And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you will share in our comfort.

Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? Or do I make my plans according to mere human standards so that I would be saying both "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time?

But as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No."

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us -- by me and Silvanus and Timothy -- was not "Yes" and "No," but it has always been "Yes" in him.

Now I appeal to God as my witness, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth.

For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you.

so that now instead you should rather forgive and comfort him. This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair.

Now when I arrived in Troas to proclaim the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord had opened a door of opportunity for me,

I had no relief in my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-bye to them and set out for Macedonia.

Now we have such confidence in God through Christ.

who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

For indeed, what had been glorious now has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom.

We do so because we know that the one who raised up Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence.

For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens.

Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord --

Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.

And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised.

So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know him in that way any longer.

So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away -- look, what is new has come!

God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.

Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

For he says, "I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you." Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation!

We do not give anyone an occasion for taking an offense in anything, so that no fault may be found with our ministry.

Now as a fair exchange -- I speak as to my children -- open wide your hearts to us also.

Therefore "come out from their midst, and be separate," says the Lord, "and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you,

Make room for us in your hearts; we have wronged no one, we have ruined no one, we have exploited no one.

For even when we came into Macedonia, our body had no rest at all, but we were troubled in every way -- struggles from the outside, fears from within.

Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, so that you were not harmed in any way by us.

For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death.

Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia,

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.

We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering.

And we are sending with them our brother whom we have tested many times and found eager in many matters, but who now is much more eager than ever because of the great confidence he has in you.

because I know your eagerness to help. I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal to participate has stirred up most of them.

Now God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow.

Now I, Paul, appeal to you personally by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (I who am meek when present among you, but am full of courage toward you when away!) --

now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that (I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving according to human standards.

because some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak and his speech is of no account."

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven.

And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows)

For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me,

Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

I said before when I was present the second time and now, though absent, I say again to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare anyone,

Now we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong, not so that we may appear to have passed the test, but so that you may do what is right even if we may appear to have failed the test.