Seeing that we have such promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and grow up to full holiness in the fear of God.

I speak not this to condemn you: for I have showed you before that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.

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.

Nevertheless God, that comforteth the abject, comforted us at the coming of Titus.

And not with his coming only: but also with the consolation wherewith he was comforted of you. For he told us your desire, your mourning, your fervent mind to me ward: So that I now rejoice the more.

Wherefore though I made you sorry with a letter I repent not: though I did repent. For I perceive that that same Epistle made you sorry though it were but for a season.

But I now rejoice, not that ye were sorry, but that ye so sorrowed, that ye repented.

For ye sorrowed godly: so that in nothing were ye hurt by us. For godly sorrow causeth repentance, unto salvation not to be repented of: when worldly sorrow causeth death.

Behold what diligence this godly sorrow that ye took hath wrought in you: yea it caused you to clear yourselves. It caused indignation, it caused fear, it caused desire, it caused a fervent mind, it caused punishment. For in all things ye have showed yourselves that ye were clear in that matter.

Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that did hurt, neither for his cause that was hurt: but that our good mind which we have toward you in the sight of God, might appear unto you

Therefore we are comforted, because ye are comforted: yea and exceedingly the more joyed we, for the joy that Titus had: because his spirit was refreshed of you all.

I am therefore not now ashamed, though I boasted myself to him of you. For as all things which I preached unto you are true, even so is our boasting - that I boasted myself to Titus withal - found true.

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

I rejoice that I may be bold over you in all things.

We want you to know, brothers, about God's grace that was given to the churches of Macedonia.

how that the abundance of their rejoicing is, that they are tried with much tribulation. And thereto, though they were exceeding poor, yet have they given exceeding richly, and that in singleness.

I can testify that by their own free will they have given to the utmost of their ability, yes, even beyond their ability.

and prayed us with great instance, that we would receive their benefit, and suffer them to be partakers with others in ministering to the saints.

We did not expect that! They gave themselves to the Lord first and then to us, since this was God's will.

so that we could not but desire Titus to accomplish the same benevolence among you also, even as he had begun.

Now therefore, as ye are rich in all parts, in faith, in word, in knowledge, in all ferventness, and in love, which ye have to us: even so see that ye be plenteous in this benevolence.

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

Ye know the liberality of our Lord Jesus Christ, which though he were rich, yet for your sakes became poor: that ye through his poverty might be made rich.

But I will tell you what I think about it. For this is the best way to deal with you, for you were the first not only to do anything about this, but to want to do anything, and that was last year.

Now therefore perform the deed, that as there was in you a readiness to will, even so ye may perform the deed, of that which ye have.

For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

It is not my mind that other be set at ease, and ye brought into cumbrance: but that there be equalness now at this time,

that your abundance succor their lack at this present time of dearth - that their abundance may supply your lack; that there may be equality,

agreeing to that which is written, "He that gathered much had never the more abundance, and he that gathered little, had nevertheless."

Thank God, he puts the same devotion to you that I feel into Titus' heart,

For he accepted the request. Yea, rather he was so well willing, that of his own accord came unto you.

We have sent with him that brother whose laud is in the gospel throughout all the congregations:

and not so only, but is also chosen of the congregations to be a fellow with us in our journey, as concerning this benevolence that is ministered by us unto the praise of the Lord, and to stir up your prompt mind.

For this we eschew, that any man should rebuke us in this plenteous distribution that is ministered by us,

looking to things that are right not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

and we sent with them our brother, whom we proved in many things many times being diligent, and now much more diligent, by the great confidence that is toward you,

As for Titus, remember that he is a partner of mine, and is also my associate in labors for you. As for the other brothers, remember that they are delegates from the churches, men in whom Christ is glorified.

Wherefore show unto them the proof of your love, and of the rejoicing that we have of you, that the congregations may see it.

For, indeed, concerning the ministration that is for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you,

for I know your readiness of mind, whereof I boast myself unto them of Macedonia, and say that Achaia was prepared a year ago, and your ferventness hath provoked many.

Nevertheless, yet have I sent these brethren, lest our rejoicing over you should be in vain in this behalf, and that ye - as I have said - prepare yourselves,

lest peradventure if they of Macedonia come with me and find you unprepared, the boast that I made in this matter should be a shame to us: I say not unto you.

Wherefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, to come before hand unto you, for to prepare your good blessing promised afore, that it might be ready: so that it be a blessing, and not a defrauding.

This yet remember, how that he which soweth little, shall reap little: and he that soweth plenteously shall reap plenteously.

Each must give what he has purposed in his heart to give, not sorrowfully or under compulsion, for it is the happy giver that God loves.

God is able to make you rich in all grace, that ye in all things having sufficient unto the utmost, may be rich unto all manner good works,

as it is written, "He that dispersed abroad and hath given to the poor, his righteousness remaineth for ever."

He that findeth the sower seed, shall minister bread for food, and shall multiply your seed, and increase the fruits of your righteousness - that on all parts

You will grow rich in every way, so that through me you can show perfect liberality that will make men thank God for it.

