Tag Archives: 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8

Throwing Their Weight Around

Posted on by

While studying the gift of contributing I came across something in 1 Thessalonians that troubled me.  I had to look into it further.  The translation—although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became little children among you[1]—seemed oddly religious to me.  It implied that ordinarily the apostles of Christ threw their weight around, but Paul and his associates behaved out of the ordinary in Thessalonica by becoming little children.  Truly, then as now, religious leaders throw their weight around at times.  But if Paul thought that δυνάμενοι ἐν βάρει εἶναι ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι (having power [or, able] in weight [or, burden] we are as Christ’s apostles) meant that he was empowered by Christ to throw his weight around, he was clearly wrong.

Jesus warned us to be wary of such people (Mark 12:38, 39 NET).

Watch out for the experts in the law.  They like walking around in long robes and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.

And again (Luke 20:46 NET):

Beware of the experts in the law.  They like walking around in long robes, and they love (φιλούντων, a form of φιλέω)[2] elaborate greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.

Paul seemed aware of this when he characterized the behavior of the false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ:[3]  For you put up with it if someone makes slaves of you, he wrote, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone behaves arrogantly toward you, if someone strikes you in the face. (To my disgrace, he wrote facetiously, I must say that we were too weak [ἠσθενήκαμεν, a form of ἀσθενέω][4] for that!)[5]  Paul’s facetious use of ἠσθενήκαμεν here referred back to what some in Corinth were saying about him: His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak (ἀσθενὴς)[6] and his speech is of no account.[7]  Apparently they mistook love, patience and kindness for weakness.

Apostles were empowered however by the word of Christ to receive their necessary provisions, presumably from God through the gift of contributing to one or more of the people to whom they ministered; the worker deserves his provisions, the Lord said (Matthew 10:8-11 NET):

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.  Freely you received, freely give.  Do not take gold, silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for the journey, or an extra tunic, or sandals or staff, for the worker deserves his provisions.  Whenever you enter a town or village, find out who is worthy there and stay with them until you leave.

The word translated weight in although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ is βάρει, a form of βάρος.[8]  βάρει was only used once.  βάρος, and another form βάρη, and their translations in the NET are listed below.

These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship (βάρος) and burning heat of the day.

Matthew 20:12 (NET)
For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place any greater burden (βάρος) on you than these necessary rules…

Acts 15:28 (NET) Table
For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight (βάρος) of glory far beyond all comparison…

2 Corinthians 4:17 (NET)
Carry one another’s burdens (βάρη, another form of βάρος), and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2 (NET)
But to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching (who have not learned the so-called “deep secrets of Satan”), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden (βάρος) on you.

Revelation 2:24 (NET)

Had the word been translated hardship or burden it would have hearkened back to Paul’s more sarcastic and facetious remarks to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 12:13-15a NET):

For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden (κατενάρκησα, a form of καταναρκάω)[9] to you?  Forgive me this injustice!  Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden (καταναρκήσω, another form of καταναρκάω) to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you.  For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.  Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives!

Though the words are different, the concepts are quite similar.  To the Corinthians Paul and his associates were parents who save up and spend for their children (τέκνοις, a form of τέκνον).[10]  To the Thessalonians they were like a nursing mother caring for her own children (τέκνα, another form of τέκνον), with such affection for you we were happy to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.[11]  They treated the Thessalonians as a father treats his own children (τέκνα, another form of τέκνον).[12]

I have not burdened (κατεβάρησα, a form of καταβαρέω)[13] you, Paul continued to address the Corinthians in his second letter.  Yet because I was a crafty person, he wrote facetiously, I took you in by deceit!  I have not taken advantage of you through anyone I have sent to you, have I? he invited them to contradict him.  I urged Titus to visit you and I sent our brother along with him.  Titus did not take advantage of you, did he?  Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit?  Did we not behave in the same way?[14]

For you recall, brothers and sisters, Paul continued to address the Thessalonians in his first letter, our toil and drudgery: By working night and day so as not to impose a burden (ἐπιβαρῆσαι, a form of ἐπιβαρέω)[15] on any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.  You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe.[16]

Earlier Paul had written the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 9:4, 7-12 NET)

