I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don't know, or whether out of the body, I don't know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven.

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.

So then, from now on we do not think of anyone from a human point of view. Even if we did think of the Messiah from a human point of view, we don't think of him that way anymore.

Therefore, "Get away from them and separate yourselves from them," declares the Lord, "and don't touch anything unclean. Then I will welcome you.

Keep examining yourselves to see whether you are continuing in the faith. Test yourselves! You know, don't you, that Jesus the Messiah lives in you? Could it be that you are failing the test?

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don't need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we?

I don't mean to prescribe to you, but that the zeal of others may show you are as sincerely well-affected.

for tho' I am involv'd with the world, I don't sustain the war with their poor arts:

I don't assume to myself the credit of other men's labours in another province, but hope, that when your faith is increased, the bounds now prescribed will be enlarged by you yet farther;

but tho' I don't know whether it was in the body, or out of the body, which God only knows,

For we don’t want you to be unaware, brothers, of our affliction that took place in Asia: we were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life.

Working together with Him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive God’s grace in vain.”

I don’t say this to condemn you, for I have already said that you are in our hearts, to live together and to die together.

I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters.

For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves, they lack understanding.

Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows I do!

What I say in this matter of boasting, I don’t speak as the Lord would, but foolishly.

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don't faint.