Among them the god of this age has blinded the understanding of the unbelieving so that the sunshine of the gospel of God, should not dawn upon them.

persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

For we must all be made manifest, in our true characters, before the Judgment-seat of Christ; so that each one may receive according to that which he has done in his body, whether good or evil.

But the God who comforts the down-hearted comforted me by the coming of Titus,

for the weapons of my warfare are not weapons of the flesh, but mighty for God, in pulling down all fortresses.

For I pull down imaginations and every crag that lifts itself against the knowledge of God. And I carry every thought away into captivity and subjection to Christ;

If, however, I were to boast more loudly concerning the authority which the Lord gave me (not to cast you down, but to build you up), I should have no cause for shame.

but through an opening in the wall I was let down in a basket, and so escaped and out of his hands.

For this reason I am writing thus while absent, so that when I come, I may not have to deal sharply, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for pulling down.