therefore, if any man be a christian, he is in a new creation: the old state of things is chang'd to one entirely new.

for he hath made him who knew no sin to be a sin-offering for us, that we might be justified by God thro' him.

and peace be to you from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are you not become associates with infidels? but what affinity is there between virtue and vice? and what communication has light with darkness?

but he said to me, "my favour is sufficient for thee: for my strength is shown to be perfect by thy weakness." with pleasure therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may be seen to dwell in me.

to those unbelievers, whose minds the God of this world has so blinded, that the glorious lustre of the gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, does not enlighten them.

but as we lay aside the veil, the divine light gradually informs the mind, according as we attend to that spiritual sense, which points out the Lord.

Blessed be the God, and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, and the God of all consolation:

the favour of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communication of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. amen.

for we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ; that every one may receive the retribution, according as his actions in the body were either good or evil.

It is by Christ that I have this confidence in God.

and I wrote to you upon that disagreeable subject, that when I came, I might not receive uneasiness from those from whom I ought to receive comfort, being persuaded that you will all think yourselves interested to promote my satisfaction.

for you are sensible of the beneficence of our Lord Jesus Christ; powerful as he was, for your sake he became poor, that you through his poverty might be made rich.

now he that furnishes seed to the sower, and bread for food, shall furnish and multiply what you sow, and increase the fruits of your liberality.

remember, " he who sows sparingly, shall reap also sparingly: and he who sows bountifully, shall reap also bountifully."

let every man give as he is disposed in his own mind, without any regret or reluctance: for God loves a cheerful benefactor.

Now this is all owing to God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath made us the ministers of this reconciliation;

for which cause I am not discouraged, but tho' my body decays, yet my mind is daily renewed.

for the spiritual meaning of the law centers in him, and the spirit of the law is gospel-liberty:

contemptible) let such a one depend upon this, that the same authority which appear'd in my letters, when I was absent, will appear in fact, when I am present.

to this I am urg'd by the love I bear to Christ, persuaded as I am, that if one died for all, then were all in a dying state: and that he died for all,

to level all the barriers they contrive for obstructing the divine doctrine, and to make their pride captive to the authority of Christ.

for it is God that has reconciled the world to himself, by Jesus Christ, by not imputing their sins to them; and hath committed to us the gospel of reconciliation.

but this I do, and shall do, to make them drop their hire, who are so bent upon hire: and then indeed they will be as they pretend to be, like me.

For tho' I was sorry my letter gave you some uneasiness, I do not repent of it, perceiving, that the uneasiness you had from that letter, did not dwell upon your minds.

For I know, that if my body, which is but a tent for my sojourning upon earth, were dissolved, I have what is not fram'd by human art, but by the divine architect, a mansion eternal in the heavens.

and lest I should be exalted above measure by the extraordinary revelations I have had, I was afflicted in my person, so that the messenger of satan insulted me; concerning which,

since then, we have these promises, my dear brethren, let us cleanse our selves from all impurity, whether of body or mind, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

and no wonder; for satan himself may put on the appearance of an angel of light.

(for I regulate my conduct by my future expectations, not by visible enjoyments:

we then are ambassadors for Christ, and 'tis God who makes you the offers by us: we pray you in the name of Christ, to make your peace with God.

but this treasure is lodg'd in such earthen vessels as we are, that the exceeding efficacy of it may appear to be from God, and not from us.

Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; bring yourselves to the proof; are you so little acquainted with yourselves, as not to know whether Jesus Christ be in you? but if you are destitute of proofs,

I must acquaint you, brethren, with the contribution which the churches of Macedonia have religiously made,

for I dare not rank or compare my self with some who vaunt themselves: but they making their self-conceit the only standard whereby to judge of themselves, show their want of judgment.

for tho' I am involv'd with the world, I don't sustain the war with their poor arts:

but I fear lest by some means or other, as Eve was beguiled by the subtilly of the serpent, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is due to Christ.

for God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to enlighten others in the knowledge of the glory of God, which shines in the person of Jesus Christ.

by the preaching of truth, by the power of God, by the arms of justice, both offensive and defensive.

our military arms are not so defective, but divinely effectual to demolish all their ramparts;

for these are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguised so as to pass for true apostles.

