HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1417
2 COR INTHIANS 2
page 1047
holiness* and sincerity in all our dealings. We
have depended on God’s grace, not on our own
human wisdom. That is how we have conducted
ourselves before the world, and especially toward
you. 13 Our letters have been straightforward, and
there is nothing written between the lines and
nothing you can’t understand. I hope someday
you will fully understand us, 14 even if you don’t
understand us now. Then on the day when the
Lord Jesus* returns, you will be proud of us in
the same way we are proud of you.
15 Since I was so sure of your understanding
and trust, I wanted to give you a double blessing by visiting you twice—16 first on my way to
Macedonia and again when I returned from
Macedonia.* Then you could send me on my
way to Judea.
17 You may be asking why I changed my plan.
Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do
you think I am like people of the world who
say “Yes” when they really mean “No”? 18 As
surely as God is faithful, our word to you does
not waver between “Yes” and “No.” 19 For Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between
“Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas,*
Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s
ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says.
20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled
in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through
Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
21 It is God who enables us, along with you,
to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned
us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by
placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first
installment that guarantees everything he has
promised us.
23 Now I call upon God as my witness that I
am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to
Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke.
24 But that does not mean we want to dominate
you by telling you how to put your faith into
practice. We want to work together with you so
you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith
that you stand firm.
2
So I decided that I would not bring you grief
with another painful visit. 2 For if I cause
you grief, who will make me glad? Certainly not
someone I have grieved. 3 That is why I wrote to
you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t
be grieved by the very ones who ought to give
me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my
joy comes from your being joyful. 4 I wrote that
letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart
and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but
I wanted to let you know how much love I have
for you.
1:12 Some manuscripts read honesty. 1:14 Some
manuscripts read our Lord Jesus. 1:16 Macedonia was in the
northern region of Greece. 1:19 Greek Silvanus.
Forgiveness for the Sinner
5 I am not overstating it when I say that the man
who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more
than he hurt me. 6 Most of you opposed him, and
that was punishment enough. 7 Now, however, it
• Comfort
2 C OR I N THI A N S 1:3-7
There is an immediate bond of understanding between people who have suffered similar hardships or losses. Parents
who have lost children, widows and
widowers, and families of patients with
terminal diseases—all find comfort and
encouragement in the presence of those
who have known similar pain. Paul here
urges believers to see opportunities for
giving comfort as both a way to share
the comfort of God and to use their own
experiences of sorrow for good. We
rarely know why suffering or trials enter
our lives, but we can know what God
wants to do through our sorrow. Who do
you know right now who needs a word
of encouragement or comfort that your
experience has prepared you to give?
• Discipline
2 C OR I N THI A N S 2:5-8
In the case Paul was talking about here,
he said that it was time to forgive the
man who had been punished by the
church, because he had repented. Now
he needed friendship and comfort. This
may have been the same man who had
required the disciplinary action described
in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13.
The purpose of church discipline is to
keep the church pure and to help wayward
people repent. But Satan tries to harm the
church by tempting people to use discipline in an unforgiving way. This causes
those exercising discipline to become
proud of their purity, and it causes the one
being disciplined to become bitter, perhaps leaving the church entirely. We must
remember that our purpose in discipline is
always to restore a person to fellowship.
On the one hand, we can be too tolerant
of sin in the church, resulting in no correction or growth; on the other hand, we can
be too harsh and vindictive, deepening
hurt and existing divisions. We must take
care not to vent our personal anger under
the guise of church discipline.