Do we not have the right to financial support?…Who ever serves in the army at his own expense?  Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit?  Who tends a flock and does not consume its milk?  Am I saying these things only on the basis of common sense, or does the law not say this as well?  For it is written in the law of Moses, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”  God is not concerned here about oxen, is he?  Or is he not surely speaking for our benefit?  It was written for us, because the one plowing and threshing ought to work in hope of enjoying the harvest.  If we sowed spiritual blessings among you, is it too much to reap material things from you?  If others receive this right from you, are we not more deserving?  But we have not made use of this right.  Instead we endure everything so that we may not be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

The translators of the NET probably know all of this as well, if not better, than I do.  The problem comes, I think, from translating the conjunction ἀλλὰ as instead in this instance, contrasting the two clauses:  although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead (ἀλλὰ)[17] we became little children among you.  What possible contrast could we became little children among you provide to being a burden financially?

Such a contrast makes little sense whether the disputed word νήπιοι (a form of νήπιος)[18] (little children, infants) or ἤπιοι (a form of ἤπιος;[19] gentle) is selected.  I do think the NET translators were right to prefer νήπιοι.[20]  And the mere possibility that one might tease the apostles throwing their weight around out of the Greek here sounds like double entendre.  It alerts my ear to Paul’s facetiousness and hyperbole.  So I consider ἀλλὰ to be magnifying or amplifying the prior clause (yea, moreover) rather than setting up a contrast.

In 2 Corinthians 7:11 (NET), for instance, the Net translators either left ἀλλὰ out of this kind of amplification or translated it what: For see what this very thing, this sadness as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, (ἀλλὰ) what defense of yourselves, (ἀλλὰ) what indignation, (ἀλλὰ) what alarm, (ἀλλὰ) what longing, (ἀλλὰ) what deep concern, (ἀλλὰ) what punishment!  If I apply something similar to 1 Thessalonians 2:7 I get a translation like, “Empowered to be burdensome as Christ’s apostles, yea, we became infants[21] in your midst!”

The actual contrast came next, not unlike the rebuttal of 2 Corinthians 12:16b—Yet (ἀλλὰ) because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit!—in verse 17—I have not taken advantage of you through anyone I have sent to you….  Paul and his associates did not become infants suckling at the breast of the Thessalonian church; they were the nursing mother suckling the church, not because believers in Thessalonica were a burden, but because with such affection for you we were happy to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.[22]

Understood this way, the ordinary situation of the apostles of Christ is that the worker deserves his provisions, as Jesus put it, or to be a burden (κατενάρκησα, a form of καταβαρέω) on the church financially, as Paul implied.[23]  The extraordinary circumstance by contrast was to preach the gospel free of charge (1 Corinthians 9:13-18 NET)

Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar receive a part of the offerings?  In the same way the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel to receive their living by the gospel.  But I have not used any of these rights.  And I am not writing these things so that something will be done for me.  In fact, it would be better for me to die than – no one will deprive me of my reason for boasting!  For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this.  Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!  For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward (μισθὸν, a form of μισθός)[24].  But if I do it unwillingly, I am entrusted with a responsibility.  What then is my reward (μισθός)?  That when I preach the gospel I may offer the gospel free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights in the gospel.

Another consequence of viewing it this way, however, is that Paul might have taken another little gibe at Peter and James (implying that they were like suckling infants) similar to the gibe he took in his first letter to the Corinthians (though not so whiny):  Do we not have the right to the company of a believing wife, like the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?  Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work?[25]

Back to Fear – Numbers, Part 1

[1] 1 Thessalonians 2:7a (NET)

[3] 2 Corinthians 11:13 (NET)

[5] 2 Corinthians 11:20, 21a (NET)

[7] 2 Corinthians 10:10 (NET)

[11] 1 Thessalonians 2:7b, 8 (NET)

[12] 1 Thessalonians 2:11b (NET)

[14] 2 Corinthians 12:16-18 (NET)

[16] 1 Thessalonians 2:9, 10 (NET)

[19] And the Lord’s slave must not engage in heated disputes but be kind (ἤπιον, another form of ἤπιος) toward all, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. (2 Timothy 2:24, 25a NET)

