I feel a divine jealousy about you, for I betrothed you to Christ, to present you as a pure bride to her one husband.

But even if I am unskilled in speaking, yet I am not [untrained] in knowledge [I know what I am talking about]; but we have made this evident to you in every way, in all things.

Did I do wrong in taking a lowly place to let you have an exalted one, in that I preached the good news about God to you without accepting any pay?

As sure as the truth of Christ is in my heart, no one will stop me from boasting about this [arrangement] throughout the regions of Achaia. [Note: This was the province where Corinth was located].

But what I am doing, I will also do, in order that I may remove the opportunity of those who want an opportunity, that they may be found just as also we [are] in what they are boasting about.

What I am about to say I am not speaking by the Lord's command, but as it were in pure folly, in this boldness of boasting.

Since many [other] people boast about worldly matters, I will boast about such things also.

(To my disgrace I must say that we were too weak for that!) But whatever anyone else dares to boast about (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing.

Apart from these external things, [there is] the pressure on me every day of the anxiety about all the churches.

If it is necessary to boast, I will boast [about] {the things related to my weakness}.

In Damascus the governor under king Aretas, placed guards about the city to seize me:

I must boast, although it does not do any good. Let's talk about visions and revelations from the Lord.

I know a man in [fellowship with] Christ who, fourteen years ago, was taken [literally, "snatched"] up to the third heaven. [Note: The first heaven would be where birds fly; the second where the stars are; and the third where God is]. (I do not know whether he was in his physical body or whether it was an "out-of-the-body" experience, but God knows). [Note: Paul is obviously telling about a personal experience. See verse 7].

I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses.

However, if I did want to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I am not going to do it in order to keep anyone from thinking more of me than what he sees and hears about me.

Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me;

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

So I most happily boast about my weaknesses, so that the strength of Christ may overshadow me. That is why I take such pleasure in weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecution, and difficulties, which I endure for Christ's sake, for it is when I am consciously weak that I am really strong.

But granting that I did not burden you myself, I was clever about it, you say, and took you in by a trick.

For I have a fear that, when I come, you may not be answering to my desire, and that I may not be answering to yours; that there may be fighting, hate, angry feeling, divisions, evil talk about others, secrets, thoughts of pride, outbursts against authority;

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?

not that another one really exists. To be sure, there are certain people who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel about the Messiah.

Preach I man's doctrine or God's? Other go I about to please men? If I studied to please men, I were not the servant of Christ.

For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism, that to an extraordinary degree I was persecuting the church of God, and trying to destroy it,

to reveal his Son in me in order that I would proclaim the gospel [about] him among the Gentiles, immediately I did not consult with flesh and blood,

then, after three years I went up to Jerusalem to enquire about Peter, and remained with him fifteen days,

Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I'm not lying.

They had only heard it said about me, "This person, who had once persecuted us [Christians], is now preaching the faith he once made havoc of."

But when Cephas came to Antioch [of Syria], I confronted him personally [about a matter] for which he deserved to be condemned.

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?

I do not misapply God's grace, for if righteousness comes about by doing what the Law requires, then the Messiah died for nothing.

In order that, unto the nations, the blessing of Abraham, might come about in Jesus Christ, - in order that, the promise of the Spirit, we might receive through means of the faith.

For if the inheritance comes about through the Law, it no longer comes about through the promise. But it was through a promise that God so graciously gave it to Abraham.

Why, then, was the Law added? Because of transgressions, until the descendant came about whom the promise pertained. It was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator.

But before faith came, we were guarded under law, shut up to faith which was about to be revealed.

But now that faith has come about, we are no longer under a guardian.

I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [to the point of exhaustion] over you in vain.

on the contrary, you know that although it was illness which brought about my preaching the gospel to you at my first visit,

Where then is your sense of happiness now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me!

So then, have I [now] become your enemy because I have told you the truth [about your condition]?

They are enthusiastic about you, but not for any good. Instead, they want to isolate you so you will be enthusiastic about them.

Now it is always good to be enthusiastic about good—and not just when I am with you.

but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.

For it is written in the law about Abraham's two sons [Gen. 16]; one [was] by his slave woman [Hagar] and the other by the free woman, [his wife, Sarah].

What does the Scripture say about this matter? [It says, Gen. 21:10-12], "Get rid of the slave woman [Hagar], with her son [Ishmael]; for the son of the slave woman [Ishmael] will not inherit [what God promised to Abraham and his descendants], along with the son of the free woman [i.e., Isaac]."

I am certain about you in the Lord, that you will be of no other mind; but he who is troubling you will have his punishment, whoever he is.

And I say, Walk about in the Spirit, and do not perfect the lust of carnality.

envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Each person must examine his own actions, and then he can boast about his own accomplishments and not about someone else.

