In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it.

We have spoken openly to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide.

For this reason we have been comforted.

In addition to our comfort, we rejoiced even more over the joy Titus had, because his spirit was refreshed by all of you.

For if I have made any boast to him about you, I have not been embarrassed; but as I have spoken everything to you in truth, so our boasting to Titus has also turned out to be the truth.

As it has been written:

The person who gathered much
did not have too much,
and the person who gathered little
did not have too little.

For I know your eagerness, and I brag about you to the Macedonians: “Achaia has been prepared since last year,” and your zeal has stirred up most of them.

so that we may proclaim the good news to the regions beyond you, not boasting about what has already been done in someone else’s area of ministry.

I say this to our shame: We have been weak.

But in whatever anyone dares to boast—I am talking foolishly—I also dare:

I have become a fool; you forced it on me. I should have been endorsed by you, since I am not in any way inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.