[20] Note from NET: “The variant ἤπιοι (hpioi, ‘gentle’) has fair support (א2 A C2 D2 Ψc 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï), but νήπιοι (nhpioi, ‘little children’) has significantly stronger backing (Ì65 א* B C* D* F G I Ψ* pc it bo). It is not insignificant that the earliest Alexandrian and Western witnesses in support of ἤπιοι are actually not Alexandrian or Western; they are the second correctors of Alexandrian and Western mss. Such correctors generally follow a Byzantine Vorlage. The reading νήπιοι is thus superior externally. Further, νήπιοι is much harder in this context, for Paul mixes his metaphors (“we became little children in your midst…Like a nursing mother…”). Thus, the scribes would naturally alter this reading to the softer ἤπιοι (‘we became gentle…’). Paul is not known for his consistency of figures, however (cf., e.g., Gal 4:19); hence, the intrinsic evidence points to νήπιοι as original. On the other hand, it is possible that νήπιοι was caused by dittography with the preceding -μεν (-men). It is even possible that νήπιοι was caused by an error of hearing right from the beginning: The amanuensis could have heard the apostle incorrectly. But such a supposition cuts both ways; further, Paul would no doubt have corrected the reading in the ms before it was sent out. If so, one would surely have expected both earlier witnesses on the side of ἤπιοι and perhaps a few first correctors to have this reading. The reading ‘little children’ thus stands as most probably original. (For an extended discussion of this problem, see J. A. D. Weima, ‘“But We Became Infants Among You”: The Case for NHPIOI in 1 Thess 2.7,’ NTS 46 [2000]: 547-64; T. B. Sailors, ‘Wedding Textual and Rhetorical Criticism to Understand the Text of 1 Thessalonians 2.7,’ JSNT 80 [2000]: 81-98.)”

[21] νήπιοι, the same word as, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh,  as infants (νηπίοις) in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1 NET).

[22] 1 Thessalonians 2:8 (NET)

[23] 2 Corinthians 12:13 (NET)

[25] 1 Corinthians 9:5, 6 (NET)

Romans, Part 47

Posted on by

If [the gift] is contributing (μεταδιδοὺς, a form of μεταδίδωμι),[1] Paul continued to list the different gifts (χαρίσματα, a form of χάρισμα) we have according to the grace given to us,[2] he must do so with sincerity (ἁπλότητι, a form of ἁπλότης).[3]  In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,[4] Luke recounted in his Gospel narrative, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.  He went into all the region around the Jordan River, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.[5]  He included what seems like a sample of John’s preaching to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him[6] (Luke 3:7-9 NET):

“You offspring of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don’t begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’  For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones!  Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

In Mathew’s Gospel account however this tirade was ignited when John saw many Pharisees[7] and Sadducees[8] coming to his baptism,[9] the religious and political leaders at the time Jesus began his earthly ministry.  For I can testify that they are zealous for God, Paul wrote of at least his fellow Pharisees, but their zeal is not in line with the truth.  For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.  For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.[10]

So the crowds were asking, Luke’s Gospel narrative continued, “What then should we do?”  John answered them, “The person who has two tunics must share (μεταδότω, another form of μεταδίδωμι) with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.”[11]  It is a beautiful contrast.  Those who ignored the righteousness that comes from God and sought instead to establish their own righteousness were given a rule and an ultimatum, “Share or be cut down and thrown into the fire!”  Those who receive the Lord Jesus, the righteousness that comes from God, are given a gift of contributing, to make Israel jealous.[12]

The one who steals must steal no longer, Paul wrote the church at Ephesus, rather he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he may have something to share (μεταδιδόναι, another form of μεταδίδωμι) with the one who has need.[13]  There is an implicit assumption here that the believing thief in Ephesus would have the gift of contributing, and that he should acquire something to satisfy that God-given desire to share by doing good with his own hands rather than stealing from others.  That this gift of contributing comes from God was very important to Paul (1 Thessalonians 2:3-5 NET).