but thanks be to God, who maketh me triumph, thro' Christ, and spreads his healing doctrine by me, in eevery place:

so that being enriched in every thing, you may be continually beneficent to the glory of God by our thanksgiving.

for he saith, " I have heard thee in a favourable time, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee." now this is the favourable time; this is that day of salvation.

for religious sorrow produces that salutary repentance, which we never regret: but worldly sorrow preys upon life.

for I have no regard to the things which are visible, but to such as are invisible: since visible things are temporary, but the invisible are eternal.

who also hath enabled me to be a minister of the new covenant, not of the literal sense, but of the spiritual meaning: it is the letter that denounces death, but the spirit gives life.

for as I have greatly suffered for Christ, so I have been greatly comforted thro' Christ.

in this I only advise you: it being for your credit, since you have not only begun to execute it, but you were the first that form'd the design a year ago.

for in what were ye inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? an injury I hope you will easily forgive.

) in this assurance, I say, I think it best to be quit of this body, and be present with the Lord.

wherefore come out from among them, be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

but if our gospel be obscure, it is so only to those who are lost:

for I am jealous over you with religious jealousy: since I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

now I rejoice, not at your uneasiness, but at your repentance which succeeded: for your sorrow was a religious sorrow, such as convinc'd you I had done you no wrong.

Therefore, having by the divine favour such a ministry, I exert myself:

and the hopes I had of you continue still the same, knowing that as you have had your share of suffering, so you will likewise have of consolation.

and God is able to make every charitable gift redound to your advantage; that being always sufficiently supply'd in every thing, you may excel in every good work:

but whether I am afflicted, it is for your consolation and relief, which is effected by your perseverance, patiently enduring the same sufferings which I also undergo: or whether I am comforted, it is for your consolation and relief.

Wherefore, henceforth I have no regard to any man for his external appearance: for tho' I formerly look'd for worldly grandeur in the Messiah, yet now I see things in another light.

for the light affliction, which I at present suffer, will be infinitely over-ballanced by an eternal weight of glory;

I knew a christian who above fourteen years ago, was snatch'd up even to the third heaven, whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knows.

Have not I reason to glory? for now I shall mention my visions and revelations from the Lord.

This is the third time I purposed to come to you; but I will not be burdensome to you; for I seek not yours, but you: since it is not expected children should lay up for their parents, but parents for their children: on the contrary,

being assisted by your prayers for me, so that thanks may be returned by many, for the gracious deliverance procur'd me by their prayers.

for I do not stretch beyond my limits to take you in; since in preaching the gospel of Christ, we are advanced even to you.

and he did deliver me from so terrible a death, and on him I have relied for further deliverance: especially,

I say it again, let no man think me vain; but if they do, yet as such, bear with me, that I too may applaud my self a little.

in honour and disgrace, under infamy, and in repute: look'd upon as an impostor, while I say what is true;

In reality, we writ nothing to you, but what you may perceive by the reading, and I trust you ever will perceive.

so that I may preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not assume the credit of things ready prepared to my hand, in another man's province.

Pray then, dispatch this affair; as you readily undertook it, as readily perform it, to the best of your abilities.

for not he that commendeth himself, but he whom the Lord commendeth, is the approved.

for the execution of this charitable office, does not only supply the necessities of the converts, but by the thanksgivings of many redounds also to the glory of God.

therefore it is not strange if his agents are so disguised as to appear like ministers of the gospel; but their end shall be answerable to their actions.

nay, I abandon'd my self to death, that I might not rely upon my self for deliverance, but on God who raiseth the dead.

for what a man gives with a ready mind, according to his abilities, is well received; but not when he goes beyond his circumstances.

but he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

God is my witness, I never prevaricated with you.

having this proof of you by such a supply, they will glorify God for your profess'd subjection to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution to them as well as others;

'tis observable, even this religious sorrow which you had, what solicitude has it not wrought in you, what apologies, what indignation, what fear, what desire, what zeal, yea, what revenge! so that by your whole conduct, ye have shown your selves to be clear from guilt in this matter.

not to call upon you as I pass into Macedonia, but in my return from thence, to be conducted by you toward Judea.

