For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you.

We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who take pride in outward appearance and not in what is in the heart.

For he says, "I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you." Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation!

We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you.

But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you,

Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.

in hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing.

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