But, whether we be in tribulation, it is for your consolation and salvation; or, whether we are consoled, it is for your consolation, which is effective in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer;

yea, we ourselves had in ourselves the sentence of death, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, Who raiseth the dead;

For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.

But, as God is faithful, our word to you is not "Yea" and "Nay."

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Who was preached among you through us??hrough me and Sylvanus and Timothy??as not "Yea" and "Nay," "Nay," but in Him is "Yea."

But I invoke God as a witness upon my soul, that, as sparing you, I came not yet to Corinth.

Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are helpers of your joy; for by faith ye have been standing.

But I determined this for myself, that I would not come to you again in sorrow.

For, if I make you sorry, who, indeed, is he that makes me glad, but he that is made sorry by me?

For out of much tribulation and anguish of heart I wrote to you, through many tears; not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly toward you.

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

I have had no relief in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother; but, bidding them adieu, I went forth into Macedonia.

But thanks be to God, Who always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of His knowledge in every place;

For we are not as the many, making merchandise of the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.

being made manifest that ye are Christ's epistle ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.

not that we are sufficient of ourselves to reckon anything as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God;

Who also qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.

But, if the ministration of death, engraven in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look steadily upon the face of Moses on account of the glory of his face, which glory was passing away;

and not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, that the sons of Israel might not look steadily to the end of that which was passing away.

But their minds were unimpressible; for until this day upon the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted; which in Christ is done away.

But, until this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their heart.

But, whensoever it shall return to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

But we all, with unveiled face, reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transfigured into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

but we renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, not handling the word of God deceitfully; but, by the manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

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

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

So that death is working in us, but life in you.

But, having the same spirit of faith, according to what has been written, "I believed, therefore did I speak"; we believe, therefore also we speak;

Wherefore, we faint not; but even if our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is being renewed day by day.

while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

For, indeed, we who are in the tabernacle groan, being weighed down; not that we wish to be unclothed, but be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Knowing, therefore, the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but to God we have been made manifest, and I hope that we have been made manifest also in your consciences.

We are not again commending ourselves to you, but giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have something suited to those who glory in appearance, and not in heart.

and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to Him Who died for them, and rose again.

But all things are of God, Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;

how that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having put in us the word of reconciliation.

but in everything commending ourselves as God's ministers, in much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses,

Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections.

For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no relief; but we were in tribulation on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

But God, who consoleth the lowly, consoled us by the coming of Titus;

and not by his coming only, but also by the consolation with which he was consoled over you; rehearsing to us your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced the more:

because, even if I did make you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it; for I see that that letter made you sorry, though but for a season.

Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that in nothing ye might receive damage from us.

For godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world works death.

So, although I wrote to you, it was not on account of him who did the wrong, nor of him who suffered wrong, but that your earnest care on our behalf might be manifested to you in the sight of God.

For this cause, we have been consoled; but, in our consolation, we rejoice the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.

For, if in anything I have gloried to him on your behalf, I was not made ashamed; but, as we spake all things to you in truth, so also our glorying before Titus was found to be truth.

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

But, as ye abound in everything??n faith, and speech, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us??ee that ye abound in this grace also.

I am not speaking by way of command; but as proving, through the diligence of others, the sincerity of your love.

And I give my judgment in this; for this is profitable for you, who, indeed, began before others, a year ago, not only to do, but also to will.

For it is not that there may be relief to others, but distress to you;

but, by the rule of equality, your abundance being a supply, at the present time, for their deficiency; that also their abundance may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality:

But thanks be to God Who putteth the same diligence for you into the heart of Titus.

For he accepted, indeed, our exhortation; but, being very earnest, he went forth to you of his own accord.

and not that only, but who was also appointed by the assemblies, as our fellow-traveler with this gift which is ministered by us to the glory of the Lord, and our zeal;

for we provide things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

And we sent with them our brother, whom we often in many things proved to be diligent, but now much more diligent by reason of his great confidence in you.

But I sent the brethren, that our glorying on your behalf may not be made void in this respect; that even as I said, ye may be prepared;

Lest by any means, if the Macedonians should come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not ye) should be put to shame in this confidence.

But I say this: He that sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he that sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.

Because the ministry of this service not only fully supplies the deficiencies of the saints, but abounds also through many thanksgivings to God;

Now I, Paul, myself entreat you, through the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in your presence, indeed, am lowly among you; but, being absent, am bold toward you;

but I pray that, when present, I may not show courage with the confidence with which I purpose to be bold against some who reckon us as walking according to the flesh.

(for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God for the casting down of strongholds);

For, even if I glory somewhat more abundantly concerning our authority??hich the Lord gave for building you up, and not for tearing you down?? shall not be put to shame;

because, "His letters, indeed," says one, "are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible."

For we are not bold to judge ourselves among, or to compare ourselves with, some of those who commend themselves; but they measuring themselves among themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

But we will not glory beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the limit which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even to you.

not glorying beyond our measure in other men's labors; but, having hope that, as your faith increases, we shall be enlarged among you according to our limit to further abundance,

But he that glories let him glory in the Lord;

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

but I fear lest, by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and purity which is toward Christ.

And, though I be rude in speech, yet am I not rude in knowledge; but in every way having manifested it toward you in all things.

But what I am doing, I also will do, that I may cut off the occasion from those desiring occasion, that wherein they glory they may be found even as we.

I say again, let no one think me foolish; but, if ye do, yet as foolish receive me, that I too may glory a little.

What I am speaking I speak not according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

I speak by way of dishonor, as though we were weak; but in whatever anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I also am bold.

It is needful for me to glory, though, indeed, not profitable; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

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

For, if I should desire to glory, I would not be foolish, for I shall be speaking truth; but I forbear, lest some one should think, in regard to me, above what he sees me to be, or hears from me.

Behold, this 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; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

since ye seek a proof of Christ's speaking in me, Who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you;

for, indeed, He was crucified through weakness, but He liveth through the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him through the power of God toward you.

But I hope that ye shall know, that we are not rejected.

Now we pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do what is honorable, though we be rejected.

For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.