Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.

But as you excel in everything -- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you -- make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too.

as it is written: "The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little."

You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: Just as he himself belongs to Christ, so too do we.

I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

Since many are boasting according to human standards, I too will boast.

(To my disgrace I must say that we were too weak for that!) But whatever anyone else dares to boast about (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing.

was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak.

But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit!