28 July 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 28 July 2018

Happy Saturday.
It's been one of "those" weeks, lots of running around, focusing on the "urgent" rather than the "important" stuff for the most part.  And some of it just doing things, like "watching" the great-nephew and great-niece, that needed to be done and no one else is available.  So we did it, and will again, and perhaps we're planting some good memories with them.  Perhaps.  Not the sort of thing that is memorialized in speeches, but perhaps has good long-lasting effects.

We'll be heading out again in a few hours.  Friends of long standing, they've all but adopted me into their family, are having a surprise birthday get-together, a 75th birthday, and our presence is requested.  It's about a 35 minute drive from here, and we intend to go.  On the way back, we'll try to run by the Pharmacy and  pick up another of Wife's meds, and also find a UPS drop-off to send something out that was incorrectly shipped to us.  And we hope that will be It for the day.



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Today, the completion of the short book of Ezra.
There is, throughout this short book, a lot of attention paid to things like genealogies.  Why?  WE don't do things like that any more, right?
Well, primarily because the Lord Himself had put import on these things for that people, culture, and time.  So, for example, only certain descendants in one tribe could be priests.  People of one tribe were to live in this area,  others in another tribe were to live in that area, and inter-tribal marriage was forbidden.  So, when the effort was being made to rebuild the Temple and to re-initiate the practices of offerings and worship, and day-to-day life as well, it was important that these things be done totally in obedience to the Lord's specific commands.  All around them were the visible signs of the results of ignoring those commands, a lesson that was not (hopefully) lost on them.
One of those commands dealt with avoidance of certain contacts with the heathen nations around them.  A command that was, obviously, not always honored.  And, as verse 2 of chapter 9 recounts, the princes and rulers had been enthusiastic in this disobedience.  That hasn't changed, has it?  Some of the more contentious teachings in the New Testament are about the dangers of being "unequally yoked", of making common cause including marriage (but not limited to that) with unbelievers.  I hear on a too-frequent basis from some, including a few that I've known my whole life, pushing for common efforts, to include "pulpit-sharing" with demon-besotted heathens like the Moslems.  Some, and I have some portions of the American Episcopalians in mind, are quite enthusiastic in this, some castigating as "bigots" those who may have even slight reservations on the matter.  But the cries of "bigotry" and "discrimination" are often heard.  In the time of Ezra, such "enlightened" phrases were not heard, probably, but the urge to be like everyone else, as well as plain old lust, sufficed.  With lasting damage. 

I do think that it's important to note the order of things here.  In chapter 1 of Ezra, repeating the words in 2nd Chronicles, we see the order to rebuild the Temple.  With it, the recreation of the Jewish nation and culture.  But I use "nation" as meaning "people group", not "kingdom" or "government" or that.  The Temple.  Yes, as we will see, the walls of Jerusalem will, eventually, be rebuilt and the gates set up.  But first things first.  Would we be as wise?


Ezra 9

1Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
2For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
3And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonished.
4Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice.
5And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God,heaviness: or, affliction
6And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.trespass: or, guiltiness
7Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
8And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.space: Heb. momenta nail: or, a pin: that is, a constant and sure abode
9For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.to repair: Heb. to set up
10And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,
11Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.by: Heb. by the hand offrom…: Heb. from mouth to mouth
12Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.
13And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;hast punished…: Heb. hast withheld beneath our iniquities
14Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?
15Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.




Ezra 10

1Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.wept…: Heb. wept a great weeping
2And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
3Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.to put…: Heb. to bring forth
4Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
5Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.
6Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
7And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;
8And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.forfeited: Heb. devoted
9Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.the great…: Heb. the showers
10And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.have taken: Heb. have caused to dwell, or, have brought back
11Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
12Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
13But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.we are many…: or, we have greatly offended in this thing
14Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.for this…: or, till this matter be dispatched
15Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.were…: Heb. stood
16And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
17And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
18And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.
20And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.
21And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
25Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
28Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.
30And of the sons of Pahath–moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
31And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,
38And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
39And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,Machnadebai: or, Mabnadebai, according to some copies
41Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.
44All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.


27 July 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 27 July 2018

VERY late and VERY brief.  It's been yet another of those days.  I thought that such were in the past, but I was wrong.  Again.  Sigh.


