who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver, in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us:

And I wrote this to you, that when I come I may not have grief from those of whom I ought to receive joy, being persuaded concerning all of you, that my joy is the joy of you all.

And to whom ye forgive any thing, I also forgive it: for if I have forgiven any thing, I forgave it him, to whom I did forgive it, for your sakes, in the person of Christ; that we might not be foiled by Satan:

among whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, doth not shine unto them:

For our short and light affliction is working out for us an infinite and eternal weight of glory, as we aim not at the things which are visible, but invisible:

I use much freedom of speech to you, and I boast much of you: I am filled with comfort, and superabound in joy above all our affliction.

And we have sent with them another brother of ours, whom we have often proved diligent in many things, and now I doubt not much more on account of his great confidence in you.

Now I Paul myself exhort you, by the meekness and lenity of Christ, who in presence am lowly among you,

but being absent am bold towards you, yea I intreat you, that I may not be bold, when I am present, with that confidence, wherewith I think to proceed against some, who censure us as walking after the flesh.

For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth.

For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, having espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

For if he, that cometh to you, preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached; or if ye receive another Spirit which ye have not received, or another gospel which ye have not embraced, ye might indeed bear with him.

For I think I was not inferior to the very chiefest apostles: and if I am unskilled in speech,

Are they Hebrews? so am I: are they Israelites? so am I: are they the seed of Abraham?

so am I: are they ministers of Christ? (if I may speak as a fool) I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes far exceeding, in prisons more frequently, and often even in deaths.

Who is infirm, and I am not infirm also? who is offended, and I am not inflamed?

And therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, and in straits for the sake of Christ: for when I am thus weak, then am I made strong.

Am I become vain in boasting? ye have forced me to it: for I ought to have been recommended by you, as I have in nothing fallen short of the very chiefest of the apostles, though in myself I am nothing.

Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your substance, but your selves. For children are not expected to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

But did I make a gain of you by any of those whom I sent to you?

For I am afraid least when I come, I should not find you such as I could wish, and I should be found to you such as ye would not: least there should be contentions, emulations, animosities, strifes, thwartings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: and least,

This, I say, is the third time I am coming to you: and at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.