But thanks be to God, who disposed Titus to be so industrious for you.

as some of you have already own'd, that I am matter of joy to you, as you will be to me in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ:

my meaning is not, that you should be distress'd to relieve others, I only recommend an equality;

for if I glory even to transport, my glorying is in God: if I am moderate, my glorying is for your service.

now if the law engraven on stone, the letter of whose sanction is death, was delivered with such glory, that the children of Israel could not steadily behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, tho' it was transient;

for out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears; not to make you uneasy, but to make you sensible of the overflowing tenderness which I have for you.

in this confidence I purposed to visit you before now, (that you might have again the like satisfaction)

and mark'd me with his seal, and given me the earnest of the spirit in my heart.

as unknown, and yet celebrated; as dying, and yet I am alive; as chastised, but not slain;

as it is written, " he that had much, had nothing over, and he that had little, had no lack."

I don't assume to myself the credit of other men's labours in another province, but hope, that when your faith is increased, the bounds now prescribed will be enlarged by you yet farther;

wherefore, my writing to you so severely did not proceed from any prejudice to him, that had done the wrong, or from favour to him that suffered wrong, but to show my conscientious regard to your welfare.

was this design therefore the effect of levity? or do I design first one thing, and then another, as it best suits my worldly interest?

that as your present sufficiency supplies their wants, their sufficiency may supply your occasions another way: and thus there will be an equality.

shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious?

what, did I make a gain of you by any body I sent to you?

so that I am not ashamed of the commendations I have formerly given you to him; but as I have always preached the truth to you, so in my commendation to Titus, I have said nothing but truth of you.

what I say, I say it not as an apostle, but as it were to indulge my vanity in this matter of boasting.

and this I say, not to commend myself again unto you, but to give you an occasion of glorying on my account, that you may confront those who make a false show of glorying.

and you will have the advantage of their earnest prayers, for the exceeding favour God has bestowed upon them by you:

I call God to witness, and may I die if it is not true, that the reason of my not coming yet to Corinth, was to avoid using any severity towards you.

always bearing about in my body the marks of sufferings like those of Jesus, so that Jesus might be plainly prov'd to be alive by the sufferings of my body.

persecuted, but not forsaken; dejected, but not destroyed;

for what I, and Timothy, and Silvanus preached concerning Jesus Christ, the son of God, is not inconsistent, but invariably the same.

so that your comfort was no small satisfaction to me: yea, and I was the more exceedingly pleased for that cheerful tranquillity of mind which Titus received from the behaviour of you all.

The affliction I have had, comes only from a particular quarter, so that my resentment does not affect the whole church.

not that I would arbitrarily prescribe what you should believe, but rather encourage you to go on: for 'tis by faith you have stood.

I shall be glad to sacrifice myself and all I have for your service, even tho' it should happen that the more I love you, the less I should be beloved.

with whom I have sent one of the brethren, who is not only distinguish'd among all the churches, by his preaching the gospel,

for if the ministration of condemnation was illustrious, the ministration of righteousness will be much more glorious.

'tis own'd I did not put you to any charges myself: but was so crafty, as to over-reach you, by others.

if that which was only temporary was glorious, much more shall that which is permanent be glorious.

as if I was inferior to them. but whatever they pretend to, (I must be so vain) I pretend to the like.

for as wise as you are your selves, you easily bear with the folly of others.

as sorrowful, though always cheerful; as poor, tho' inriching many; as having nothing, though contented with every thing.

do you think I have been making excuses for not coming? as I am a christian, in the presence of God, I have, my beloved, in every thing consulted your advantage.

since many glory in outward advantages, I will glory too.

for as long as I live I shall be exposed to death for the sake of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest by the preservation of our mortal life.