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Ezra 7

Ezra’s Arrival
1After these events, during the reign of King ArtaxerxesEzr 4:7; 6:14; Neh 2:1 of Persia, Ezra —
Seraiah’s2Kg 25:18-21; Jr 52:24-27 son, Azariah’s son,
Hilkiah’s2Kg 22:4; 23:4 son, 2Shallum’s son,
Zadok’s1Sm 8:17; 1Kg 1:7-8; 2:35 son, Ahitub’s son,
3Amariah’s son, Azariah’s son,
Meraioth’s son, 4Zerahiah’s son,
Uzzi’s son, Bukki’s son,
5Abishua’s son, Phinehas’s son,
Eleazar’s son, the chief priest Aaron’s son1Ch 6:3-15
6— came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses,Ezr 7:11-12,21 which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he requestedNeh 2:4-8 because the hand of the Lord his God was on him.Ezr 7:28; 8:22; Neh 2:8,18 7Some of the Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servantsEzr 2:1-58; Neh 7:6-60accompanied him to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
8Ezra7:8 LXX, Syr, Vg read They came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, during the seventh year of the king. 9He began the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first monthEzr 8:15,21,31 and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth monthEzr 8:32 since the gracious hand of his God was on him.Ezr 7:28; 8:18,31; Neh 2:8,18 10Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teachNeh 8:1-8 its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Letter from Artaxerxes
11This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in matters of the Lord’s commands and statutes for Israel:7:11 Ezr 7:12-26 is written in Aramaic.
12Artaxerxes, king of kings,Ezk 26:7; Dn 2:37 to Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of the heavens:
Greetings.
13I issue a decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who want to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.Ezr 1:3 14You are sent by the king and his seven counselorsEst 1:14 to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your possession. 15You are also to bring the silver and gold the king and his counselors have willingly given to the God of Israel,Hg 2:8 whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,Dt 12:5-6; 2Ch 6:2 16and all the silver and gold you receive throughout the province of Babylon, together with the freewill offerings given by the people and the priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem.Ex 3:22; Ezr 1:6 17Then you are to be diligent to buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs, along with their grain and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem.Nm 15:1-14; Ezr 6:9 18You may do whatever seems best to you and your brothers with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God. 19Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God.Ezr 8:33 20You may use the royal treasury7:20 Lit the king’s house to pay for anything else needed for the house of your God.Ezr 6:4,8; 7:22-23
21I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River:Ezr 4:10; 7:25
Whatever Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of the heavens, asks of you must be provided in full,Ezr 6:8 22up to 7,500 pounds7:22 Lit 100 talents of silver, 500 bushels7:22 Lit 100 cors of wheat, 550 gallons7:22 Lit 100 baths of wine, 550 gallons of oil, and salt without limit.7:22 Lit without instruction23Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens, so that wrath will not fall on the realm of the king and his sons.Ezr 6:1024Be advised that you do not have authority to impose tribute, duty, and land tax on any priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
25And you, Ezra, according to7:25 Lit to your God’s wisdom that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the region west of the Euphrates who know the laws of your God and to teach anyone who does not know them.Ezr 7:10; Neh 8:1-3,826Anyone who does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let the appropriate judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.Ezr 6:11
27Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king’s mindEzr 6:22 to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem,Is 60:7,13 28and who has shown favor to me before the king,Ezr 9:9 his counselors, and all his powerful officers. So I took courage because I was strengthened by the hand of the Lord my God,7:28 Lit because the hand of the Lord my God was on meEzr 7:6; 8:18 and I gathered Israelite leaders to return with me.





