Because as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so through Christ aboundeth also our consolation.

And our hope of you is sure, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the consolation.

As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your glory, as also ye are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

But as sure as God is true, our word to you was not yea and nay.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us??y me and Silvanus and Timotheus??as not yea and nay, but there was yea in him;

But I appeal to God as a witness unto my soul, that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth:

For we are not as the many, adulterating the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.

DO we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some, commendatory letters to you, or commendatory letters from you?

And [act] not as Moses who spread a veil over his face, in order that the children of Israel might not look stedfastly to the end of that which should be abolished.

And we all with face unveiled, beholding the glory of the Lord [reflected] as in a mirror, according to the same image, receive a transformation from glory into glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.

THEREFORE having this ministry, as we have obtained mercy, we faint not;

but have renounced all shameful secret practices, not conducting ourselves with artifice, nor deceitfully disguising the word of God, but by clear manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience as in the presence of God.

Having then the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore I have spoken, we also believe, and therefore speak;

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God exhorted you by us; we entreat you for Christ's sake, be ye reconciled to God.

WE then as labourers with him, exhort you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain:

but in every thing approving ourselves as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in straits,

through honour and dishonour, through evil report and good report: as deceivers, yet true men;

as unknown, though well known; as dying, and lo! we live; as chastened, yet not given over to death;

as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Let us have a like return; I speak as unto children; be ye also enlarged.

or what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, "I will inhabit in them, and walk about in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be for me a people."

and I will be as a father unto you, and ye shall be to me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

For behold this very thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly manner, how great diligence did it produce in you! yea, what apologizing! yea, what indignation! yea, what fear! yea, what earnest desire! yea, what zeal! yea, what vengeance! In every step ye have approved yourselves as pure in this affair.

For if I have boasted of you to him in any thing, I am not ashamed; but as we have spoken all things to you in truth, so our boasting of you to Titus hath been found truth.

And not [merely] as we hoped, but gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us according to the will of God.

So that we exhorted Titus, that as he had been active before, so also he would perfect in you this grace also.

So as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and elocution, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

Now then accomplish also the doing it, that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be also to perform out of that which ye have.

According as it is written, "He that [gathered] much had no more than others, and he who [gathered] little, had no less."

and not only so, but who was chosen by the churches as my fellow-traveller with this charity, ministered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and [to shew] your ready mind.

But I have sent the brethren, that our glorying in you might not be vain in this matter; that as I have said, ye may be prepared.

have thought it necessary therefore to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and prepare before your promised bounty, that it may be ready as a matter of bounty, and not as [extorted] of covetousness.

Let every man, as he hath purposed in heart, give, not with reluctance or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.

as it is written, "He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness abideth for ever."

But I pray, that when I am present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I purpose to act resolutely against some who think of us, as if we walked after the flesh.

Regard ye the things that are personal? If any man is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him reflect again in himself, that as he is Christ's, so are we Christ's.

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

Let such a man be assured of this, that such as we are by word in our letters when absent, such also will we be in deed when we are present.

For we stretch not our pretensions beyond bounds, as though we reached not unto you; for we have advanced even unto you in the gospel of Christ:

But I fear lest as the serpent beguiled Eve by his craftiness, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity which belongs to Christ.

But what I do, I will do also, that I may cut off occasion from those who desire occasion, that wherein they boast, they may be found even as we.

It is no wonder therefore if his ministers also be transformed as ministers of righteousness; whose end will be according to their works.

I repeat it again, Let no man suppose that I am a fool; but if otherwise, then as a fool receive me, that I too may boast myself a little.

What I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as it were in folly in this confidence of boasting.

I speak with reference to the reproach [cast on me], as though we were feeble; but wherein any man is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

For I am afraid that when I come I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found of you such as ye would not: lest haply there be contentions, jealousies, animosities, quarrels, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

I have told you before, and I repeat it, as when I was present the second time, and now absent, I write to those who have sinned already, and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare you:

Now I pray unto God that ye do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you may do that which is laudable, though we should be as reprobates.