I who am a person of a mean presence, when among you, but exert myself upon your account, when absent; I Paul intreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, not to let me exert that authority,

I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother: did Titus make a gain of you? didn't we follow the same principles, and take the same measures?

since that which distinguished the first had no glory, when compared to that of the other, which far excell'd it.

while I am thus incas'd, I groan with desire to have that celestial vehicle superinduc'd:

yet I fear when I do come I shall not find you such as I would, and that you will find me such as you least desire: I am afraid there are among you debates, envyings, animosities, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, arrogance, tumults:

O Corinthians, my heart is so full, my tongue cannot be silent:

and I am afraid, God will humble me when I come again among you, and I shall bewail many who have formerly sinned, and have not yet repented of their impurity, their fornication, and dissoluteness.

if a man impose upon you, if he preys upon you, if he makes a gain of you, if a man insults you, if he disgracefully assaults you, I mean it as to their reproaches, you take it all;

I have sent likewise another of our brethren, whose diligence I have experienc'd in several affairs.

from the Jews I have five times received forty stripes save one.

Are they Hebrews? so am I: are they Israelites? so am I: are they of the race of Abraham?

besides, their minds were greatly prejudiced: for that very veil would still have obstructed the understanding of the old testament, unless it had been taken away by Christ.

the punishment, which was inflicted by the community, is sufficient on this occasion.

I address myself to you as a parent, be not you wanting in the returns of filial respect to me.

and his affection to you is abundantly increased, whilst he remembers your obedience, and that fear and reverence with which you all received him.

now he that hath prepared us for this very state, is God, who hath given us the spirit as a pledge of it.

we that are in this tabernacle do groan under the burden of it: not that we desire to be divested of it, but we desire to have our celestial body, that this mortal state may vanish into immortality.

what concord can Christ maintain with Belial? what concern has a believer with an infidel?

but was chosen by the churches to accompany me with this collection; which service I undertook for the sake of Christ, and to encourage your generous design.

wherefore show how much you love them, and how well you deserve the character I gave you, before all the churches.

expos'd to toil, to fatigue, to frequent watchings, to hunger and thirst, to frequent fastings, to cold and penury.

in my voyages I have been frequently in perils from rivers, in perils from robbers, in perils from my own countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the country, in perils at sea, in perils among false brethren;

this I did, to prevent any suspicion that might be rais'd from my having the management of so great a sum:

my having therefore such an entire confidence in you, does agreeably affect me.

and do not act as Moses did, who threw a veil over his face so as to hinder the children of Israel from perceiving the end of that which was to cease:

for he not only complyed with my exhortation, but being more than ordinarily concern'd, he voluntarily went to you;

our affections are as enlarged towards you, as yours are contracted towards us.

in Damascus the governor for king Aretas, posted guards at the city-gates, with a design to apprehend me:

tho' should I be divested of this body, I shall not even then be destitute of one.

besides these troubles from without, that which crouds upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

wherefore, pray, convince him of your affection to him:

knowing that he who raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up me also by Jesus, and shall present me with you:

always considering what is virtuous, with respect to God, and with respect to men.

to whom you forgive any thing, I also forgive: for if I have forgiven any thing, I forgave it, for your sakes (as Christ is

so that I suffer the influences of his death, while you only feel the effects of his life.

who tho' labouring under great trial of affliction, and extreme poverty, have notwithstanding with exceeding cheerfulness contributed very liberally: being forward of themselves to the utmost of their power,

now as to Titus, he is my collegue, and assists me in your affairs: as to our brethren, they are the deputies of the churches, and the glory of the christian profession.

(for 'tis objected that my letters are weighty and powerful, but my bodily presence weak, and my preaching

Receive me as one who has wronged no man, who has corrupted no man, who has defrauded no man.

for I know your generous propensity, and I mention'd it with applause to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; so that your zeal has influenc'd many others.

nevertheless, when Moses is read, the veil upon their mind continues unto this day:

when I am present, which I think to exercise against some, who censure me, as if I was actuated by worldly views.

When an opportunity was given me by the Lord to preach the gospel of Christ, upon my arrival at Troas,

but when their mind shall turn to the Lord, that veil too shall be taken away.

for when I came to Macedonia, I had no respit from the trouble that beset me on every side: oppositions from without, and apprehensions within.

you are my epistle, your conversion being writ in. my heart, known and read by all men:

I use indeed great freedom of speech toward you, yet I greatly glory upon your account: I am filled with comfort, and my joy is still superiour to all my affliction.

