to us.
13 For such are false shlichim, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the shlichim of The Moshiach.
14 And no marvel; for s.a.tan himself is transformed into a malach of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if s.a.tan’s avadim also become transformed into the avadim of tzedakah; whose end shall be according to their deeds.
16 I say again, Let no man think me to be a fool; if otherwise, yet still as a fool then receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
17 That which I speak here, I speak it not according to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will boast also.
19 For you listen to and put up with fools, despite you yourselves being wise.
20 For you allow them to dominate you, even if a man brings you into bondage, or if a man devours you, or if a man takes from you, or if a man exalts himself, or if a man hits you in the face.
21 I speak this as concerning reproach, as though we have been weak. But in things that others are bold – I speak foolishly – I am bold also.
22 Are they Ivrim? So am I. Are they Yisraelites? So am I. Are they the zera of Avraham? So am I!
23 Are they avadim of Moshiach? – I speak as a fool – I am even more than them; in labors more abundant, in beatings above my limit, in prison more frequently, in near-death experiences more often.
24 From the unbelieving Yahudim five times I received thirty-nine stripes.
25 Three times was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a lyla and a yom I have been in the deep;
26 In many journeys, often, in perils of mayim, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false so called brothers;
27 In toils and hardships, in making tefillot often, in hunger and thirst, in much fasting, in cold and in nakedness.
28 Besides those things that are outside attacks and pressures, that which comes upon me daily, the care and well being of all the Yisraelite congregations.
29 Who is sick, that I do not feel their pain? Who stumbles in their halacha and does not have my inward sympathy?
30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my own sufferings and weaknesses.
31 The Eloha and Abba of our Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 Ha Moshiach, who is blessed le-olam-va-ed, knows that I do not lie.
32 In Dameshek the governor under Aretas the melech guarded the city of Dameshek with a guard, who desired to apprehend me:
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall and escaped from his hands.
12 To boast is indeed useless for me. I prefer to relate visions and revelations of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
2 I knew a man in Moshiach about fourteen years ago – whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 knows – such a one was caught up to the third shamayim.
3 And I knew such a man – whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 knows;
4 How he was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
5 In such a one will I boast: yet about myself I will not boast anymore, except in my weaknesses.
6 For though I would desire to boast more, I shall not be a fool; for I speak the emet: but now I will stop, lest any man should think of me above that which he sees me to be, or that he hears me to be.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations I have received, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a malach of s.a.tan to buffet me, lest I should exalt myself.
8 For this thing I sought 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 three times, that it might depart from me.
9 And He said to me, My unmerited favor is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in your weakness. With great gilah therefore will I rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Moshiach may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in my weaknesses, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Moshiach’s sake: for when I am physically weak, then am I spiritually strong.
11 I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me: for I should have been commended by you: for in nothing am I behind the most distinguished of the shlichim, though I be nothing.
12 Truly the signs of a sholiach were done among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty mitzvoth.
13 For in what manner were you inferior to other Yisraelite congregations, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!
14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek nothing from you but just yourselves: for children should not provide for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15 And I will very willingly pay my expenses and give all of myself for your beings; yet the more I love you, the less I am loved. 0
16 But so be it, I did not burden you: nevertheless, as a shrewd man, I caught you with your guile.
17 Did I make any financial gain from you, by any of them whom I sent to you?
18 I urged Teitus to go to you and with him I sent a brother. Did Teitus make a gain of you? Did not we have the same Ruach-led halacha? Was not our halacha in the same steps?
19 Again, do you think that we still need to keep defending and apologizing to you? We speak before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in The Moshiach: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for you to be built up.
20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you the way I would like and that I shall act among you as you would not like: lest there be strife, jealousy, anger, contention, slander, gossip, boasting and tumults:
21 And perhaps, when I come again, my Eloha will humble me, as I shall bewail many who have sinned already and have not made teshuvah of the uncleanness and fornication and indecency that they have committed.
13 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two, or three witnesses shall every word be established.
2 I told you before and say again before I come, as if I were present, as on my second visit; I write to those who keep sinning until now and have not made teshuvah and to all others, that, if I come again, I will not spare, though I am absent now:
3 Since you seek a proof of Moshiach speaking through me, who has never been powerless among you, but powerful among you:
4 For though He was impaled through weakness, yet He lives by the power of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 towards you.
5 Examine yourselves, whether you be in the emunah; test yourselves. Don’t you know yourself, that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 Ha Moshiach is in you, unless you are rejects?
6 But I trust that you shall know that we are not rejected.
7 Now I make tefillah to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 that you do no evil; not so that we should appear approved, but that you should do that which is honest, though we may appear to be rejects before you.
8 For we can do nothing against the emet, but for the emet.
9 For we are in simcha, when we are weak and you are strong: and this also we wish, even your mature perfection.
10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use harshness, according to the power, that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has given to me for your edification and not destruction.
11 Finally, Yisraelite brothers, farewell. Be perfect, be of tov comfort, be echad, live in shalom; and the Eloha of ahava and shalom shall be with you.
12 Greet one another with a kadosh kiss.
13 All the Yisraelite kidushim greet you.
14 The unmerited favor of the Master 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 Ha Moshiach, the ahava of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and the chavurah of the Ruach Hakodesh, be with you all. Ahmein.