Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, together with all the saints who are in all Achaia.

who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those [who are] in all affliction with the comfort with which [we] ourselves are comforted by God.

But [we] ourselves had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we would not be putting confidence in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,

who delivered us from so great [a risk] of death, and will deliver [us], in whom we have put our hope that he will also deliver [us] again,

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timothy, did not become "yes" and "no," but has become "yes" in him.

Now the one who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anoints us [is] God,

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

For if I [cause] you sorrow, then who will make me glad except the one who is caused to be sad by me?

And I wrote this very [thing] in order that [when I] came, I would not experience sorrow from those who ought to have made me glad, [because I] have confidence about you all, that my joy {belongs to all of you}.

But thanks [be] to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and who reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of him through us in every place.

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

to those on the one hand an odor from death to death, [and] to those on the other hand a fragrance from life to life. And who [is] qualified for these [things]?

For we are not like the majority who peddle the word of God, but as from pure motives--but as from God--we speak before God in Christ.

who also makes us adequate [as] servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

But if indeed our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing,

among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they would not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

For God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness," [is the one] who has shined in our hearts for the enlightenment of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

For we who are alive [are] continually being handed over to death because of Jesus, in order that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.

[because we] know that the one who raised Jesus will also raise us together with Jesus and present [us] together with you.

For indeed we who are in this tent groan, being burdened {for this reason, that} we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

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

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to boast about us, in order that you may have [an answer] for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.

And he died for all, in order that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.

And all these [things] [are] from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

He made the one who did not know sin [to be] sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.

But God, who comforts the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus,

Consequently, even if I wrote to you, it was not because of the one who did wrong or because of the one who had been wronged, but in order that your diligence {on our behalf} might be revealed to you before God.

And I am giving an opinion in this [matter], because this is profitable for you who not only began previously, a year ago, to do [something], but also to want [to do it].

just 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."

But thanks [be] to God, who has put in the heart of Titus the same devotion {on your behalf},

And we are sending with them our brother whom we have tested many times in many [things] that he is diligent, but now much more diligent [because of his] great confidence in you.

Now [the point is] this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Now the one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed, and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow,

Now I, Paul, appeal to you myself by the humility and gentleness of Christ, who {when I am present in person} [am] humble among you, but [when I] am absent am bold toward you--

now I ask [when I] am present [that I will] not [need] to be bold with the confidence [with] which I propose to show boldness toward some who consider us as behaving according to the flesh.

For we do not dare to classify or to compare ourselves with some who commend themselves, but [they] themselves, [when they] measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, do not understand.

But "the one who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."

For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but [the one] whom the Lord commends.

For if the one who comes proclaims another Jesus whom we have not proclaimed, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or a different gospel which you did not accept, you put up with [it] well [enough]!

And [when I] was present with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will keep [myself from being a burden].

But what I am doing, I will also do, in order that I may remove the opportunity of those who want an opportunity, that they may be found just as also we [are] in what they are boasting about.

Who is weak, and [I am] not weak? Who is caused to sin, and I do not burn [with indignation]?

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed {forever}, knows that I am not lying.

I have not taken advantage of you {through anyone whom I sent to you}, [have I]?

[I am afraid] lest [when I] come again my God will humiliate me {in your presence}, and I will grieve over many of those who sinned previously and have not repented because of their impurity and sexual immorality and licentiousness that they have practiced.

I have already said when was present the second time, and [although I] am absent now also say in advance to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare [anyone],

since you are demanding proof that Christ, who [is] not weak toward you, but is powerful among you, is speaking in me.