All [these] things are from God, who restored us to fellowship with Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of restoring [other] people to [such] fellowship.

For I testify that they gave [financial help] to the full limit of their ability, yes and even beyond it. [And they did this] entirely on their own,

And they did not [just] do as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and [then] to us through the will of God.

For even if I should boast too much about the authority the Lord gave us for building you people up [spiritually], and not tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

This is the reason I am writing these things while away from you, so that I will not have to deal severely with you when I am there. For the Lord gave me authority to build people up [spiritually] and not to tear them down.