NKJV Bible in 365 Days
Paul’s Defense and Christ’s Power in Weakness — November 17
2 Corinthians 11-13
2 Corinthians 11
1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 365N 321.1
2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 365N 321.2
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the [a] simplicity that is in Christ. 365N 321.3
4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! 365N 321.4
5 For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. 365N 321.5
6 Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have [b] been thoroughly manifested among you in all things. 365N 321.6
7 Did I commit sin in [c] humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? 365N 321.7
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. 365N 321.8
9 And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself . 365N 321.9
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 365N 321.10
11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows! 365N 321.11
12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 365N 321.12
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 365N 321.13
14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 365N 321.14
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. 365N 321.15
16 I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. 365N 321.16
17 What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 365N 321.17
18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. 365N 321.18
19 For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise! 365N 321.19
20 For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. 365N 321.20
21 To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also. 365N 321.21
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 365N 321.22
23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 365N 321.23
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 365N 321.24
25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 365N 321.25
26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 365N 321.26
27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 365N 321.27
28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 365N 321.28
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? 365N 321.29
30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my [d] infirmity. 365N 321.30
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 365N 321.31
32 In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; 365N 321.32
33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands. 365N 321.33
2 Corinthians 12
1 It is [a] doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 365N 321.34
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 365N 321.35
3 And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 365N 321.36
4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 365N 321.37
5 Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. 365N 321.38
6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. 365N 321.39
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to [b] buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 365N 321.40
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 365N 321.41
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 365N 321.42
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 365N 321.43
11 I have become a fool [c] in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. 365N 321.44
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. 365N 321.45
13 For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong! 365N 321.46
14 Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 365N 321.47
15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. 365N 321.48
16 But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! 365N 321.49
17 Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? 365N 321.50
18 I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? 365N 321.51
19 Again, [d] do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. 365N 321.52
20 For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; 365N 321.53
21 lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced. 365N 321.54
2 Corinthians 13
1 This will be the third time I am coming to you. “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” 365N 321.55
2 I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent [a] I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare— 365N 321.56
3 since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. 365N 321.57
4 For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you. 365N 321.58
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you [b] are disqualified. 365N 321.59
6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified. 365N 321.60
7 Now [c] I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. 365N 321.61
8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 365N 321.62
9 For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete. 365N 321.63
10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction. 365N 321.64
11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 365N 321.65
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 365N 321.66
13 All the saints greet you. 365N 321.67
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the [d] communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. 365N 321.68