From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia.

who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

For our reason for confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives and sincerity which are from God -- not by human wisdom but by the grace of God -- we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more toward you.

just as also you have partly understood us, that we are your source of pride just as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

For every one of God's promises are "Yes" in him; therefore also through him the "Amen" is spoken, to the glory we give to God.

I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.

For this reason also I wrote you: to test you to see if you are obedient in everything.

so that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).

For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing --

For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, but we are speaking in Christ before God as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don't need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we?

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone,

revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,

And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing,

We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair;

we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed,

For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal body.

For all these things are for your sake, so that the grace that is including more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God.

because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord --

Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him.

Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.

We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who take pride in outward appearance and not in what is in the heart.

For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God!"

Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying and yet -- see! -- we continue to live; as those who are scourged and yet not executed;

Our affection for you is not restricted, but you are restricted in your affections for us.

And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, "I will live in them and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

I do not say this to condemn you, for I told you before that you are in our hearts so that we die together and live together with you.

And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel.

We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering.

For we are concerned about what is right not only before the Lord but also before men.

And we are sending with them our brother whom we have tested many times and found eager in many matters, but who now is much more eager than ever because of the great confidence he has in you.

If there is any question about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; if there is any question about our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.

For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.

for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments

We are also ready to punish every act of disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: Just as he himself belongs to Christ, so too do we.

because some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak and his speech is of no account."

Let such a person consider this: What we say by letters when we are absent, we also are in actions when we are present.

For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

so that we may preach the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, and not boast of work already done in another person's area.

I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me!

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

Since many are boasting according to human standards, I too will boast.

For since you are so wise, you put up with fools gladly.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times.

Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build you up.

since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak toward you but is powerful among you.

For indeed he was crucified by reason of weakness, but he lives because of God's power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him, because of God's power toward you.

Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you -- unless, indeed, you fail the test!

For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified.