The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 768

7:4. Great is my confidence for you: great is my glorying for you. I am filled with comfort: I exceedingly abound with joy in all our tribulation.

7:5. For also, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest: but we suffered all tribulation. Combats without: fears within.

7:6. But G.o.d, who comforteth the humble, comforted us by the coming of t.i.tus.

7:7. And not by his coming only, but also by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, relating to us your desire, your mourning, your zeal for me: so that I rejoiced the more.

7:8. For although I made you sorrowful by my epistle, I do not repent.

And if I did repent, seeing that the same epistle (although but for a time) did make you sorrowful,

7:9. Now I am glad: not because you were made sorrowful, but because you were made sorrowful unto penance. For you were made sorrowful according to G.o.d, that you might suffer damage by us in nothing.

7:10. For the sorrow that is according to G.o.d worketh penance, steadfast unto salvation: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

7:11. For behold this selfsame thing, that you were made sorrowful according to G.o.d, how great carefulness it worketh in you: yea defence, yea indignation, yea fear, yea desire, yea zeal, yea revenge. In all things you have shewed yourselves to be undefiled in the matter.

7:12. Wherefore although I wrote to you, it was not for his sake that did the wrong, nor for him that suffered it: but to manifest our carefulness that we have for you.

7:13. Before G.o.d: therefore we were comforted. But in our consolation we did the more abundantly rejoice for the joy of t.i.tus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

7:14. And if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I have not been put to shame: but as we have spoken all things to you in truth, so also our boasting that was made to t.i.tus is found a truth.

7:15. And his bowels are more abundantly towards you: remembering the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him.

7:16. I rejoice that in all things I have confidence in you.

2 Corinthians Chapter 8

He exhorts them to contribute bountifully to relieve the poor of Jerusalem.

8:1. Now we make known unto you, brethren, the grace of G.o.d that hath been given in the churches of Macedonia.

8:2. That in much experience of tribulation, they have had abundance of joy and their very deep poverty hath abounded unto the riches of their simplicity.

Simplicity... That is, sincere bounty and charity.

8:3. For according to their power (I bear them witness) and beyond their power, they were willing:

8:4. With much entreaty begging of us the grace and communication of the ministry that is done toward the saints.

8:5. And not as we hoped: but they gave their own selves, first to the Lord, then to us by the will of G.o.d;

8:6. Insomuch, that we desired t.i.tus, that, as he had begun, so also he would finish among you this same grace.

8:7. That as in all things you abound in faith and word and knowledge and all carefulness, moreover also in your charity towards us: so in this grace also you may abound.

8:8. I speak not as commanding: but by the carefulness of others, approving also the good disposition of your charity.

8:9. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that being rich he became poor for your sakes: that through his poverty you might be rich.

8:10. And herein I give my advice: for this is profitable for you who have begun not only to do but also to be willing, a year ago.

8:11. Now therefore perform ye it also in deed: that as your mind is forward to be willing, so it may be also to perform, out of that which you have.

8:12. For if the will be forward, it is accepted according to that which a man hath: not according to that which he hath not.

8:13. For I mean not that others should be eased and you burdened, but by an equality.

8:14. In this present time let your abundance supply their want, that their abundance also may supply your want: that there may be an equality,

8:15. As it is written: He that had much had nothing over; and he that had little had no want.

8:16. And thanks be to G.o.d, who hath given the same carefulness for you in the heart of t.i.tus.

8:17. For indeed he accepted the exhortation: but, being more careful, of his own will he went unto you.

8:18. We have sent also with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel through all the churches.

8:19. And not that only: but he was also ordained by the churches companion of our travels, for this grace, which is administered by us, to the glory of the Lord and our determined will:

8:20. Avoiding this, lest any man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us.

8:21. For we forecast what may be good, not only before G.o.d but also before men.

8:22. And we have sent with them our brother also, whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent: with much confidence in you,

8:23. Either for t.i.tus, who is my companion and fellow labourer towards you, or our brethren, the apostles of the churches, the glory of Christ.

8:24. Wherefore shew ye to them, in the sight of the churches, the evidence of your charity and of our boasting on your behalf.

2 Corinthians Chapter 9

A further exhortation to almsgiving. The fruits of it.

9:1. For concerning the ministry that is done towards the saints, it is superfluous for me to write unto you.

9:2. For I know your forward mind: for which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia also is ready from the year past. And your emulation hath provoked very many.

9:3. Now I have sent the brethren, that the thing which we boast of concerning you be not made void in this behalf, that (as I have said) you may be ready:

9:4. Lest, when the Macedonians shall come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to say ye) should be ashamed in this matter.

9:5. Therefore I thought it necessary to desire the brethren that they would go to you before and prepare this blessing before promised, to be ready, so as a blessing, not as covetousness.

9:6. Now this I say: He who soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly: and he who soweth in blessings shall also reap blessings.

9:7. Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness or of necessity: for G.o.d loveth a cheerful giver.

9:8. And G.o.d is able to make all grace abound in you: that ye always, having all sufficiently in all things, may abound to every good work,