But I call upon God as a witness against my soul, that it was to spare you that I came no more to Corinth;

and not by his coming only, but by the comfort with which he was comforted in regard to you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal in my behalf; so that I rejoiced the more.

For behold this very thing, that your sorrow had respect to God; what earnestness it wrought in you; yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what longing desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what readiness to punish! In every thing ye showed yourselves to be pure in the matter.

For I know your readiness of mind, of which I boast in behalf of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was prepared a year ago; and your zeal stirred up the greater part of them.