Ezra 8

Those Returning with Ezra
1These are the family heads and the genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:Ezr 7:7
2Gershom, from Phinehas’s descendants;
Daniel, from Ithamar’s descendants;
Hattush, from David’s descendants,
3who was of Shecaniah’s descendants;1Ch 3:22
Zechariah, from Parosh’sEzr 2:3; 10:25 descendants,
and 150 men8:3 Or males; also in vv. 4-14 with him who were registered by genealogy;
4Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah
from Pahath-moab’s descendants,Ezr 2:6
and 200 men with him;
5Shecaniah8:5 LXX, 1 Esdras 8:32; MT reads the descendants of Shecaniah son of Jahaziel
from Zattu’s descendants,
and 300 men with him;
6Ebed son of Jonathan
from Adin’s descendants,Ezr 2:15; Neh 7:20
and 50 men with him;
7Jeshaiah son of Athaliah
from Elam’s descendants,
and 70 men with him;
8Zebadiah son of Michael from Shephatiah’s descendants, and 80 men with him;
9Obadiah son of Jehiel from Joab’s descendants,  and 218 men with him;
10Shelomith8:10 Some LXX mss, 1 Esdras 8:36; MT reads the descendants of Shelomith son of Josiphiah from Bani’s descendants, and 160 men with him;
11Zechariah son of Bebai from Bebai’s descendants,
and 28 men with him;
12Johanan son of Hakkatan
from Azgad’s descendants,
and 110 men with him;
13these are the last ones, from Adonikam’s descendants,Ezr 2:13
and their names are
Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah,
and 60 men with them;
14Uthai and Zaccur8:14 Alt Hb tradition, some LXX mss read Zabud
from Bigvai’s descendants,
and 70 men with them.
15I gathered them at the river8:15 Or canal that flows to Ahava,Ezr 8:21,31 and we camped there for three days. I searched among the people and priests, but found no LevitesEzr 2:40; 7:7 there. 16Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam,Ezr 10:15 as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan. 17I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for8:17 Lit Casiphia, and I put in their mouth the words to speak to him and his brothers, the temple servantsEzr 2:43; Neh 7:46 at Casiphia, that they should bring us ministers for the house of our God. 18Since the gracious hand of our God was on us,Ezr 7:6 they brought us SherebiahEzr 8:24; Neh 8:7  — a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli, a descendant of Levi son of Israel — along with his sons and brothers, 18 men, 19plus Hashabiah,Neh 12:24 along with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men. 20There were also 220 of the temple servants,Ezr 2:43; 7:7 who had been appointed by David and the leaders for the work of the Levites. All were identified by name.
Preparing to Return
21I proclaimed a fastIs 58:3-8 by the Ahava River,8:21 Or Canal, also in v. 31 so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us, our dependents, and all our possessions. 22I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his fierce anger is against all who abandon him.”Dt 31:6,17 23So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and he was receptive to our prayer.
24I selected twelve of the leading priests, along with Sherebiah,Neh 10:9,11 Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers. 25I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the articles — the contribution for the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites who were present had offered. 26I weighed out to them 24 tons8:26 Lit 650 talents of silver, silver articles weighing 7,500 pounds,8:26 Lit 100 talents7,500 pounds of gold, 27twenty gold bowls worth a thousand gold coins,8:27 Or 1,000 drachmas, or 1,000 darics and two articles of fine gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold.Ezr 7:15-20 28Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, and the articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offeringEzr 1:4; 2:68-69 to the Lord God of your fathers. 29Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the Lord’s house before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families in Jerusalem.” 30So the priests and Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the articles that had been weighed out, to bring them to the house of our God in Jerusalem.Neh 13:4-5,9
Arrival in Jerusalem
31We set out from the Ahava River on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. We were strengthened by our God,8:31 Lit The hand of our God was on usEzr 7:9; Neh 2:18and he kept us from the grasp of the enemy and from ambush along the way.Ezr 8:21-22 32So we arrived at Jerusalem and rested there for three days.Neh 2:11 33On the fourth day the silver, the gold, and the articles were weighed out in the house of our God into the care of the priest Meremoth son of Uriah. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him. The Levites JozabadNeh 11:16 son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui were also with them. 34Everything was verified by number and weight, and the total weight was recorded at that time.
35The exiles who had returned from the captivityEzr 2:1; 6:16 offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, and seventy-seven lambs, along with twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering for the Lord.Lv 1:3-15; 2Ch 29:24,27,31-35 36They also delivered the king’s edicts to the royal satraps and governors of the region west of the Euphrates,Ezr 7:21,25 so that they would support the people and the house of God.





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Psalm 129

Psalm 129
Protection of the Oppressed
A song of ascents.
1Since my youth they have often attacked me —
let Israel say —
2Since my youth they have often attacked me, but they have not prevailed against me.
Jr 1:19; 20:11
3Plowmen plowed over my back;  they made their furrows long.
Mc 3:12
4The Lord is righteous; he has cut the ropes of the wicked.
Ps 2:3
5Let all who hate Zion be driven back in disgrace.
Ps 35:4; 70:3; 71:13
6Let them be like grass on the rooftops, which withers before it grows up
129:6 Or it can be pulled out2Kg 19:26; Is 37:27
7and can’t even fill the hands of the reaper or the arms of the one who binds sheaves.
Ps 79:12
8Then none who pass by will say, “May the Lord’s blessing be on you.  We bless you in the name of the Lord.”





