For as the sufferings of Christ are abundant in my case, so my comfort is also abundant through Christ.

So I wrote as I did, for fear that, if I had come, I should have been pained by those who ought to have made me glad; for I felt sure that it was true of you all that my joy was in every case yours also.

But if anyone has caused grief, he has not done it to me [only], but to nearly all of you [or, "only partially to all of you"] for I do not want to overstate the case.

In the case of such a person the punishment which was inflicted by the majority of you is enough.

so that instead of censuring you should now forgive him and comfort him, in case the man is overwhelmed by excessive remorse.

in case Satan should take advantage of our position ??for I know his man?uvres!

You people show [i.e., by your conversions] that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us [i.e., the result of our ministry], not written with ink but with the Holy Spirit of the living God; not on stone tablets [i.e., as in the case with Moses' ministry], but on tablets of the human heart. [See Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10].

Now if the ministry of death that was inscribed in letters of stone came with such glory that the people of Israel could not gaze on Moses' face (because the glory was fading away from it),

For indeed what had been glorified has not been glorified in this case, on account of the glory that surpasses [it].

and we are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites would not gaze at the end of the glory which was fading away.

And, even if the Good News that we bring is veiled, it is veiled only in the case of those who are on the path to Ruin--

In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe to keep them from seeing the light of the glorious gospel of the Messiah, who is the image of God.

So it is death that operates in my case, but life that operates in yours.

For see what results that other sorrow--sorrow in accordance with God's will--has had in your case. What earnestness it produced! what explanations! what strong feeling! what alarm! what longing! what eagerness! what readiness to punish! You have proved yourselves altogether free from guilt in that matter.

And in this case I give an opinion; for this is expedient for you, who began before to act in this matter and to act willingly a year ago.

Still, I am sending the brothers [on to you], so that our pride in you may not be an empty boast in this case, and so that you may be prepared, just as I told them you would be;

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.

And God is able to make all grace abound towards you; that in every case having always all sufficiency, ye may abound unto every good work:

You people are looking [merely] at the appearance of things [or, "You should look at what is obvious!" In either case, it suggests they were misjudging Paul's ministry]. If any person is confident within himself that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: We are just as much Christ's [servants] as he is.

For it is not the case, as it would be if we were not in the habit of coming to you, that we are exceeding our bounds! Why, we were the very first to reach you with the Good News of the Christ!

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

So in my own case, I will most happily spend my money and myself for your sakes. If I love you much more than I love others, am I to be loved less by you?

This will be my third visit to you: every case is to be decided on the evidence of two or of three witnesses.

Greet one another with an holy kiss.

{ (13:12) Salute one another with a holy kiss. All the saints salute you.}