Monday, August 30

3And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all.

4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.

5But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe.

6This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man,

7so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow.

8Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.

9For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.

10Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,

11lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

12Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,

13I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.

14Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

15For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

13'But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

14Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

15'Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

16'Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.'

17Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

18And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.'

19Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

20Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.

21He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.

22And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.