Rachel Workman: 8 For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth. 9 We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature. There is a lot of opposing the truth in today's world. In love we are called to stand for the truth.
10 I
am writing this to you before I come, hoping that I won’t need to deal
severely with you when I do come. For I want to use the authority the
Lord has given me to strengthen you, not to tear you down.11 Dear brothers and sisters,[c] I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. Still good advice today.
12 Greet each other with a sacred kiss. 13 All of God’s people here send you their greetings.
14 [d]May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
______________________________
John Burnett: 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. 10 This
is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may
not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave
me for building you up, not for tearing you down. When
we humble ourselves and surrender to the Holy Spirit we cannot do
anything against the truth, only for the truth. When we humble
ourselves (become weak) we become strong (the Holy Spirit takes over)
and we cannot help but be fully restored in relationship to Jesus
Christ. I heard it put this way once. Each person has a tank that is
either filled with self or filled with the Holy Spirit, if you used the
tank to fill up balloons, you can guess where the balloons filled with
self go down, the balloons filled with the Spirit go up to clouds.
Humble yourself and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you today.
Final Greetings
11 Finally,
brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage
one another, 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 God’s people here send their greetings.
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
______________________________
Allen Michaels: 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.
9 We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.
Strong
Christians are those who live good lives. The gospel requests that. It
does not matter what the Corinthians think of Paul. He prays only that
they may get
better and better. He prays that they will be perfect. The Bible
meaning of ‘perfect’ here is ‘mend’ or ‘repair’. With God’s help, they
will mend (or repair) their lives.
10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I
may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
Final Greetings
11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one
another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
Paul
ends his letter. He says goodbye to all the Christians in the church at
Corinth. He asks for change in their lives. They should always be
looking to be perfect.
That should be their intention. He asks them not to listen to the
different gospel. This is the one preached by Paul’s opponents. He asks
them to look to him. He is their true apostle. He requests that they put
away sexual sins. He asks that they agree with
each other. He asks that they live in peace. As they obey his requests,
Paul prays for them. He prays that the God of love and peace will be
with them.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13 All God’s people here send their greetings.
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
______________________________
Tomorrow's reading for Proverbs 1:20-33
20 Wisdom shouts in the streets.
She cries out in the public square.
21 She calls to the crowds along the main street,
to those gathered in front of the city gate:
22 “How long, you simpletons,
will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
How long will you fools hate knowledge?
23 Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
and make you wise.
She cries out in the public square.
21 She calls to the crowds along the main street,
to those gathered in front of the city gate:
22 “How long, you simpletons,
will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
How long will you fools hate knowledge?
23 Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
and make you wise.
24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.
I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
25 You ignored my advice
and rejected the correction I offered.
26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble!
I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,
and anguish and distress overwhelm you.
I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
25 You ignored my advice
and rejected the correction I offered.
26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble!
I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,
and anguish and distress overwhelm you.
28 “When they cry for help, I will not answer.
Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
29 For they hated knowledge
and chose not to fear the Lord.
30 They rejected my advice
and paid no attention when I corrected them.
31 Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,
choking on their own schemes.
32 For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
33 But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”
Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
29 For they hated knowledge
and chose not to fear the Lord.
30 They rejected my advice
and paid no attention when I corrected them.
31 Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,
choking on their own schemes.
32 For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
33 But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”
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