For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

Also we received an answer of death in ourselves, and that was done because we should not put our trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead to life again -

You don't have to read between the lines of my letters; you can understand them. Yes, I trust you will understand the full meaning of my letters

[who] also sealed us and gave the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.

But if anyone has caused grief, he didn't cause me any grief. To some extent I don't want to emphasize this too much it has affected all of you.

So that on the contrary ye should rather show kindness, and console, lest perhaps such be swallowed down with more abundant sadness.

But if you give forgiveness to anyone, I do the same: for if I have given forgiveness for anything, I have done it because of you, in the person of Christ;

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don't need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we?

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

And are not just like Moses, who kept putting a veil upon his face, so that the sons of Israel should not look steadily unto the end of that which was to be done away.

But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil [of blindness] lies over their heart;

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don't faint.

in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them .

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

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our body.

Therefore we don't faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.

while we don't look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For we have known that if our earthly house of the tabernacle may be thrown down, a building from God we have, an house not made with hands -- age-during -- in the heavens,

For while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened [often weighed down, oppressed], not that we want to be unclothed [separated by death from the body], but to be clothed, so that what is mortal [the body] will be swallowed up by life [after the resurrection].

Now the one who has prepared us for this very [thing] [is] God, who has given us the down payment, the Spirit.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

So then, from now on we do not think of anyone from a human point of view. Even if we did think of the Messiah from a human point of view, we don't think of him that way anymore.

Working together with Him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive God’s grace in vain.”

[We have ministered] with purity, knowledge, patience and kindness. [We have done this] by [the power of] the Holy Spirit; out of genuine love;

Don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Therefore, "Get away from them and separate yourselves from them," declares the Lord, "and don't touch anything unclean. Then I will welcome you.

Make room for us in your hearts. There is not one of you whom we have wronged, not one to whom we have done harm, not one over whom we have gained any selfish advantage.

I don’t say this to condemn you, for I have already said that you are in our hearts, to live together and to die together.

Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

now I rejoice, not at your uneasiness, but at your repentance which succeeded: for your sorrow was a religious sorrow, such as convinc'd you I had done you no wrong.

For [you can look back and] see what an earnestness and authentic concern this godly sorrow has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves [against charges that you tolerate sin], what indignation [at sin], what fear [of offending God], what longing [for righteousness and justice], what passion [to do what is right], what readiness to punish [those who sin and those who tolerate sin]! At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in the matter.

Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.

They have done more than I expected; they gave themselves to the Lord, to begin with, and then (for so God willed it) they put themselves at my disposal.

I don't mean to prescribe to you, but that the zeal of others may show you are as sincerely well-affected.

For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don't have.

You will be made rich in everything so you can be generous in every way. This will result in people thanking God [for what you have done] through us.

I make this request so that I do not have to be bold when I am present [with you], and feel compelled to speak in an authoritative tone to some people [there] who think we are living by worldly standards.

For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh;

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

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

For though I should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame:

I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters.

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.

I will not boast of any thing done without my province, but confine myself within that line by which God has mark'd out my bounds, and in which you are included.

For we don't stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn't reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ,

We are not boasting about work done by others that cannot be evaluated. On the contrary, we cherish the hope that your faith may continue to grow and enlarge our sphere of action among you until it overflows.

so that we may preach the gospel even in the lands beyond you, but not to boast in work already accomplished in another one’s field of activity.

Or, did I sin by putting myself down in order to build you people up, because I preached the Gospel of God to you without taking [financial] support?

Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows I do!

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

Thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I was shipwrecked, I have done a night and a day in the depth,

In frequent travels, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from outlaws, in dangers from my countrymen, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the town, in dangers in the waste land, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers;

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don't burn with indignation?

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forevermore, knows that I don't lie.

In Damascus, the ruler under Aretas the king kept watch over the town of the people of Damascus, in order to take me:

And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

I know a man in Christ who was caught up into the third heaven 14 years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don’t know, God knows.

I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don't know; God knows),

Indeed, the signs of an apostle have been done among you with all patient endurance, both signs and wonders and deeds of power.

For what is it wherein ye were inferiors unto other congregations? Except it be therein that I was not grievous unto you. Forgive me this wrong done unto you.

For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don't desire; that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots;

And that when I come again, my God may put me to shame among you, and I may have grief for those who have done wrong before and have had no regret for their unclean ways, and for the evil desires of the flesh to which they have given way.

I said before, and still say it before I come, as being present for the second time, though I am still away from you, to those who have done wrong before, and to all the others, that if I come again I will not have pity;

Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don't you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -- unless indeed you are disqualified.

For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not when present deal sharply, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for casting down.