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

When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?

not that I would arbitrarily prescribe what you should believe, but rather encourage you to go on: for 'tis by faith you have stood.

But I determined this with myself, that my next visit to you should not be in sorrow.

After all, if I were to grieve you, who should make me happy but the person I am making sad?

And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

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

If any man hath caused sorrow, the same hath not made me sorry: but partly - lest I should grieve - you all.

So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

For this cause verily did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye should be obedient in all things.

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

how will the ministry of the Spirit [the new covenant which allows us to be Spirit-filled] fail to be even more glorious and splendid?

and are not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look stedfastly on the end of that which was passing away:

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

Because it is the God who spoke that out of darkness light should shine who has shone in our hearts for the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

For we know that - -if, our earthly tent-dwelling, should be taken down, we have, a building of God, a dwelling not made by hand, age-abiding in the heavens.

tho' should I be divested of this body, I shall not even then be destitute of one.

For also being in the tent we groan, being loaded: since we wish not to be unclothed, but to be clothed, that the mortal should be swallowed up of life.

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

for he hath made him to be sin for us, which knew no sin, that we by his means should be that righteousness which before God is allowed.

We endeavour to give people no cause for stumbling in anything, lest the work we are doing should fall into discredit.

No, we are trying to commend ourselves under all circumstances, as God's ministers should--in many an hour of endurance, in troubles, in hardships, in difficulties,

I speak as to my children. As a proper response, you should also be open to us.

Therefore, the Lord says [Isa. 52:11], "You people should leave their company [i.e., unbelievers, verse 14] and separate yourselves from them, and do not touch anything unclean [i.e., their evil practices], and I will welcome you."

Therefore, dear friends, since we have such promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, completing our sanctification in the fear of God.

Now, am I rejoicing, - not that ye were grieved, but that ye were grieved unto repentance; for ye were grieved according to God, in order that, in nothing, should ye receive damage from us.

So we urged Titus that, as he began it, he should also complete this gracious work among you as well.

But just as you excel in everything [else]; in your faith, in your speaking; in your knowledge [Note: Possibly these refer to spiritual gifts. See I Cor. 12:8-10], in your eagerness [to serve], and in your love for us, now you people should also excel in this favorable work [i.e., of giving financial help to needy people].

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor though he was rich, that ye by his poverty should be made rich.

Now here is my advice on what is best to do in this matter: Since you were the first ones to begin [taking up a collection] a year ago, [now you should] not only be doing something [about it], but [you should continue] wanting to do something [as well].

For, not that unto others should be relief, and unto you distress do I speak , but, by equality, in the present season, your surplus for their deficiency, -

but on the principle of equality; in the present time your abundance for their lack, that their abundance may be for your lack, so that there should be equality.

Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

Now it is unnecessary for me to write to you about the offering [that is to be made] for the saints [in Jerusalem];

Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:

Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

Therefore I considered [it] necessary to urge the brothers that they should go on ahead to you and make arrangements in advance for your generous gift that was promised previously, so this would be prepared as a generous gift and not as grudgingly granted.

Each one [should give] as he has decided in his heart, not {reluctantly} or from compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

And having in readiness to avenge every imperfect instruction, when your obedience should be completed.

You are looking at things according to appearance. If anyone is convinced he himself is Christ's, he should consider this concerning himself again: that just as Christ himself [is], so also [are] we.

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

This say I, lest I should seem as though I went about to make you afraid with letters.

Such a person should consider this: What we are in the words of our letters when absent, we will be in actions when present.

For I am not overstepping my authority as though I should not reach you, for I was the very first to reach as far as you with the good news of Christ.

"The person who boasts should boast in the Lord."

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For if someone comes along and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or should you receive a different spirit from the one you received or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you are all too willing to listen.

And when I was present with you and had need, I was grievous to no man. For that which was lacking unto me, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I kept myself that I should not be grievous to you: and so will I keep myself.

Therefore, it should not be surprising for Satan's ministers to disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. Their [final] end will be what they deserve for such actions.

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.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who should be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.

For though I would desire to glory, 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 seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should depart from me.

I have become a fool. You forced me to be one. Really, I should have been commended by you, for I am not in any way inferior to your "super-apostles," even if I am nothing.

Now I'm ready to visit you for a third time, and I will not bother you for help. I do not want your things, but rather you yourselves. Children should not have to support their parents, but parents their children.

Now I shall most gladly spend and be utterly spent for your souls, if even in abundantly loving you I should be less loved.

For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means there should be'strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults;

lest again when I come my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they committed.

This will be my third visit to you. [Deut. 19:15 says], "Every matter should be settled by the testimony of two or three witnesses."

I have said before, and say beforehand, as being present the second; and being away now I write to them having sinned before, and to all the rest, that, if I should come again, I will not spare:

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

Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.