DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 6:
DAILY BIBLE READING
2 Corinthians 10-13 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Spiritual War
10 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. 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. 3 For though we walk in the flesh,
we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are
not [a]carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 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, 6 and
being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Reality of Paul's Authority
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. 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- 9 lest I seem to terrify you by letters. 10 "For his letters," they
say, "are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his
speech contemptible." 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.
Limits of Paul's Authority
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. 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. 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; 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, 16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast
in another man's sphere of accomplishment.
17 But "he who glories, let him glory in the Lord." 18 For not he who
commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
Concern for Their Faithfulness
11 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly-and indeed you do bear
with me. 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. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his
craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the [e]simplicity that is in
Christ. 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!
Paul and False Apostles
5 For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles.
6 Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we
have [f]been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.
7 Did I commit sin in [g]humbling myself that you might be exalted, because
I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other
churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. 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. 10 As the
truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the
regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
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. 13 For such are false apostles,
deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And
no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 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.
Reluctant Boasting
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. 17 What I speak, I speak not
according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of
boasting. 18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will
boast. 19 For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!
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. 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.
Suffering for Christ
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the
seed of Abraham? So am I. 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. 24 From the Jews five times I
received forty stripes minus one. 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; 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; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness
often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness- 28
besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all
the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and
I do not burn with indignation?
30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my
[h]infirmity. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed
forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor, under
Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison,
desiring to arrest me; 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in
the wall, and escaped from his hands.
The Vision of Paradise
12 It is [i]doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions
and revelations of the Lord: 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. 3 And I know
such a man-whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-
4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it
is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such a one I will boast; yet of
myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. 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.
The Thorn in the Flesh
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
[j]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I
pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 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. 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.
Signs of an Apostle
11 I have become a fool [k]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. 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were
accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and
mighty deeds. 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!
Love for the Church
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. 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.
16 But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty,
I caught you by cunning! 17 Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom
I sent to you? 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?
19 Again, [l]do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before
God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. 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; 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.
Coming with Authority
13 This will be the third time I am coming to you. "By the mouth of two or
three witnesses every word shall be established." 2 I have told you before,
and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent [m]I
write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come
again I will not spare- 3 since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me,
who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. 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.
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
[n]are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not
disqualified.
Paul Prefers Gentleness
7 Now [o]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. 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
9 For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we
pray, that you may be made complete. 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.
Greetings and Benediction
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.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13 All the saints greet you.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
[p]communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
