-11- I have been a fool- You forced me to it, for I ought to have-been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these superapostles, even though I am nothing. -12- The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. -13- For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you- Forgive me this wrong- -14- Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. -15- I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less- -16- But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. -17- Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you- -18- I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him.Did Titus take advantage of you- Did we not act in the same spirit- Did we not take the same steps---19- Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you- It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. -20- For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish-that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. -21- I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they

-1- I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained-by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. -2- I know a-man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven - whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.--3- And I know that this man was caught up into paradise - whether in-the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows - -4- and he-heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. -5- On-behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast,-except of my weaknesses - -6- though if I should wish to boast, I-would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth- but I refrain-from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or-hears from me. -7- So to keep me from becoming conceited because of-the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. -8- Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. -9- But he said to me, -My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.- Therefore I will boast all-the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -10- For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with-weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. -ESV-

English Standard Version-And God said, -Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds-livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.- And it was so.

-7- Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you-might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel to you free of-charge- -8- I robbed other churches by accepting support from-them in order to serve you. -9- And when I was with you and was-in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came-from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will-refrain from burdening you in any way. -10- As the truth of-Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the-regions of Achaia. -11- And why- Because I do not love you- God-knows I do

2 Corinthians 11-1-6,- -1- I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me- -2- For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. -3- But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. -4- For f someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. -5- Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. -6- Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge- indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. -ESV-

-3- And God said, -Let there be light,- and there was light.--4- And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the-light from the darkness. -5- God called the light Day, and the-darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was-morning, the first day.--6- And God said, -Let there be an expanse in the midst of-the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.- -7- And-God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under-the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it-was so. -8- And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was-evening and there was morning, the second day.--9- And God said, -Let the waters under the heavens be-gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.- And-it was so. -10- God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that-were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was-good. -11- And God said, -Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants-yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed,-each according to its kind, on the earth.- And it was so. -12- The-earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to-their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each-according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. -13- And-there was evening and there was morning, the third day.--14- And God said, -Let there be lights in the expanse of-the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be-for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, -15- and let them-be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the-earth.- And it was so. -16- And God made the two great lights--the greater light to rule the day...

2 Corinthians 10-7-18---7- Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ's, so also are we. -8- For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. -9- I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. -10- For they say, -His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.- -11- Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. -12- Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.---13- But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. -14- For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. -15- We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, -16- so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another's area of influence. -17- -Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.- -18- For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. -ESV-

1 Corinthians 15-53-57---53- For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. -54- When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written--- -Death is swallowed up in victory.-- -55- -O death, where is your victory-- O death, where is your sting--- - - -56- The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. -57- But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. -ESV-

4For the weapons of our warfare are not -a-carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, --- The Sermon text is from 2 Corintians 10-5-6 - - -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.

2 Corinthians 10-1-4--Paul Defends His Ministry---1- I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ-I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away---2- I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. -3- For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. -4- For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. -ESV-