I thought it therefore necessary to counsel the brethren to go before, and settle the management of the contribution by this previous notice, that it might have such dispatch, as shows a bountiful, and not a niggardly temper.

and in this they out-did my expectation; such was the divine pleasure, they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then made me an offer to go themselves to Corinth.

I don't mean to prescribe to you, but that the zeal of others may show you are as sincerely well-affected.

for all things are for your sakes, that the grace which was conferr'd upon many, might by the gratitude of so many, redound to the glory of God.

so that now you ought rather to forgive, and comfort him, for fear he should be overwhelm'd by an excess of sorrow.

But I purposed in my self, I would not be the occasion of any uneasiness to you when I come again.

earnestly intreating me to take the gift, and the charge of conveying it to the converts at Jerusalem:

nevertheless, God who comforteth those that are cast down, gave me comfort by the arrival of Titus: not barely by his presence,

I therefore desired Titus, as he had begun, to finish this contribution among you.

(I bear them witness) yea, and beyond their power:

Am I become vain? 'tis you have forc'd me to it: for I ought to have been commended by you: since I am not inferior to the chiefest of the apostles, tho' in myself I am nothing.

as it is written, " he hath distributed, he hath given to the poor: his liberality remaineth for ever."

yet have I sent the brethren, that my character of you may not appear to be groundless, with respect to that part wherein I said, ye would be ready:

Do ye judge of things by the outward appearance? if any man is confident in himself, that he is Christ's, let him from himself conclude too, that as he is Christ's, even so are we.

and I am prepar'd, when you have discharg'd your duty, to make examples of the rest for their disobedience.

but by the consolation I received from you by him, when he acquainted me with your earnest desire to see me, with your concern, and your zeal for me; which greatly increas'd my joy.

I speak not this to your reproach: for I have already assured you, that I am so heartily well affected to you, I could live and die with you.

for this was one view I had in writing, to have this trial of you, whether you are intirely obedient.

for though I should more than ever magnify my authority, which the Lord hath given us for your improvement, and not for your ruin, I should have no reason to be ashamed;

but that I may not seem as if I would strike a terror in you by letters:

for if the Macedonians should come with me, and find you unprepared, how shall I, not to say you, be ashamed for having had so little ground to boast of you?

this I know, that he was snatch'd up into paradise, and heard such secrets as it is not lawful for a man to reveal.

as for us, we give no occasion of offence, that our ministry may not be blamed:

and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God has said, "I will dwell with, and walk among them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

but tho' I don't know whether it was in the body, or out of the body, which God only knows,

Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the divine appointment, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God, which is at Corinth, with all the christians throughout Achaia: favour,

by the one my preaching is taken as a deadly poison, to the other it is a reviving potion. and who is so sufficient for such a commission?

for we preach not our selves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, professing our selves your servants for his sake.

thrice was I whip'd with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I was shipwreck'd; a night and a day I was floating on the deep:

I besought the Lord thrice, to make him leave me.

for all the promises of God do center in him, and are verifyed by him to the glory of God by our preaching.

I am press'd on every side, yet not crush'd; perplexed, but not in despair;

This is the third time I am coming to you: "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."

why should I make you uneasy, for who then could give me comfort, but those to whom I give uneasiness?

but in all things I approve myself as the minister of God, by great constancy in afflictions, in torments, in distresses, from stripes,

I was so uneasy in my mind for not finding Titus my brother, that taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

now it is God who keeps you fix'd in the doctrine of Christ; who has appointed me,

Invested then with such a commission, I beseech you let not the offers of divine favour be made to you in vain.

Shall I then, who know this terrible judgment of the Lord, endeavour to appease men? as for God, I am approved by him, and I trust also you are convinced of my being so approved.

Having by the same spirit the same faith as David had when he said, "I believed, and therefore have I spoken:" I also believe, and therefore I speak;

Having then such an opinion of my ministry, I use great plainness of speech.

witness) lest satan should have got some advantage of us: for we are apprized of his artifices.

that as you excel in every thing, in faith, in language, mystical knowledge, in all virtue, and in your affection to us; I hope you will excel too in this charitable disposition.

If I have degraded myself for your advantage by preaching the holy gospel to you gratis, is that such a trespass?

