For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ.

And our hope concerning you is stedfast, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the comfort.

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

As God is faithful, our word to you hath not been yea and nay.

But I call God for a record on my soul, that to spare you, I came not as yet to Corinth.

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

Do we again begin to recommend ourselves? Unless we need, as some do, recommendatory letters to you, or recommendatory letters from you?

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think any thing as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God:

And not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly to the end of that which is abolished.

And we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Therefore having this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not: But have renounced the hidden things of shame,

Therefore we are embassadors for Christ, as though God were intreating by us: we beseech you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

We then, as fellow-labourers, do also exhort you, not to receive the grace of God in vain.

Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed, But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God,

Through honour and dishonour, through evil report and good report; as deceivers, yet true, As unknown, yet well-known;

as dying, yet behold we live; as chastened, yet not killed;

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

Now for a recompence of the same, (I speak as to my children) be ye also inlarged.

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? Now ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.

So that if I had boasted any thing of you to him, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, so also our boasting to Titus is found a truth.

And this they did, not as we hoped; but first gave themselves to the Lord, and to us by the will of God:

So that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also compleat this gift among you.

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

Now therefore compleat the work, that as there was a ready will, so there may be also a performance, in proportion to what ye have.

As it is written, He that had gathered the most, had nothing over; and he that had gathered the least, did not lack.

Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you on this head should be made vain, that, as I said, ye may be ready;

Therefore I thought it necessary, to desire the brethren to go before to you, and compleat this your bounty, which had been spoken of before, that it may be ready as a bounty, and not as a matter of covetousness.

Let every man do as he chuseth in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a chearful giver.

(As it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness remaineth for ever.

I beseech, that I may not when I am present be bold with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold toward some, who think of us as walking after the flesh:

Do ye look at the outward appearance of things? If any man be confident, that he is Christ's, let him again think this of himself, that as he is Christ's, so we also are Christ's.

Let such an one think this, that such as we are in word by letters, when we are absent, such are we also in deed, when we are present.

For we do not extend ourselves excessively, as not reaching to you; for we are come even to you, in the gospel of Christ:

yet still within our province, abundantly, So as to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, not to boast in another's province of things made ready to our hand.

For I am jealous over you with a 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 deceived Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from simplicity toward Christ.

As the truth of Christ is in me, this my boasting shall not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

Because I love you not? God knoweth. But what I do, I will do, that I may cut off the occasion from them who desire occasion, that wherein they boast, they may be found even as we.

Therefore it is no great thing, if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose ends shall be according to their works.

I say again, Let no man think me a fool; but if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I also may boast a little.

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

I speak with regard to reproach, as though we had been weak: whereas in whatever any is confident, (I speak as a fool) I am confident also.

For I fear lest when I come, I should not find you such as I would, and lest I should be found by you such as ye would not: lest there should be contentions, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults, Lest my God should humble me when I come to you again,

I told you before, and do tell before-hand (though now absent, as if I were present the second time) those who had sinned before, and all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

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