For he who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God,

who has also set his seal upon us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

But if any one has caused grief, he has grieved, not me only, but, in some measure not to speak harshly all of you.

who has made us able ministers of the new covenant, not of letter, but. of spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit makes alive.

whose unbelieving minds the god of this age has darkened, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine to them.

Because God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the person of Jesus Christ.

Now, he that has formed us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the earnest of the Spirit.

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

And all these things are from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

that is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to him self, not charging their offenses to them, and he has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

for he has made him, who knew no sin, a sin-offering for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? What communion has light with darkness?

What agreement has Christ with Belial? What connection has a believer with an unbeliever?

What has a temple of God in common with one of idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said: I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

For if I boasted of you to him, in any respect, I am not made ashamed; but as I have spoken all things to you in truth, so also has our boasting to Titus been found to be truth:

We make known to you, brethren, God's gracious gift, which has been given in the churches of Macedonia;

For if there is a readiness of mind, one is accepted according to what he has, not according to what he has not.

And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often proved to be diligent in many things, but now much more diligent on account of the strong confidence which he has in you.

For I know your readiness of mind, on account of which I boasted of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago: and your zeal has incited very many.

Therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go before to you, and make ready beforehand your bounty, which has been so much talked of before, that this might be ready as a bounty, and not as a gift extorted from you.

as it is written: He has scattered abroad; he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.

For though I should boast even, somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I would not be ashamed:

But we will not boast ourselves with respect to regions not measured to us; but according to the measure of the line which God, who measures, has appointed for us to reach even to you.

For this reason, I write these things, while absent, that I may not, when present, use severity, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification, and not for destruction.