who out of so great a death did deliver us, and doth deliver, in whom we have hoped that even yet He will deliver;

For our glorying is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we did conduct ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you;

according as also ye did acknowledge us in part, that your glory we are, even as also ye are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus;

When I thus wise was minded: Did I use lightness? Or think I carnally those things which I think, that with me should be "yea, yea," and "nay, nay?"

For God's Son, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us, Silvanus, Timothy, and me, did not become a "Yes" that might mean "No."

and He who is confirming you with us into Christ, and did anoint us, is God,

I call upon God as a witness on my behalf that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.

This is the very thing I wrote you, that when I did come I might not be made sad by the very people who ought to make me glad, for I had confidence in you all that my gladness would be gladness to you all.

For I was in great trouble and distress of mind when I wrote you, and I shed many tears as I did it, yet it was not to hurt your feelings, but to make you realize the extraordinary affection I have for you.

But if anyone has caused grief, he didn't cause me any grief. To some extent I don't want to emphasize this too much it has affected all of you.

For this cause verily did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye should be obedient in all things.

When you forgive someone, I do, too. Indeed, what I have forgiven if there was anything to forgive I did in the presence of the Messiah for your benefit,

but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.

not as Moses did, who used to wear a veil over his face, to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was passing away.

Because of this, having this ministration, according as we did receive kindness, we do not faint,

but did renounce for ourselves the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully using the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth recommending ourselves unto every conscience of men, before God;

in whom the god of this age did blind the minds of the unbelieving, that there doth not shine forth to them the enlightening of the good news of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God;

because it is God who said, Out of darkness light is to shine, who did shine in our hearts, for the enlightening of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We always carry around in our [physical] bodies the [threat of] dying, as Jesus did [i.e., the apostles were constantly exposed to impending danger and death], so that the life of Jesus [i.e., His virtue, courage, faithfulness, etc.] may be demonstrated in our bodies [i.e., in the way we live] also.

And having the same spirit of the faith, according to that which hath been written, 'I believed, therefore I did speak;' we also do believe, therefore also do we speak;

knowing that He who did raise up the Lord Jesus, us also through Jesus shall raise up, and shall present with you,

And He who did work us to this self-same thing is God, who also did give to us the earnest of the Spirit;

for all of us it behoveth to be manifested before the tribunal of the Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body, in reference to the things that he did, whether good or evil;

For if I did go crazy, it was for God's glory; and if I am keeping my head cool, it is for your good.

So from this moment on, I do not estimate anybody by the standard of outward appearances. Although I once did estimate Christ by this standard, I do not do so any longer.

so that if any one is in Christ -- he is a new creature; the old things did pass away, lo, become new have the all things.

And the all things are of God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and did give to us the ministration of the reconciliation,

Now then are we messengers in the room of Christ: even as though God did beseech you through us. So pray we you, in Christ's stead, that ye be at one with God:

God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that God's righteousness would be produced in us.

for He saith, 'In an acceptable time I did hear thee, and in a day of salvation I did help thee, lo, now is a well-accepted time; lo, now, a day of salvation,' --

receive us; no one did we wrong; no one did we waste; no one did we defraud;

but He who is comforting the cast-down -- God -- He did comfort us in the presence of Titus;

and not only in his presence, but also in the comfort with which he was comforted over you, declaring to us your longing desire, your lamentation, your zeal for me, so that the more I did rejoice,

Wherefore though I made you sorry with a letter I repent not: though I did repent. For I perceive that that same Epistle made you sorry though it were but for a season.

Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us.

for, lo, this same thing -- your being made sorry toward God -- how much diligence it doth work in you! but defence, but displeasure, but fear, but longing desire, but zeal, but revenge; in every thing ye did approve yourselves to be pure in the matter.

Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that did hurt, neither for his cause that was hurt: but that our good mind which we have toward you in the sight of God, might appear unto you

because of this we have been comforted in your comfort, and more abundantly the more did we rejoice in the joy of Titus, that his spirit hath been refreshed from you all;

If I did express some pride in you to him, I have had no reason to be ashamed of it, but just as all I said to you was true, my boasting before Titus has also proved true.

and his tender affection is more abundantly toward you, remembering the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye did receive him;

because in much trial of tribulation the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, did abound to the riches of their liberality;

For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily,

And this they did, not as we looked for; but gave their own selves first to the Lord, and after unto us by the will of God:

so that we exhorted Titus, that, according as he did begin before, so also he may finish to you also this favour,

and an opinion in this do I give: for this to you is expedient, who not only to do, but also to will, did begin before -- a year ago,

but to equalize the burden, and in the present situation to have your plenty make up for what they need, so that some day their plenty may make up for what you need, and so things may be made equal??15 as the Scripture says, "The man who got much did not have too much, and the man who got little did not have too little."

just as the Scripture says, "The man who gathered much did not have too much, and the man who gathered little did not have too little."

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

for I have known your readiness of mind, which in your behalf I boast of to Macedonians, that Achaia hath been prepared a year ago, and the zeal of you did stir up the more part,

and we in regard to the unmeasured things will not boast ourselves, but after the measure of the line that the God of measure did appoint to us -- to reach even unto you;

for not as not reaching to you do we stretch ourselves overmuch, for even unto you did we come in the good news of the Christ,

for I am zealous for you with zeal of God, for I did betroth you to one husband, a pure virgin, to present to Christ,

and I fear, lest, as the serpent did beguile Eve in his subtilty, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in the Christ;

For if anybody comes along and preaches another Jesus than the one I preached, or you receive another spirit different from the one you did receive or a glad message different from the one you did accept, you listen to it all right!

And though I am rude in speech, yet I am not in knowledge; but this did we in every respect manifest to you in all things.

Did I therein sin, because I submitted myself, that ye might be exalted? And because I preached unto you the Gospel of God freely?

other assemblies I did rob, having taken wages, for your ministration;

And when I was with you and wanted money, I did not burden any of you, for when the brothers came from Macedonia they supplied what I needed. So I kept myself, as I shall always do, from being a burden to you in any way.

Did not even Satan marvelously transform himself into an angel of light?

from Jews five times forty stripes save one I did receive;

However, if I did want to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I am not going to do it in order to keep anyone from thinking more of me than what he sees and hears about me.

Concerning this thing thrice the Lord did I call upon, that it might depart from me,

I have become a fool -- boasting; ye -- ye did compel me; for I ought by you to have been commended, for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles -- even if I am nothing.

How were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I did not bother you for help? Forgive me for this wrong!

But granting that I did not burden you myself, I was clever about it, you say, and took you in by a trick.

Did I defraud you by any of them which I sent unto you?

I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother: Did Titus defraud you of any thing? Walked we not in one spirit? Walked we not in like steps?

lest again having come, my God may humble me in regard to you, and I may bewail many of those having sinned before, and not having reformed concerning the uncleanness, and whoredom, and lasciviousness, that they did practise.

I have already warned those who formerly committed shocking sins, and all the rest, and though so far away I warn them now, as I did on my second visit, that if I come back I will not spare them,

because of this, these things -- being absent -- I write, that being present, I may not treat any sharply, according to the authority that the Lord did give me for building up, and not for casting down.