Who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any affliction, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

You likewise helping together with us by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

and to come to you again from Macedonia, and to be brought forward by you in my way toward Judea.

Now when I was thus minded, did I use levity? or the things which I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, so that there should be with me yea and nay?

For Jesus Christ the Son of God, who was preached among you by us, by me, and Silvanus, and Timotheus was not yea and nay; but was yea in him.

But I call God for a record on my soul, that to spare you, I came not as yet to Corinth.

For if I grieve you, who is he that cheareth me, but he that is grieved by me?

And I wrote thus to you, that I might not when I come have grief from those for whom I ought to rejoice; being persuaded concerning you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

And if any have caused grief, he hath grieved me but in part, that I may not overburden you all.

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

I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; so taking leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body.

We who live are always delivered unto death for the sake of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal body.

For we who are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened; not that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive according to what he hath done in the body, whether good or evil.

We do not again recommend ourselves to you; but we give you an occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have something to answer them, who glory in appearance, and not in heart.

Now for a recompence of the same, (I speak as to my children) be ye also inlarged.

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? Now ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.

And will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Great is my freedom of speech toward you; great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I exceedingly abound with joy, over all our affliction.

And not only by his coming, but also by the comfort wherewith he was comforted over you, when he told us your earnest desire, your grief, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced the more.

I speak not by way of command, but that by the diligence of others, I may prove the sincerity of your love.

And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun a year ago, not only to do, but also to do it willingly.

Now therefore compleat the work, that as there was a ready will, so there may be also a performance, in proportion to what ye have.

let your abundance be at this time a supply to their want; that their abundance also may be a supply to your want, that there may be an equality,

If any inquire concerning Titus, he is my partner, and fellow-labourer with respect to you; or concerning our brethren, they are the messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

For concerning the ministring to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you.

Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you on this head should be made vain, that, as I said, ye may be ready;

Lest if any of the Macedonians come with me, and find you unprepared, we (not to say, you) be ashamed of this confident boasting.

Therefore I thought it necessary, to desire the brethren to go before to you, and compleat this your bounty, which had been spoken of before, that it may be ready as a bounty, and not as a matter of covetousness.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that having always all sufficiency in all things, ye may abound to every good work:

And may he who supplieth seed to the sower, and bread for your food, supply and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness:)

I beseech, that I may not when I am present be bold with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold toward some, who think of us as walking after the flesh:

That I may not seem to terrify you by letters.

I wish ye would bear a little with my folly; yea, bear with me.

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

For the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied my want; and I have in all things kept myself from being burdensom, and will keep myself.

As the truth of Christ is in me, this my boasting shall not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

Because I love you not? God knoweth. But what I do, I will do, that I may cut off the occasion from them who desire occasion, that wherein they boast, they may be found even as we.

I say again, Let no man think me a fool; but if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I also may boast a little.

in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from the heathen; in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brethren:

Beside the things which are from without, that which rusheth upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

Since I must glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmities.

In Damascus the governor under king Aretas, kept the city of the Damascenes with a guard, being determined to apprehend me.

Surely it is not expedient for me to boast: yet I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

Of such an one I will glory; but I will not glory of myself, unless in my infirmities.

For if I should resolve to boast, I should not be a fool; for I speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any one should think of me above what he seeth me, or heareth from me.

And lest I should be lifted up with the abundance of the revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be lifted up.

Concerning this, I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the strength of Christ may rest upon me.

I am become a fool in boasting; but ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended by you: for in nothing have I fallen short of the very chief apostles, though I am nothing.

Forgive me this wrong. Behold the third time I am ready to come to you: yet I will not be burdensom to you; for I seek not yours, but you; for the children ought not to lay up treasure for the parents, but the parents for the children.

For I fear lest when I come, I should not find you such as I would, and lest I should be found by you such as ye would not: lest there should be contentions, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults, Lest my God should humble me when I come to you again,

Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but powerful among you.

Now I pray God, that ye may do no evil: not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do that which is good, though we should be as reprobates.

Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use severity, according to the power which the Lord hath given me, for edification, and not for destruction.