who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed on us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf.

and by you to pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and to be sent forward by you on my journey to Judea.

When I therefore was thus determined, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the "Yes, yes" and the "No, no?"

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not "Yes and no," but in him is "Yes."

But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I did not come to Corinth to spare you.

For if I make you sorry, then who will make me glad but he who is made sorry by me?

And I wrote this very thing, so that, when I came, I would not have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you.

But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I not press too heavily) to you all.

that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Now when I came to Troas for the Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord,

I had no relief for my spirit, because I did not find Titus, my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went out into Macedonia.

But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.

For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened; not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart.

We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,

Now in return, I speak as to my children, you also be open wide.

What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For we are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,' says the Lord Almighty."

Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction.

and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, while he told us of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced still more.

For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while.

But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability.

For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed,

but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack; that there may be equality.

As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are the apostles of the churches, the glory of Christ.

It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints,

But I have sent the brothers that our boasting on your behalf may not be in vain in this respect, that, just as I said, you may be prepared,

so that I won't by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we (to say nothing of you) should be disappointed in this confidence.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work.

But I implore you that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence with which I intend on showing against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh.

that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

When I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily, anxiety for all the churches.

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.

In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes to arrest me.

On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me.

By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.

Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

I have become foolish. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the churches, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.

that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness and sexual immorality and lustfulness which they committed.

seeing that you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me; who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you.

Now we pray to God that you do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is honorable, though we are as reprobate.

For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not deal sharply when present, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for tearing down.