For even the circumcised don’t keep the law themselves; however, they want you to be circumcised in order to boast about your flesh.

But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world.

From now on no one should harass me [about such matters] for I carry around on my body the scars [left there in my service] for Christ.

The end [i.e., of being so predetermined] was that we [Jewish Christians], who had previously placed our hope in Christ, should bring about the praise of God's splendor.

You [Gentiles] also, who are in Christ, after having heard the message of truth, the good news about your salvation, and [after] believing in Him, were sealed [i.e., as evidence of ownership] with the promised Holy Spirit. [or, "the Holy Spirit who brings promises"].

He is a down payment of our inheritance, until God's own possession [i.e., His people] receives redemption. [Note: Here "redemption" refers to receiving a new body in heaven]. May this bring about praise to God's splendor.

This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,

which he brought about in the Messiah when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realm.

Above every beginning, and authority, and power, and property, and every name named, not only in this life, but in that about to be:

in which at one time you walked about according to the age of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit which is now working in the sons of disobedience;

It was not the result of your own [good] deeds [See Titus 3:5], so that no one could boast [about it].

At that time you had no connection with Christ, you were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the agreements about God's promise; with no hope and no God in all the world.

by abolishing in His fleshly body the [entire Jewish] law of commandments contained in decrees. [This was] so that He could create in [unity with] Himself one new person [i.e., the church] out of the two peoples [i.e., Jews and Gentiles], thereby bringing about peace [between them].

--if indeed you have heard [about] the stewardship of God's grace given to me for you.

and how this secret was made known to me through a revelation, just as I wrote about briefly in the past.

By reading this you are able to understand my insight about the mystery of the Messiah.

and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things.

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

For it is under His direction that the whole body is perfectly adjusted and united by every joint that furnishes its supplies; and by the proper functioning of each particular part there is brought about the growing of the body for its building up in love.

Therefore I say this, and witness in the Lord, that you no longer walk about as the Gentiles also walk about in the vanity of their mind,

They have stopped caring [i.e., about morality], so God has abandoned them to lives of unrestrained indecency and to engage in all kinds of [moral] impurity, with a constant desire for more.

But that is not how you learned about the Messiah,

if indeed you have heard [about] him, and you were taught by him (just as truth is in Jesus),

and walk about in divine love, as Christ also loved you, and gave himself for you, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweet savor.

But you should not even talk about sexual immorality, or any type of [moral] impurity, or greed. [Note: Possibly "greed" here means "desire for more" of such things]. Such talk is not suitable for saints [i.e., God's holy people].

Stop letting anyone deceive you with groundless arguments about these things, for it is because of these very sins that God's anger comes down upon the disobedient.

For at one time ye were darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk about as children of the light,

Then you will demonstrate [or, "learn about"] a life that is very pleasing to the Lord.

For it is shameful even to speak [about] the things being [done] by them in secret,

Therefore see how you walk about circumspectly, not as unwise, but wise;

This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up by training and instructing them about the Lord.

And as for you masters, act by your servants in the same way, and stop threatening them; be sure that they and you have a Lord and Master in heaven, and there is no partiality about him.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Use every kind of prayer and entreaty, and at every opportunity pray in the Spirit. Be on the alert about it; devote yourselves constantly to prayer for all God's people

Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you, so that you too may know about my circumstances, how I am doing.

I have sent him to you for the very purpose--that you may know about us and that he may encourage you.

It is right for me to feel this way about you, because [you have me in your heart as] I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the good news [regarding salvation], all of you share in [His matchless] grace with me.

As a result, it has become clear to the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that I am in prison for preaching about the Messiah.

So, what [should I think about the situation]? Just this: I am happy and will continue to be happy that, in every way, Christ is being preached, [regardless of] whether it is in pretense or with sincerity.

My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death.

so that, as Christians, you may have additional reason for glorying about me as the result of my being with you again.

Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the faith that comes from the gospel,

having the same struggle which you saw in me and now hear about in me.

Is there anything to be encouraged about by being in [fellowship with] Christ? Is there any comfort from His love? Is there any sharing with the Holy Spirit? [Have you received] any affection and compassion [from Christ]?

Do not be concerned about your own interests, but also be concerned about the interests of others.

You should think about things the way Christ Jesus did.

For it is God Himself whose power creates within you the desire to do His gracious will and also brings about the accomplishment of the desire.

as you hold out [i.e., offer to people] the message of [never ending] life. Then I will have something to boast about on the day of Christ's [return, See 1:6], that I had not run the race for nothing nor had worked for nothing.

Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I also may be encouraged when I hear news about you.

For I have no one like-minded who [will] sincerely be concerned about {your circumstances}.