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

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,

And we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God, that hath been given in the assemblies of Macedonia,

and not according as we expected, but themselves they did give first to the Lord, and to us, through the will of God,

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,

each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love,

and that by the exceeding greatness of the revelations I might not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of the Adversary, that he might buffet me, that I might not be exalted overmuch.

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.