Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God.

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

And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be sent on my way toward Judea.

When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?

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

Moreover I call God for a witness upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

For if I make you sorry, who is he then that makes me glad, but the same who is made sorry by me?

And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

But if any has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overburden you all.

Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from there into Macedonia.

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

Therefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may be recompensed for the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad.

For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to boast on our behalf, that you may have something to answer them who boast in appearance, and not in heart.

Now in return for the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be you also enlarged in heart.

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

And not by his coming only, but by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.

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

Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which you have.

But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

If any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you: or if our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

For concerning the ministering to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you:

Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, you may be ready:

Lest perhaps if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, you) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

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

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, though I think to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

I wish that you could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

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

And when I was present with you, and in want, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them who desire occasion; that when they glory, they may be found even as we.

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

In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

Besides those things that are outside, that which comes upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

If I must boast, I will boast of the things which concern my weaknesses.

In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of Damascus with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:

It is not expedient for me doubtless to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

Of such a one will I boast: yet of myself I will not boast, but in my weaknesses.

For though I would desire to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he sees me to be, or that he hears of me.

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

For this thing I besought the Lord three times, that it might depart from me.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended by you: for in nothing am I behind the very chief apostles, though I be nothing.

For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall mourn over many who have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and licentiousness which they have committed.

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

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