For the appeal (παράκλησις)[14] we make does not come from error or impurity or with deceit, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts.  For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed – God is our witness…

This appeal Paul mentioned (literally, exhortation) is nothing less than the ministry of reconciliation: all these things are from God, Paul wrote the Corinthians, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation.  In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation.  Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us.  We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!”[15]

For Paul to accept financial support (even food and shelter) from anyone, he needed to know that that gift came from God through the gift of contributing.  There could be no suspicion that the giver was attempting to pay, or felt obligated to pay, Paul for salvation, reconciliation to God through Christ.  This idea of a man standing before a congregation saying, “Give money to me and God will give money to you,” is a pyramid scam, a crime and a lie that has no place in the ministry of reconciliation, all “success stories” notwithstanding.  In fact, the “success stories” shill for the scam artist not for God, and bring equal shame to the ministry.  But I suspect that those who fall for such things also care more for money than they do for reconciliation with God.

Jesus said, “don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’  For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”[16]  I notice that Jesus did not say above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness and give money to a religious scam artist and all these things will be given to you as well.  So I trust Jesus rather than religious scam artists.

My point is certainly not that all clergy are scam artists or that all giving is a religious work to be assiduously avoided.  So it’s probably only fair to comment how I decide to give.  How do I distinguish between a desire to pay, or payback, and the gift of contributing?  First, I pay for many things.  That is much more on the path of righteousness than stealing them, for instance.  And I pay back many things.  If a coworker takes me to lunch I pick up the check next time.  But I don’t consider these activities as giving or contributing.  I don’t even consider giving to causes or ministries contributing in this sense.  I care about certain things, I give money to those things I care about.  It is a matter of self-interest.  The real issue for me was alms-giving.

I travel quite a bit into urban areas where there are many people seeking alms.  (I’m using this archaic term deliberately because beggar has such a nasty derogatory connotation.)  Actually, the problem became more acute when I moved into an urban area.  I carry cash for tips when I travel but generally do not at home.  I quickly learned to carry some but often faced the very same people on the same corner of the street.

Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you,[17] Jesus said.  Given all we’d been through together, I didn’t want to turn that into a law I obeyed without thought or spiritual input.  But neither did I want to become one of the judges with evil motives[18] James warned about.  Paul’s attitude helped me out here.  The gift of contributing is apparently not limited to financial giving.  Like a nursing mother caring for her own children, with such affection for you we were happy to share (μεταδοῦναι, another form of μεταδίδωμι) with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.[19]

Though here Paul was happy to share…the gospel of God with the Thessalonians, I was familiar with a different take on this subject that I related to the gift of contributing:  For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this.[20]  So, if I can walk by someone on the street without giving alms, I do so.  If I can’t, I give.  If I have a moment’s doubt about it, I err on the side of giving.  Maybe I just bought someone more drugs or alcohol, but if I passed by without contributing I might have deprived someone (or their child) of a meal.  And more often than not the recipient—no matter how shabbily dressed, dirty or smelly—has prayed aloud that God would bless me for the relative pittance I handed him or her.

For I long to see you, Paul wrote the Romans before he had been to Rome, so that I may impart (μεταδῶ, another form of μεταδίδωμι) to you some spiritual gift (χάρισμα) to strengthen you…[21] I included this because it shocked me at first, as if Paul were claiming authority to give χάρισμα to people.  But he went on to explain, that is, that we may be mutually comforted (συμπαρακληθῆναι, a form of συμπαρακαλέω)[22] by one another’s faith, both yours and mine.[23]  So I saw it as a further expansion of the meaning of the gift of contributing.  Even that desire to be with others of faith, to encourage them and be encouraged by them, comes from God’s χάρισμα.

Through the evidence of this service (διακονίας, a form of διακονία),[24] Paul wrote the Corinthians, they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity (ἁπλότητι, a form of ἁπλότης) of your sharing with them and with everyone.[25]  I included this to begin to look at ἁπλότητι, translated sincerity in—if [the gift] is contributing, he must do so with sincerity[26]—and generosity here.  At first I wondered why ἁπλότητι wasn’t translated generosity in Romans, but as I studied the ninth chapter of 2 Corinthians that question reversed.

For it is not necessary for me to write you about this service (διακονίας, another form of διακονία) to the saints,[27] Paul began this portion of his letter to the Corinthians.  And, the service (διακονία) of this ministry (λειτουργίας, a form of λειτουργία,[28] literally “a public office which a citizen undertakes to administer at his own expense”) is not only providing for the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God.[29]  Three times (in 2 Corinthians 9:1, 12, 13 NET) he described the gift of contributing as a ministry not unlike the ministry (διακονίαν, another form of διακονία) of reconciliation.[30]  In other words, it should be taken seriously.

