I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven.

And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—

was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.

On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.

For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.

For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit.

Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I?

I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit and walk in the same steps?

For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances;

I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced.

I have previously said when present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that if I come again I will not spare anyone,

since you are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?

But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test.

Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved.

For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),

which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.

to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,

But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

(Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.)

But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?

“We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles;

nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”

However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.”

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.

What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.

Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one.

Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything,

However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.

and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them.

But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you.

Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?

For it is written,
“Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear;
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;
For more numerous are the children of the desolate
Than of the one who has a husband.”

But what does the Scripture say?
“Cast out the bondwoman and her son,
For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”

So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.

do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;

far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;

Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

But you did not learn Christ in this way,

Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

and do not give the devil an opportunity.

He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;

and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

Therefore do not be partakers with them;

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.

For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.

But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;

For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.

and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,