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2nd Corinthians 1

Greeting
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will,1Co 1:1; Eph 1:1; Col 1:1; 2Tm 1:1 and Timothy 1Th 3:2; 1Tm 1:2our1:1 Lit the brother:
To the church of God at Corinth,1Co 1:2 with all the saints who are throughout Achaia.Ac 18:12; Php 1:1
2Grace to you and peaceLk 12:51; Rm 1:7; 2Tm 1:2; 3Jn 14 from God our FatherMt 5:16; 11:27; Lk 11:13; Jn 8:42; Eph 5:20 and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The God of Comfort
3Blessed beMk 14:61 the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of merciesHeb 10:28 and the God of all comfort.Lk 2:25 4He comforts us in all our affliction,1:4 Or trouble, or tribulation, or trials, or oppression so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5For just as the sufferingsGl 5:24; Php 3:10 of ChristRm 8:17; 2Co 4:10; Gl 6:17; Php 3:10; Col 1:24overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.Php 1:29 6If we are afflicted,Heb 11:37 it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer.Php 1:29 7And our hope1Th 1:3 for you is firm, because we know that as you sharePhm 17 in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.
8We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia.Ac 6:9 We were completely overwhelmed — beyond our strengthAc 8:10; 1Co 15:24; Eph 1:21; 1Pt 3:22  — so that we even despaired2Co 4:8 of life itself. 9Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in GodPs 25:2; 26:1; Jr 17:5-7; Lk 18:9 who raisesMk 9:27; Jn 2:19 the dead. 10He has deliveredMt 27:43 us from such a terrible death,Mt 10:21; Jn 8:51; Php 3:10 and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again 11while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our1:11 Other mss read your behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.
A Clear Conscience
12Indeed, this is our boast: The testimony1Tm 2:6 of our conscienceHeb 13:18is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdomPr 3:19; 1Co 1:21 but by God’s grace.Ac 23:1; 2Co 4:2; 5:12; 1Th 2:10 13For we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely —  14just as you have partially understood us — that we are your reason for pride,Rm 2:17; Gl 6:4 just as you also are ours2Co 9:3; Php 2:16; 4:1; 1Th 2:19-20 in the day of our1:14 Other mss omit our Lord Jesus.Php 1:6
A Visit Postponed
15Because of this confidence, I planned to come to you first,Ac 18:1-18; 1Co 4:19 so that you could have a second benefit,1:15 Other mss read a second joy 16and to visit you on my way to Macedonia,Ac 16:9 and then come to you again from Macedonia and be helped by youAc 20:38 on my journeyAc 19:21; 1Co 16:5-7 to Judea.Lk 1:5 17Now when I planned this, was I of two minds? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human1:17 Or a worldly, or a fleshly, or a selfishPhp 3:3; Col 3:22 way so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 18As God is faithful,Nm 23:19 our message to you is not “Yes and no.” 19For the Son of God,Jn 5:19; Heb 1:2 Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you — Silvanus,1:19 Or Silas; Ac 15:22-32; 16:19-40; 17:1-161Th 1:1 Timothy, and I — did not become “Yes and no.” On the contrary, in him it is always “Yes.”Heb 13:820For every one of God’s promisesGn 12:7 is “Yes” in him. Therefore, through him we also say “Amen”Ps 72:19; Rv 22:21 to the glory of God.Mk 10:37; Lk 9:32; Jn 17:24; 2Co 3:18; 2Pt 3:18 21Now it is God who strengthens us together with you in Christ, and who has anointedLk 4:18; 1Jn 2:20 us. 22He has also put his seal on us and given us the Spirit in our heartsJms 4:5 as a down payment.Eph 1:14
23I call on God as a witness,Rm 1:9; Php 1:8; Heb 12:1 on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth.1Co 4:21; 2Co 13:2,10 24I do not mean that we lord it over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand firm in yourPr 24:16 faith.