For this is my proud boast, the testimony of my conscience, that it was in holiness and with pure motives before God, not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God, that I have conducted myself in the world, and above all in my relations with you.

And in this confidence I intended to visit you, before going elsewhere, that you might have a pleasure twice over.

In purposing this did I display "caprice"? Or what I purpose do I purpose in a worldly way, so that it may mean either "Yes, yes," or "No, no"?

And for this very reason I wrote you, that I might not come only to be grieved by those who ought to give me joy; and because I trusted in you all, that my joy is the joy of all of you.

For this very purpose also I wrote you (before), that I might test you, to see if you were obedient in every respect.

to these latter an odor of death to death, to the former, of life to life. For such service as this, who is sufficient?

Nay, their minds were made dull; for to this very day, at the public reading of the Old Testament, the same veil rests thereon, because it is not revealed to them that in Christ the veil is taken away.

Yes, to this very day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts;

So then, as I have this ministry because of God's mercy to me, I do not lose heart.

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.

But I hold this treasure in an earthen vessel, in order that the surpassing greatness of the power may be from God, and not from myself.

Wherever I go, I am always carrying about in my body the dying of Jesus, in order that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in this body of mine.

For this reason, as I have said, I do not lose courage, but even though my outward man is wasting away, my inward man is being renewed, day by day.

For I know, if this earthly tent of mine were struck, I have a mansion built by God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

For in this tent I am groaning, earnestly longing to be under the cover of my heavenly habitation; if so be that being so covered,

For in this tent of mine I am groaning in deep trouble; not that I wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up in life.

And He who has wrought me out for this very end is God, who has given me his Spirit as pledge.

And for this reason I also make it home with the Lord.

And all this is from God, who through Christ reconciled me to himself, and gave me the ministry of reconciliation;

I am not saying this to blame you, for as I have already said, I hold you in my heart to live together and to die together.

Note the results of this pain which God permitted; what earnestness it has called forth in you, what explanations, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what fervor, what punishment of wrong. In every way you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.

This is what comforts me. In addition to this comfort of mine, I have been made still happier by the happiness of Titus; because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

And this not as I had expected, but in accordance with the will of God, they first gave themselves to God and to me.

With the result that I have been begging Titus that, as he had been the one to begin the work with you, so he should complete among you this grace also.

Now then, as you excel in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and all zeal and in your love to me, see to it that you excel in this grace also.

I do not say this by way of command, but by the zeal of others I am trying to prove the reality of your love.

And I will give you my opinion in this matter; for this offering is fitting in your case, considering that you made a beginning before others, not only in the willingness to do something but also in actually doing something a year ago.

but burdens are to be equalized. Now your abundance at this present time present time is a supply for their want, in supply for your want; and so burdens be equalized,

More than that, he is the one chosen by the churches to accompany me on my journey, in administering this gift of yours for the Lord's glory. And this has my full consent,

because I am on my guard in this, that no one should blame me, in respect to this bounty which I am administering.

Nevertheless I am sending the brothers in order that my boast about you may not prove vain in this instance; so that, as I kept saying, you may be prepared.

For if any Macedonians come with me and find you not ready, shame would come upon me (not to speak of you) in respect to this confidence.

Mark this; he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Because the ministry of this contribution not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also overflows in many a thanksgiving to God.

For this ministration proves you. On account of it men glorify God for your faithfulness to your professions of the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your gifts to them and to all.

Yes, though I be unskilled in speech, at least I am not in knowledge; indeed I made this perfectly plain to you in all things and among all men.

As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine shall not be stopped within the boundaries of Greece!

I am doing and will continue to do this in order to cut away the ground from under those who wish some cause for slander; and that the ground of their boasting may appear as does mine.

What I am about to say I am not speaking by the Lord's command, but as it were in pure folly, in this boldness of boasting.

It was for this reason, lest I should be over-elated, that there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be over-elated.

Concerning this, three times over I supplicated the Lord that it might leave me;

In what respect, then, were you inferior to the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

But though it be granted that I was not a burden to you, yet, you say, this was my cunning with which I caught you by a trick.

Do you think that all this time I am defending myself to you? It is before the presence of God that I am speaking in Christ; and all, beloved, for your upbuilding.

This will be my third visit to you. Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be confirmed.

For I am always glad whenever I am weak, but you are strong. For this also I am praying, for your perfect reformation.

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.