But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity; not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God; we have had our conduct in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

But as God is true, our word toward you was not yes and no.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us; by me and Silas and Timothy; was not yes and no, but in Him was, yes!

But He confirming us and anointing us with you in Christ is God.

Not that we have dominion over your faith, but we are helpers of your joy; for by faith you stand.

But I determined this within myself, that I would not come to you again in grief.

For if I make you sorry, who then is he who makes me glad, but the same who has been made sorry by me?

For out of much trouble and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly to you.

But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, except in part; so that I not overbear all of you.

But to whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if I forgave anything, for your sakes I forgave it to him in the person of Christ;

I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find Titus my brother. But taking my leave of them, I went from there into Macedonia.

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

it having been made plain that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, not having been written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart.

not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God;

who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.

But if the ministry of death, having been engraved in letters in stone was with glory (so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses because of the glory of his face), which was being done away;

And we are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of the thing being done away.

(But their thoughts were blinded; for until the present the same veil remains on the reading of the old covenant, not taken away.) But this veil has been done away in Christ.

But until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is on their heart.

But whenever it turns to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

But we all, with our face having been unveiled, having beheld the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord Spirit.

But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the Word of God, but by the revelation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

But also if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those being lost,

For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us;

in every way having been troubled, but not having been hemmed in; having been perplexed, but not utterly at a loss;

having been persecuted, but not having been forsaken; having been thrown down, but not having been destroyed;

So then death works in us, but life in you.

For this cause we do not faint; but though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

we not considering the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are not lasting, but the things which are not seen are everlasting.

For we who are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened; inasmuch as we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed, so that the mortal might be swallowed up by the life.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive the things done through the body, according to that which he has done, whether good or bad.

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men. But we are revealed to God, and I trust also that we are revealed in your consciences.

For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but are giving you occasion to glory on our behalf, so that you may have it to answer those boasting in appearance, and not in heart.

and He died for all, that the living ones may live no more to themselves, but to Him who died for them and having been raised.

So as we now know no one according to flesh, but even if we have known Christ according to flesh, yet now we no longer know Him so.

But working together, we also call on you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

but in everything commending ourselves as God's servants, in much patience, in troubles, in emergencies, in distresses,

You are not restrained in us, but you are restrained in your own affections.

But for the same reward, (I speak as to children), you also be enlarged.

For, indeed, coming into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but being troubled in every way, with fightings on the outside, and fears on the inside.

But He who comforts the lowly comforted us by the coming of Titus.

And not only by his coming, but by the comfort with which he was comforted over you, telling us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced the more.

Now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to God, so that you might suffer loss by nothing in us.

For the grief according to God works repentance to salvation, not to be regretted, but the grief of the world works out death.

For behold this same thing (you being grieved according to God); how much it worked out earnestness in you; but also defense; but also indignation; but also fear; but also desire; but also zeal; but also vengeance! In everything you approved yourselves to be clear in the matter.

Then, though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong, nor on account of the one who suffered wrong, but for the sake of revealing our earnestness on your behalf, for you before God.

For if I have boasted anything about you to him, I was not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting as to Titus became truth.

And not as we hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God,

But even as you abound in everything, in faith, and in word, and in knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love to us; you should abound in this grace also.

I do not speak according to command, but through the eagerness of others, and testing the trueness of your love.

And in this I give my judgment; for this is profitable for you, who began before, not only to do, but also to be willing a year ago.

But now also finish the doing of it, so that, as there was a readiness to will, so also the finishing, giving out of what you have.

For it is not that others may have ease, but you trouble;

but by equality in the present time; your abundance for their need, that their abundance also may be for your need; so that there may be equality;

But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

For indeed he accepted the entreaty. But being more earnest, of his own accord he went to you.

and not only so, but also he having been chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself, and as a witness of your eager mind;

providing for honest things, not only before the Lord, but also before men.

And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest by the great confidence which I have in you.

I say this lest perhaps Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared. We (not to say you) would then be put to shame in this confident boasting.

But I say this, He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.

For the ministry of this service not only supplies the things lacking of the saints, but also multiplying through many thanksgivings to God,

And I myself, Paul, beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ; I, who indeed to look upon am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.

But I ask, not being present, that I may be bold with the confidence which I think to be daring against some, who thought of us as walking according to flesh.

For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds,

For even if I also should boast somewhat more fully of our authority (which the Lord has given us for building up, and not for pulling you down) I will not be put to shame;

For indeed they say, the letters are weighty and powerful, but the bodily presence is weak, and his speech is contemptible.

For we do not dare to rank or compare ourselves with some of the ones commending themselves. But they, measuring themselves among themselves, and comparing themselves to themselves, are not perceptive.

But we will not boast beyond measure, but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure distributed to us, to reach even to you.

not boasting beyond measure in the labors of others, but having hope that the growing faith among you will be increased according to our rule, to overflowing;

But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.

For not he who commends himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.

I would that you were bearing with me a little in foolishness; but indeed bear with me.

But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your thoughts should be corrupted from the simplicity due to Christ.

But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in every way I have been clearly revealed to you in all things.

But what I do, that I will do, so that I may cut off occasion from those who desire occasion; so that in the thing in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

What I speak, I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this boldness of boasting.

I speak according to dishonor, as though we have been weak. But in whatever anyone dares (I speak foolishly), I also dare.

For if I desire to boast, I shall not be foolish. For I will speak the truth. But I spare, lest anyone should think of me as being beyond what he sees me, or hears of me;

Behold, a third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not burden you, for I do not seek your things, but you. For the children ought not to lay up treasure for the parents, but the parents for the children.

But let it be so, I did not burden you. But being crafty, I caught you with bait.

Again, do you think we are defending ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ, but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your building up.

Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me (who is not weak toward you, but is powerful in you;

for even if He was crucified out of weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For indeed even we are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you),

But I trust that you will know that we are not reprobates.

But I pray to God for you not to do evil, none. And not that we may appear approved, but that you should do the good things, though we are deemed to be reprobates.

For we have no power against the truth, but for the truth.

For we are glad when we are weak, and you are powerful. But we pray also for this, your perfection.