I know your eagerness to help (προθυμίαν, a form of προθυμία),[31] he wrote again about that inner compulsion from God.  Paul had boasted about them to the Macedonians, and your zeal to participate (ζῆλος)[32] has stirred up most of them.[33]  But he was concerned if some from Macedonia accompanied him to Corinth whether the boast would prove to be true.  Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution (εὐλογίαν, a form of εὐλογία)[34] you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift (εὐλογίαν, a form of εὐλογία) and not as something you feel forced to do (πλεονεξίαν, a form of πλεονεξία).[35]

The Greek word εὐλογίαν was translated generous contribution and generous gift.  Paul was surely talking about the money the Corinthians were gathering, or wanted to gather, to contribute to others.   But he used a word that meant praise, commendation or adoration.  It is the root of our word eulogy.  He said this because his eye was fixed on the thanksgiving to God (v. 11) resulting from their promised gift, which was overflowing with many thanks to God (v. 12), and through which they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ (v. 13).  Even with that in view, especially with that in view, he desired that their giving flowed out from God’s gift of contributing rather than a sense of greediness (πλεονεξίαν, a form of πλεονεξία), not the greediness of others nor their own.

My point is this, Paul continued, The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously (εὐλογίαις, another form of εὐλογία) will also reap generously (εὐλογίαις, another form of εὐλογία).[36]  In other words, one who sows with a view toward the praise, commendation or adoration of God will reap the same from God.  Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart [as compelled by the gift of contributing], not reluctantly (λύπης, a form of λύπη)[37] or under compulsion (ἀνάγκης, a form of ἀναγκή),[38] because God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.[39]

So giving out of that inner compulsion from the Holy Spirit, the gift of contributing, is good.  But giving out of the compulsion of “1) necessity, imposed either by the circumstances, or by law of duty regarding to one’s advantage, custom, argument 2) calamity, distress, straits” with “sorrow, pain, grief, or annoyance” was not what Paul was seeking from the Corinthians.  The latter would be merely money.  Perhaps it would provide for some of the needs of the saints, but it would never be the obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity (ἁπλότητι, a form of ἁπλότης) of your sharing with them and with everyone that would glorify God.  So, I now think sincerity would have been a better translation here as well.  For it is that sincerity of giving out of God’s gift of contributing that secures the promise (2 Corinthians 9:10 NET):

Now God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow.

[2] Romans 12:6 (NET)

[3] Romans 12:8 (NET)

[4] Luke 3:1 (NET)

[5] Luke 3:2, 3 (NET)

[6] Luke 3:7 (NET)

[7] NET note 10: “Pharisees were members of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, Ant. 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.”

[8] NET note 11: “The Sadducees controlled the official political structures of Judaism at this time, being the majority members of the Sanhedrin. They were known as extremely strict on law and order issues (Josephus, J. W. 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164-166]; Ant. 13.5.9 [13.171-173], 13.10.6 [13.293-298], 18.1.2 [18.11], 18.1.4 [18.16-17], 20.9.1 [20.199]; Life 2 [10-11]). See also Matt 16:1-12; 22:23-34; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-38; Acts 5:17; 23:6-8.”

[9] Matthew 3:7 (NET)

[10] Romans 10:2-4 (NET)

[11] Luke 3:10, 11 (NET)

[13] Ephesians 4:28 (NET)

[15] 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (NET)

[16] Matthew 6:31-33 (NET)

[17] Matthew 5:42 (NET) Table

[19] 1 Thessalonians 2:7b, 8 (NET)

[20] 1 Corinthians 9:16a (NET)

[21] Romans 1:11 (NET)

[23] Romans 1:12 (NET)

[25] 2 Corinthians 9:13 (NET)

[26] Romans 12:8 (NET)

[27] 2 Corinthians 9:1 (NET)

[29] 2 Corinthians 9:12 (NET)

[30] 2 Corinthians 5:18 (NET)

[31] 2 Corinthians 9:2a (NET)

[33] 2 Corinthians 9:2b (NET)

[35] 2 Corinthians 9:5 (NET)

[36] 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NET)

[39] 2 Corinthians 9:7, 8 (NET)