NKJV Bible in 365 Days
Cheerful Giving and Spiritual Authority — November 16
2 Corinthians 9-10
2 Corinthians 9
1 Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; 365N 320.1
2 for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. 365N 320.2
3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; 365N 320.3
4 lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this [a] confident boasting. 365N 320.4
5 Therefore I thought it necessary to [b] exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a [c] grudging obligation. 365N 320.5
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [d] bountifully will also reap [e] bountifully. 365N 320.6
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of [f] necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 365N 320.7
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 365N 320.8
9 As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” 365N 320.9
10 Now [g] may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, [h] supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 365N 320.10
11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 365N 320.11
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 365N 320.12
13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 365N 320.13
14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 365N 320.14
15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 365N 320.15
2 Corinthians 10
1 Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. 365N 320.16
2 But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 365N 320.17
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 365N 320.18
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not [a] carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 365N 320.19
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 365N 320.20
6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. 365N 320.21
7 Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even [b] so we are Christ’s. 365N 320.22
8 For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave [c] us for [d] edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed— 365N 320.23
9 lest I seem to terrify you by letters. 365N 320.24
10 “For his letters,” they say, “ are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.” 365N 320.25
11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present. 365N 320.26
12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 365N 320.27
13 We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. 365N 320.28
14 For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; 365N 320.29
15 not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, 365N 320.30
16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment. 365N 320.31
17 But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord .” 365N 320.32
18 For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends. 365N 320.33