For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of that insupportable weight of affliction that over-whelm'd me so in Asia that I despaired even of life:

not that I am sufficient of myself to effect any thing by the strength of my own reason: but my sufficiency is from God.

that they who are in a state of life should not live at their own discretion, but to the service of him who died for them, and rose again.

if he that is come to you, preaches another Jesus whom I have not preached, or if ye receive other gifts of the spirit, than what ye have received from me, or another gospel, than what you have accepted, you might well bear with his pretensions:

If I must be compell'd to glory, I will glory on the account of my sufferings.

wherefore I studiously endeavour, whether staying in it, or departing out of it, to be acceptable to him.

I might glory in being the man; but I will not glory in any thing relating to myself, unless it be my sufferings.

I solemnly protest, no man shall hinder me of this applause, in the regions of Achaia.

Finally, brethren, be cheerful: redress yourselves, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

therefore being always certainly assur'd that whilst I sojourn in this body, I am absent from the Lord,

so am I: are they ministers of Christ? is it my vanity? I am more so: in toilsome labours I surpass them, in stripes I am exceedingly beyond them, in prisons I have been oftner, and frequently in the very jaws of death.

for this is to me matter of glorying, the testimony of my conscience, that without artifice, and with religious sincerity, not by worldly wisdom, but by God's favourable assistance I have behaved my self towards all men, but more particularly to you.

I take pleasure then in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am afflicted, then it is I have fortitude.

tho' if I had a mind to glory, I might do it without vanity, for I should say nothing but what is true: but now I forbear, lest any man should ascribe more to me than my actions, or my preaching can justify.

for I think I am not at all inferior to the chiefest of the apostles.

who comforteth me in all my tribulations, that I may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith I myself am comforted of God.

for we are not like others, who adulterate the word of God; but we preach the pure gospel of Christ, as I receiv'd it from God, and as in the presence of God.

if my language is inelegant, my knowledge is not contemptible; but has been fully display'd among you on all occasions.

I approve myself, by chastity, by knowledge, by meekness, by kindness, by sanctity of mind, by undisguised benevolence,

I will not boast of any thing done without my province, but confine myself within that line by which God has mark'd out my bounds, and in which you are included.

the ever-blessed God, and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, knows that I speak truth.

Do I begin again to commend my self? or need I, as some others, commendatory letters to you, or from you?

who is afflicted, and I not suffer? who is offended, and I not inflam'd?

renouncing all secret dishonesty, and void of all artifice, I deliver the word of God unadulterated, and recommend my self by urging the truth home to every man's conscience, as in the presence of God.

from imprisonments, from tumults, from labours, from watchings, from penury.

which shows you to be the epistle of Christ, written by my ministration, not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on living tables of the heart.

thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

for God is pleased to accept my christian labours, in favour both of those who are in a saving, and of those who are in a ruinous state:

why so? is it because I love you not? far otherwise, God knows.

Would you could bear with me a little in my vanity, but indeed you do bear with me.

the marks indeed of an apostle I have shown among you by my extreme patience, by signs, and prodigies, and miracles.

all the converts salute you.

for tho' he was crucified with the appearance of weakness, yet he lives by the power of God; tho' we are afflicted upon his account, we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

As to the relief of the converts, it is superfluous for me to write to you.

I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

by taking wages of other churches, I may have injured them, to do you service.

when I was present among you, and in want, I was chargeable to no man: for the brethren which came from Macedonia, supplied my necessities: and as I have, so I always shall keep myself from being burdensome to you.

salute one another with religious affection.

since you demand a proof of my mission from Christ, who with regard to you has shown no want of power among you.

I told you once before, and now being absent I write to forewarn you and all that have sinned, that when I shall arrive, I will not spare them;

now I pray God that I may not punish you; not that I may show you my proofs to your cost, but that by your acting honestly, I may be as if I had no proofs:

these things therefore I write to you being absent, that when I come I may not use severity, according to the power which the Lord hath given me for edification, and not for destruction.

for I can employ no power against the truth, but for the truth.

I am therefore glad when I am disarm'd by the strength of your integrity: and this is what I pray for, even your perfection.

I trust you shall know that we are not so destitute,

but thro' a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and so escap'd.