who comforts me in all my distress, so that I am able to comfort people who are in any distress by the comfort with which I myself am comforted by God.

It is not that I am personally qualified to form any judgment by myself; my qualifications come from God,

I put no obstacle in the path of any, so that my ministry may not be discredited;

I am not issuing any orders, only using the zeal of others to prove how sterling your own love is.

for I want to take precautions against any risk of suspicion in connection with the administration of this charity;

in case any Macedonians accompany me and find you are not ready ??which would make me (not to speak of yourselves) ashamed of having been so sure.

God is able to bless you with ample means, so that you may always have quite enough for any emergency of your own and ample besides for any kind act to others;

the weapons of my warfare are not weapons of the flesh, but divinely strong to demolish fortresses ??5 I demolish theories and any rampart thrown up to resist the knowledge of God, I take every project prisoner to make it obey Christ,

even when I ran short, during my stay with you, I was no encumbrance to anybody, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my wants. Thus I kept myself, as I intend to keep myself, from being a burden to you in any way.

If there is to be any boasting, I will boast of what I am weak enough to suffer!

Did I make something out of you by any of my messengers?