For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life:

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead:

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and 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.

Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith you stand.

But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

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

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

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.

For we are not as many, who corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

Since you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

Who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.

But if the ministry of death, written and engraved in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

How shall not the ministry of the Spirit be more glorious?

And not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly see the end of that which is abolished:

But their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same veil not taken away in the reading of the old covenant; which veil is done away in Christ.

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

In whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

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

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

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.

That is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain.

Giving no offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed:

As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;

You are not constrained in us, but you are constrained in your own affections.

Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what partnership has light with darkness?

Therefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die and live with you.

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.

For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not regret, though I did regret: for I perceive that the same epistle has made you sorry, though it were but for a time.

Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry after a godly manner, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing.

For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be regretted: but the sorrow of the world works death.

Therefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause who had done the wrong, nor for his cause who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.

For if I have boasted anything to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found to be truth.

And this they did, not as we expected, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

I speak not by commandment, but to prove by the earnestness of others, the sincerity of your love.

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.

For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man has, and not according to what he has not.

For I mean not that other men be eased, and you burdened:

And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and a testimony of your eagerness:

Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

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.

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your gift, of which you had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of gift, and not as an extortion.

Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.

For the administration of this service not only supplies the need of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

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.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh:

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)

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

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

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

But we will not boast of things beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the field which God has distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:

Not boasting of things beyond our measure, that is, of other men's labors; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be strengthened by you according to our field abundantly,

To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's field of things made ready to our hand.

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

For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.

For I suppose I was not the least behind the very chief apostles.

But though I be unskilled in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.

Why? because I love you not? God knows.

That which I speak, I speak it not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

Three times was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, three times I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forevermore, knows that I lie not.

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

How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

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.

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.

Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I took you with guile.

I urged Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found unto you such as you desire not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, conceit, tumults:

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.

I told you before, and tell you again, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them who earlier have sinned, and to all others, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

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

Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith; prove your own selves. Know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are counterfeits?

But I trust that you shall know that we are not counterfeits.

Now I pray to God that you do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that you should do that which is honest, though we be as failures.

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.