For the office of this ministration, not only supplieth the need of the saints: but also is abundant herein, that for this laudable ministering, thanks might be given to God of many,

seeing that through the proving of you by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution unto them and unto all;

And so in their prayers for you they will long for you because of God's exceptional grace that was shown to you.

Now I Paul, myself, appeal to you by the humble-heartedness and selflessness of Christ??aul who "in your presence is humble, but bold enough when he is absent"??2 I beseech you, and I say, do not make me show my boldness, when I come in the boldness with which I think I shall show my courage against some who think that I am walking on the low level of the flesh.

I beseech you that I need not to be bold when I am present - with that same confidence, wherewith I am supposed to be bold - against some which repute us as though we walked carnally.

For, though we are still living in the world, it is no worldly warfare that we are waging.

wherewith we overthrow imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity all understanding to the obedience of Christ,

Being ready to give punishment to whatever is against his authority, after you have made it clear that you are completely under his control.

Look ye on things after the outer appearance? If any man trust in himself that he is Christ's, let the same also consider of himself, that as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

for even if also anything more abundantly I shall boast concerning our authority, that the Lord gave us for building up, and not for casting you down, I shall not be ashamed;

That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

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

Let him that is such, think on this wise: that as we are in words by letters when we are absent, such are we in deeds when we are present.

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

But we will not rejoice above measure: but according to the quantity of the measure which God hath distributed unto us, a measure that reacheth even unto you.

For it is not the case, as it would be if we were not in the habit of coming to you, that we are exceeding our bounds! Why, we were the very first to reach you with the Good News of the Christ!

I do not indulge in extravagant boasts over work done by others, but I do hope that as your faith increases, my influence may be immensely enlarged through you,

and to preach the gospel in those regions which are beyond you, and not to rejoice of that which is by another man's measure prepared already.

Let him that rejoiceth, rejoice in the Lord.

For he that praiseth himself, is not allowed: but he whom the Lord praiseth.

O that ye were bearing with me a little of the folly, but ye also do bear with me:

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

But I fear, lest as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, even so your wits should be corrupt from the singleness that is in Christ.

For if he that cometh to you preach another Jesus than him whom we preached, or if ye receive another spirit than that which ye have received, either another gospel than that ye have received; ye might right well have been content.

I suppose that I was not behind the chief apostles.

Even if I have no particular gifts in speaking, I am not wanting in knowledge. Why, I have always made that perfectly clear in my dealings with you.

Did I therein sin, because I submitted myself, that ye might be exalted? And because I preached unto you the Gospel of God freely?

I robbed other churches, letting them pay me so that I could work for you!

And when I was present with you and had need, I was grievous to no man. For that which was lacking unto me, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I kept myself that I should not be grievous to you: and so will I keep myself.

By the truth of Christ that is in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced anywhere in Greece.

Why? Because I do not love you? God knows that I do!

Nevertheless what I do, that will I do to cut away occasion from them which desire occasion, that they might be found like unto us in that wherein they rejoice:

I say again, lest any man think that I am foolish: or else even now take me as a fool, that I may boast myself a little.

That I speak, I speak it not after the ways of the Lord: but as it were foolishly, while we are now come to boasting.

Seeing that many rejoice after the flesh, I will rejoice also.

For ye suffer fools gladly because that ye yourselves are wise.

To my shame I must admit that I was too weak for that sort of thing. But whatever anyone else dares to boast of?? am playing the part of a fool?? will dare to boast of too.

Are they ministers of Christ? So am I. I am talking like a man that has gone crazy -- as such I am superior! -- serving Him with labors greater by far, with far more imprisonments, with floggings vastly worse, and often at the point of death.

And besides everything else, the thing that burdens me every day is my anxiety about all the churches.

If there must be boasting, I will boast of the things that show my weakness!

The God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

When I was in Damascus, the Governor under King Aretas had the gates of that city guarded, so as to arrest me,

I know a man who belongs to the Messiah. Fourteen years ago whether in his body or outside of his body, I do not know, but God knows that man was snatched away to the third heaven.

And I know that this man?? do not know whether it was in the body or out of it, God knows??4 was caught up into Paradise, and heard things that must not be told, which no human being can repeat.

how that he was taken up into paradise, and heard words not to be spoken, which no man can utter.

Of an experience like that I am prepared to boast, but not of myself personally ??not except as regards my weaknesses.

and yet though I would rejoice I should not be a fool, for I would say the truth. Nevertheless I spare, lest any man should think of me above that he seeth me to be, or heareth of me.

and that by the exceeding greatness of the revelations I might not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of the Adversary, that he might buffet me, that I might not be exalted overmuch.

For this thing besought I the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me,

and he said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee. For my strength is made perfect through weakness." Very gladly therefore will I rejoice of my weakness, that the strength of Christ may dwell in me.

That is why I am pleased with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties, when they are endured for Christ's sake, for it is when I am weak that I am strong.