For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, of the trouble which befell us in Asia, that we were exceedingly pressed, above our strength, so that we despaired even of life.

Yea, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we might not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raiseth the dead:

For this is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with carnal wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more especially toward you.

As God is faithful, our word to you hath not been 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.

Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy; for by faith ye have stood.

But I determined this with myself not to come to you again in grief.

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.

For from much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that ye might be grieved, but that ye might know the abundant love which I have toward you.

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

Lest Satan get an advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

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.

For we are not as many, who adulterate the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.

Do we again begin to recommend ourselves? Unless we need, as some do, recommendatory letters to you, or recommendatory letters from you?

Manifestly declared to be the letter of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think any thing as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God:

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.

And if the ministration of death engraven in letters on stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly on the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face, which was to be abolished: Shall not rather the ministration of the Spirit be glorious?

And not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly to the end of that which is abolished.

Therefore having this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not: But have renounced the hidden things of shame,

not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully corrupting the word of God, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

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 excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We are troubled on every side, yet not crushed;

perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; thrown down, but not destroyed;

Therefore we faint not, but even though the outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

While we aim not at the things that are seen, but the things that are not seen: for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.

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

If being clothed, we shall not be found naked.

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 walk by faith, not by sight.)

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.

And that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him who died for them, and rose again.

that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their traspasses to them, and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation.

We then, as fellow-labourers, do also exhort you, not to receive the grace of God in vain.

Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed, But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God,

as dying, yet behold we live; as chastened, yet not killed;

Ye are not straitened in us; but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? or what communion hath light with darkness?

Therefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean person, saith the Lord, and I will receive you,

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

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.

For I do not repent that I grieved you by the letter, though I did repent: (for I see that letter grieved you, though but for a season.)

Now I rejoice, not that ye grieved, but that ye grieved to repentance; for ye grieved in a godly manner, so that ye received damage by us in nothing.

For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of, whereas the sorrow of the world worketh death.

And though I wrote to you, it was not for his sake who had done the wrong, nor for his sake who had suffered it, but for the sake of manifesting to you in the sight of God our diligent care over you.

So that if I had boasted any thing of you to him, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, so also our boasting to Titus is found a truth.

And this they did, not as we hoped; but first gave themselves to the Lord, and to us by the will of God:

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.

For if there be first a ready mind, a man is accepted, according to what he hath, not according to what he hath not.

For I do not mean, that others should be eased, and you burthened; But by an equality,

As it is written, He that had gathered the most, had nothing over; and he that had gathered the least, did not lack.

And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise in the gospel is through all the churches: (And not only so,

For we provide things honest, not only before the Lord, but also before men.

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.

Let every man do as he chuseth in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a chearful giver.

For the administration of this service, doth not only supply the necessities of the saints, but likewise aboundeth by the thanksgivings of many to God:

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:

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

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the throwing down of strong-holds.)

Yea, if I should boast something more also of the authority which the Lord hath given us, for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

That I may not seem to terrify you by letters.

For we presume not to equal or to compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves: but they among themselves limiting themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not wise.

But we will not boastingly extend ourselves beyond our measure; but according to the measure of the providence, which God hath allotted us, a measure to reach even unto you.

For we do not extend ourselves excessively, as not reaching to you; for we are come even to you, in the gospel of Christ:

Not boastingly extending ourselves beyond our measure, in the labours of others; but having hope, now your faith is increased, to be inlarged by you,

yet still within our province, abundantly, So as to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, not to boast in another's province of things made ready to our hand.

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

If indeed he that cometh preach 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 accepted, ye might well bear with him.

For if I am unskilful in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly manifest to you in all things.

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.

What I speak, I speak not after the Lord; but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

Thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I have been shipwrecked, a day and a night I passed in the deep: In journeyings often,

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

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever, knoweth that I lie not.

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

I knew a man in Christ, above fourteen years ago (whether in the body I know not, or out of the body I know not; God knoweth) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

Yea, I knew such a man (whether in the body or out of the body, I know not, God knoweth) That he was caught up into paradise,

and heard unspeakable things, which it is not possible for man to utter.

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.

For wherein were ye inferior to the other churches, unless that I myself was not burdensom to you.

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.

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

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

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,

and I should mourn over many of them who had sinned before, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness, which they have committed.

I told you before, and do tell before-hand (though now absent, as if I were present the second time) those who had sinned before, and all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

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

Examine yourselves, whether ye are in the faith: prove yourselves. Do ye not know yourselves? That Jesus Christ is in you? unless ye are reprobates.

And I trust, ye shall know, that we are not reprobates.

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.