For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings that we suffer.

And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.

You also must help us by your prayers, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

For our boast is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with holiness and godly sincerity, not in worldly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and still more toward you.

For we write you nothing but what you can read and understand; and I hope you will understand fully,

For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by usby me and Silvanus and Timothywas not Yes and No, but in him it has always been Yes.

For as many as are the promises of God, in him they are Yes. And so through him we speak our Amen to the glory of God.

Not that we lord it over your faith; but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.

For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained?

And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I had confidence in all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all.

For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority,

I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.

For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.

Any one whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,

in order that Satan might gain no advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Now when I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord,

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

to the one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

For we are not, like so many, peddling the word of God; but as men of sincerity, as from God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

who has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness exceed it in glory.

For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it.

For if what was fading away came with glory, much more is the glory of that which lasts.

But their minds were hardened; for to this day, when they read the old covenant, the same veil remains unlifted, because only in Christ is it removed.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

For we who live are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

For all this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,

while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are unseen are eternal.

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

for we walk by faith, not by sight.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

We are not again commending ourselves to you, but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you may have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.

For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

We are therefore ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his appeal through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

in truthful speech, and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;

Now in a fair exchangeI speak as to my childrenopen wide your hearts also.

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Make room for us in your hearts; we have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.

I do not say this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.

For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turnconflicts on the outside and fears within.

and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.

For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret itfor I see that my letter hurt you, though only for a little while

now I rejoice, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance; for you became sorrowful as God intended, so that you suffered no loss through us.

For godly sorrow produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly sorrow produces death.

For behold what this very thing, godly sorrow, has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what readiness to see justice done! At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

So although I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong, nor on account of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your zeal for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.

For if I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting before Titus has proved true.

And his affection goes out all the more to you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.

for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.

For I testify that according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, they gave of their own free will,

urgently pleading with us for the privilege of sharing in the relief of the saints.

But as you excel in everythingin faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in your love for ussee that you excel in this work of grace also.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich.

And in this matter I give my advice: it is best for you now to complete what a year ago you began not only to do but to desire.

For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a man has, not according to what he does not have.

For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened;

But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.

For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord.

And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his preaching of the gospel;

and not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work which we are carrying on, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.

for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; and as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.

Therefore openly before the churches, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you.

Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the offering for the saints,

for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the Macedonians, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year; and your zeal has stirred up most of them.

So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren to go on to you before me, and arrange in advance for this gift you have promised, so that it may be ready not as an exaction but as a willing gift.

Each one must give just as he has purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may have an abundance for every good work.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will multiply the harvest of your righteousness.

You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.

Because of the test of this service, you will glorify God by your obedience in your confession of the gospel of Christ, and by the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others;

while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God in you.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war as the flesh does.

For the weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds.

For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I shall not be put to shame.

For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is weak, and his speech of no account."

For we do not dare to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you; we were the first to come even as far as you with the gospel of Christ.

so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast of work already done in another man's territory.

For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.

For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.