Paul ends 2 Corinthians with an unexpected challenge: “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves.” Rather than insisting on his own authority, he pushes the Corinthians to look inward. This closing reminder feels less like a rebuke and more like a call to take responsibility for integrity and alignment.

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 8–9 highlight generosity as more than just a financial transaction—it’s a way of connecting people across distance and circumstance. His appeal to the Corinthians frames giving not as charity, but as a reciprocal act of balance and support. Reading this today raises questions about how communities define generosity, and whether joy, duty, or fairness shapes the meaning of a gift.

In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul uses the metaphor of a veil to describe the difference between obscured and clear understanding. The imagery invites reflection on how personal or cultural filters shape what we see and what remains hidden. This passage raises the question: what veils might still be influencing our vision today?