For we live by faith, not by sight. | For we walk by faith, not by sight. |
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. | Although we are human beings, we do not engage in battle according to human standards. |
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Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. | Now this Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. |
For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. | For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so too, through Christ, do we receive our consolation. |
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! | Consequently, anyone united to Christ is a new creation. The old order has passed away. Behold, all has become new. |
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. | He made him who did not know sin to be sin for our sake, so that through him we might become the righteousness of God. |
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. | Our temporary light afflictions are preparing for us an incomparable weight of eternal glory. |
Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. | As sorrowful, and yet we are always rejoicing; as poor, and yet we make many rich; as having nothing, and yet we possess everything. |
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. | Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outer self is continuing to decay, our inner self is being renewed day by day. |
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. | The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. |
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. | All this has been done by God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and entrusted us with the ministry of reconciliation. |
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. | Remember this: if you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly, and if you sow generously, you will reap generously as well. |
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. | Such godly sorrow results in repentance that leads to salvation and causes no regret, whereas worldly sorrow produces death. |
For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. | As long as the goodwill is present, the gift will be acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. |
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. | Enriched in every way, you will be able to practice all your acts of generosity, which, through our intervention, will result in thanksgiving to God. |
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. | Each person should give as much as he has decided in his heart, not with reluctance or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. |
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. | And God is able to enrich you with an abundance of every grace, so that, with all of your needs provided for, you may be able to produce a surplus of good works. |
But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. | If anyone would boast, let him boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself who is really approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. |
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. | For our eyes are fixed not on what is seen but rather on that which cannot be seen. What is visible is transitory; what is invisible is eternal. |
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? | Do not associate with unbelievers. For what basis can there be for a partnership between righteousness and lawlessness? What do light and darkness have in common? |
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. | Now we know that if the earthly tent in which we live is destroyed, we have a dwelling prepared for us by God, a dwelling in the heavens, not made with human hands, that will be eternal. |
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. | For this reason, I rejoice when I endure weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and distress for the sake of Christ. For it is when I am weak that I am strong. |
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. | The one who provides seed for sowing and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. |
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. | And now, brethren, farewell. Mend your ways. Encourage one another. Be of one mind and live in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. |
That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. | In other words, God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, and not holding people’s transgressions against them, and he committed to us the message of reconciliation. |