II Corinthians 12:14-21 More frustration and sarcasm from Paul. Verse 16 is particularly telling: But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. He didn’t take money for his labors, so his preaching was diminished (in their eyes), and what he did …
Author Archives: Fred
June 5 / II Cor. 12:1-13
II Corinthians 12:1-13 Paul is clearly frustrated with the Corinthians and how easily they have been led astray by these “…most eminent apostles” (v. 11). In my previous years of reading II Corinthians I have wondered about Paul’s “boasting”, especially in these last few chapters that we have been reading. But as we have read, …
June 4 / II Cor. 11:16-33
II Corinthians 11:16-33 Paul continues with his sarcasm directed at the Corinthians’ response to his Corinthian detractors, especially with his phrase “…being wise yourselves”: For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, …
June 3 / II Cor. 11:1-15
II Corinthians 11:1-15 For if 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. (v. 4) Paul is troubled that there are …
June 2 / II Cor. 10:1-18
II Corinthians 10:1-18 A few brief comments as an introduction to chapter 10… A number of Biblical scholars maintain that chapters 10 to 13 are not really a part of the letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthians that we now call II Corinthians. They maintain that these chapters may well be all or part …
June 1 / II Cor. 9:1-15
II Corinthians 9:1-15 More on giving… I think we all know the verse, “…God loves a cheerful giver.” (v. 7b) To know that verse is one thing, to embrace it is another! I can remember how I had serious misgivings whenever I wrote our tithe check to our former church. I was doing what I …
June 2020 Readings
Date Reading(s) Verses 01-Jun II Cor. 9:1-15 15 02-Jun II Cor. 10:1-18 18 03-Jun II Cor. 11:1-15 15 04-Jun II Cor. 11:15-30 15 05-Jun II Cor. 12:1-13 13 06-Jun II Cor. 12:14-21 8 07-Jun II Cor. 13:1-14 14 08-Jun Romans 1:1-15 15 09-Jun Romans 1:16-32 17 10-Jun Romans 2:1-16 16 11-Jun Romans 2:17-29 13 12-Jun …
May 31 / II Cor. 8:16-24
II Corinthians 8:16-24 With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. (v. 18) Immediately I am asking the identity of this brother. My first guess was Silas, but that was only a guess – he had, after all, been a traveling companion of …
May 30 / II Cor. 8:1-15
II Corinthians 8:15 …they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. (v. 5b) Here Paul is speaking of the Macedonians’ contributions toward the financial relief of the Jerusalem church. I understand “giving themselves to the Lord” to mean that they prayed and sought the Lord’s will in …
May 29 / II Cor. 7:1-16
II Corinthians 7:1-16 Today’s reading, in one word: JOY!! I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. (v. 4b) And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. (v. …