not that I would arbitrarily prescribe what you should believe, but rather encourage you to go on: for 'tis by faith you have stood.

Now when I came into the Troad to spread there the Good News about the Christ, even though in the Lord's providence a door stood open before me,

for God is pleased to accept my christian labours, in favour both of those who are in a saving, and of those who are in a ruinous state:

But we have renounced the disgraceful things hidden because of shame; not walking in trickery or adulterating the word of God, but by stating the truth [openly and plainly], we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

we that are in this tabernacle do groan under the burden of it: not that we desire to be divested of it, but we desire to have our celestial body, that this mortal state may vanish into immortality.

now he that hath prepared us for this very state, is God, who hath given us the spirit as a pledge of it.

I am not trying to recommend myself to you again. I am giving you ground for speaking well of me, that you may have something to say to those who are constantly prating about external privileges and not concerned about the state of the heart.

to this I am urg'd by the love I bear to Christ, persuaded as I am, that if one died for all, then were all in a dying state: and that he died for all,

that they who are in a state of life should not live at their own discretion, but to the service of him who died for them, and rose again.

So that if any one is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old state of things has passed away; a new state of things has come into existence.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for you he was in a state of beggary, being rich; that ye in his poverty might be rich.