Indeed, we personally had a death sentence within ourselves, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.

For this is our confidence: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with God-given sincerity and purity, not by fleshly wisdom but by God’s grace.

I do not mean that we have control of your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because you stand by faith.

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For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not that you should be hurt, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.

If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree—not to exaggerate—to all of you.

I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus, but I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia.

But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. And who is competent for this?

For we are not like the many who market God’s message for profit. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.

It is clear that you are Christ’s letter, produced by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God—not on stone tablets but on tablets that are hearts of flesh.

It is not that we are competent in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God.

He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life.

We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not stare at the end of what was fading away,

but their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ.

but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God’s message, but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth.

But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus.

We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair;

we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.

So death works in us, but life in you.

So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven,

Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life.

For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance rather than in the heart.

And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.

But as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything:

by great endurance, by afflictions,
by hardship, by difficulties,

You are not limited by us, but you are limited by your own affections.

But God, who comforts the humble, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,

and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he received from you. He told us about your deep longing, your sorrow, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us.

For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death.

So even though I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did wrong, or because of the one who was wronged, but in order that your diligence for us might be made plain to you in the sight of God.

For if I have made any boast to him about you, I have not been embarrassed; but as I have spoken everything to you in truth, so our boasting to Titus has also turned out to be the truth.

Now I am giving an opinion on this because it is profitable for you, who a year ago began not only to do something but also to desire it.

But now finish the task as well, that just as there was eagerness to desire it, so there may also be a completion from what you have.

It is not that there may be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality—

Thanks be to God who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus.

And not only that, but he was also appointed by the churches to accompany us with this gift that is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.

For we are making provision for what is right, not only before the Lord but also before men.

But I sent the brothers so our boasting about you in the matter would not prove empty, and so you would be prepared just as I said.

For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God.

Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am humble among you in person but bold toward you when absent.

since the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments

For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable.”

For we don’t dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves, they lack understanding.

We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned to us, which reaches even to you.

We are not bragging beyond measure about other people’s labors. But we have the hope that as your faith increases, our area of ministry will be greatly enlarged,

For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.

I wish you would put up with a little foolishness from me. Yes, do put up with me.

But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a complete and pure devotion to Christ.

For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit, which you had not received, or a different gospel, which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!

But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to deny the opportunity of those who want an opportunity to be regarded just as our equals in what they boast about.

I repeat: No one should consider me a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool, so I too may boast a little.

What I say in this matter of boasting, I don’t speak as the Lord would, but foolishly.

For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools!

In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone captures you, if someone dominates you, or if someone hits you in the face.

I say this to our shame: We have been weak.

But in whatever anyone dares to boast—I am talking foolishly—I also dare:

Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses.

For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me,

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

The signs of an apostle were performed with great endurance among you—not only signs but also wonders and miracles.

Now I am ready to come to you this third time. I will not burden you, for I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me. He is not weak toward you, but powerful among you.

In fact, He was crucified in weakness, but He lives by God’s power. For we also are weak in Him, yet toward you we will live with Him by God’s power.

Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong—not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear to fail.

For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.