For, brothers, we would not have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength; so much so that we despaired even of life.

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity; not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God; we have had our conduct in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

But as God is true, our word toward you was not yes and no.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us; by me and Silas and Timothy; was not yes and no, but in Him was, yes!

And I call God as witness to my soul that in order to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth.

Not that we have dominion over your faith, but we are helpers of your joy; for by faith you stand.

But I determined this within myself, that I would not come to you again in grief.

For out of much trouble 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 more abundantly to you.

But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, except in part; so that I not overbear all of you.

so that we should not be overreached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his devices.

I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find Titus my brother. But taking my leave of them, I went from there into Macedonia.

For we are not as many, hawking the Word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, like some, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

it having been made plain that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, not having been written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart.

not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God;

who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.

But if the ministry of death, having been engraved in letters in stone was with glory (so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses because of the glory of his face), which was being done away;

shall not the ministry of the Spirit be with more glory?

And we are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of the thing being done away.

(But their thoughts were blinded; for until the present the same veil remains on the reading of the old covenant, not taken away.) But this veil has been done away in Christ.

Therefore since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not faint.

But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the Word of God, but by the revelation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving ones, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (who is the image of God) should not dawn on them.

For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us;

in every way having been troubled, but not having been hemmed in; having been perplexed, but not utterly at a loss;

having been persecuted, but not having been forsaken; having been thrown down, but not having been destroyed;

For this cause we do not faint; but though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

we not considering the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are not lasting, but the things which are not seen are everlasting.

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

if indeed in being clothed, we shall not be found naked.

For we who are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened; inasmuch as we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed, so that the mortal might be swallowed up by the life.

for we walk by faith, not by sight;

For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but are giving you occasion to glory on our behalf, so that you may have it to answer those boasting in appearance, and not in heart.

whereas God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and putting the word of reconciliation in us.

But working together, we also call on you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

We are in nothing giving cause of stumbling, in no way, so that the ministry may not be blamed,

as unknown and yet well known; as dying and, behold, we live; as chastened and not killed;

You are not restrained in us, but you are restrained in your own affections.

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship does righteousness have with lawlessness? And what partnership does light have with darkness?

Therefore come out from among them and be separated, says the Lord, and do not touch the unclean thing. And I will receive you

I do not speak this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts for us to die together, and to live together.

And not only by his coming, but by the comfort with which he was comforted over you, telling us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced the more.

For even if I grieved you in the letter, I do not regret; if indeed I did regret; for I see that that letter grieved you for an hour.

Now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to God, so that you might suffer loss by nothing in us.

For the grief according to God works repentance to salvation, not to be regretted, but the grief of the world works out death.

Then, though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, nor on account of the one who suffered wrong, but for the sake of revealing our earnestness on your behalf, for you before God.

For if I have boasted anything about you to him, I was not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting as to Titus became truth.

And not as we hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God,

I do not speak according to command, but through the eagerness of others, and testing the trueness of your love.

And in this I give my judgment; for this is profitable for you, who began before, not only to do, but also to be willing a year ago.

For if the eagerness is present, it is acceptable according to what one has, and not according to what one does not have.

For it is not that others may have ease, but you trouble;

but by equality in the present time; your abundance for their need, that their abundance also may be for your need; so that there may be equality;

as it is written, "He gathering much, he had nothing left over; and he gathering little did not have less."

and not only so, but also he having been chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself, and as a witness of your eager mind;

providing for honest things, not only before the Lord, but also before men.

For indeed regarding the ministry to the saints, it is not necessary for me to write to you.

Yet I sent the brothers, lest our boasting (which is on your behalf) should not be in vain, that, as I said, you may be ready.

I say this lest perhaps Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared. We (not to say you) would then be put to shame in this confident boasting.

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brothers that they would go forward to you, and make up beforehand your blessing, it having been promised that this would be ready, thus as a matter of blessing, and not as of covetousness.

Each one, as he purposes in his heart, let him give; not of grief, or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.

For the ministry of this service not only supplies the things lacking of the saints, but also multiplying through many thanksgivings to God,

But I ask, not being present, that I may be bold with the confidence which I think to be daring against some, who thought of us as walking according to flesh.

For though walking about in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.

For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds,

For even if I also should boast somewhat more fully of our authority (which the Lord has given us for building up, and not for pulling you down) I will not be put to shame;

so that I might not seem to terrify you by letters.

For we do not dare to rank or compare ourselves with some of the ones commending themselves. But they, measuring themselves among themselves, and comparing themselves to themselves, are not perceptive.

But we will not boast beyond measure, but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure distributed to us, to reach even to you.

For we do not overstretch ourselves as though not reaching to you. For we also came to you in the gospel of Christ;

not boasting beyond measure in the labors of others, but having hope that the growing faith among you will be increased according to our rule, to overflowing;

to preach the gospel in that beyond you, and not to boast in another's rule in things made ready.

For not he who commends himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.

For if, indeed, the one coming proclaims another Jesus, whom we have not proclaimed, or if you receive another spirit, which you did not receive, or another gospel, which you never accepted, you might well endure these .

But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in every way I have been clearly revealed to you in all things.

And being present with you, and in need, I was not a burden to anyone. For the brothers from Macedonia made up completely my need. And in every way I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will keep myself.

The truth of Christ is in me that this boasting shall not be silenced in me in the regions of Achaia.

Why? Because I do not love you? God knows.

Did not even Satan marvelously transform himself into an angel of light?

What I speak, I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this boldness of boasting.

Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the deep.

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I do not burn?

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I do not lie.

Indeed, it is not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

I know a man in Christ fourteen years before (whether in the body, I do not know; or outside of the body, I do not know; God knows) such a one was caught up to the third Heaven.

And I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I do not know; God knows),

that he was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not allowed for a man to utter.

I will glory of such a one, yet I will not boast on my behalf, except in my weaknesses.

For if I desire to boast, I shall not be foolish. For I will speak the truth. But I spare, lest anyone should think of me as being beyond what he sees me, or hears of me;

For what is it in which you were inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong.

Behold, a third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not burden you, for I do not seek your things, but you. For the children ought not to lay up treasure for the parents, but the parents for the children.

But let it be so, I did not burden you. But being crafty, I caught you with bait.

I begged Titus and sent with him the brother. Did Titus overreach you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

For I fear, lest somehow coming I might not find you as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you might not wish; lest somehow there be strifes, envyings, angers, contentions, backbitings, whisperings, proud thoughts, tumults;

lest in my coming again my God will humble me with you; and I shall mourn many who have already sinned, and not repenting over the uncleanness, and fornication, and lustfulness which they have practiced.

I told you before, and I say beforehand, as being present the second time and being absent now. I write to those who sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare.

Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me (who is not weak toward you, but is powerful in you;

examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith, prove your own selves. Do you not know your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are reprobates?