2 Corinthians 2:4

that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect.

Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

So although I wrote to you, I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might be revealed in you in the sight of God.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all.

I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, you know.

All the days of the afflicted are wretched, but one who has a cheerful heart enjoys a continual feast.

Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News,

Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly,

Always rejoice.

“I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Let’s rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let’s give the glory to him. For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.”

She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Yahweh, weeping bitterly.

Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God’s house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly.

“My soul is weary of my life. I will give free course to my complaint. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Armies is his name. The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He will be called the God of the whole earth.

Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a spring of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Let them make haste and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears and our eyelids gush out with waters.

Yahweh said to him, “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”

I will betroth you to me forever. Yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, in justice, in loving kindness, and in compassion.

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good.

Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud,

for a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you.

For to this end I also wrote, that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things.

But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things.

Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!”

Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it.

having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you, which lived first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and, I am persuaded, in you also.

Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus,

“Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn’t consume the children of Israel in my jealousy.

“It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night.

whatever prayer and supplication is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, who shall each know the plague of his own heart, and spread out his hands toward this house,

“Be silent! Leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.

Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.

The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.

I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.

Indignation has taken hold on me, because of the wicked who forsake your law.

I look at the faithless with loathing, because they don’t observe your word.

Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.

There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing. There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.

What will I say? He has both spoken to me, and himself has done it. I will walk carefully all my years because of the anguish of my soul.

But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride. My eye will weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because Yahweh’s flock has been taken captive.

“You shall say this word to them: “ ‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.

Their heart cried to the Lord. O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night. Give yourself no relief. Don’t let the your eyes rest.

My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

but he will receive one hundred times more now in this time: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come eternal life.

He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said, “Blessed are you who are poor, God’s Kingdom is yours.

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.

But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews;

Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.

not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;

My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

as also you acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, even as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn’t come to Corinth to spare you.

Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,

yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him,

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.

We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you toward one another abounds,

To this end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith with power,

longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy;

For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm to the end,

looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently,

(for that righteous man dwelling among them was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds):

“Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Streams of tears run down my eyes, because they don’t observe your law.

Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, “I believe. Help my unbelief!”

Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it.

in pureness, in knowledge, in perseverance, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love,

as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is enlarged.

For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ,

But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow.