but we ourselves in ourselves the sentence of the death have had, that we may not be trusting on ourselves, but on God, who is raising the dead,

who out of so great a death did deliver us, and doth deliver, in whom we have hoped that even yet He will deliver;

For our glorying is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we did conduct ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you;

according as also ye did acknowledge us in part, that your glory we are, even as also ye are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus;

This, therefore, counselling, did I then use the lightness; or the things that I counsel, according to the flesh do I counsel, that it may be with me Yes, yes, and No, no?

for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, among you through us having been preached -- through me and Silvanus and Timotheus -- did not become Yes and No, but in him it hath become Yes;

and He who is confirming you with us into Christ, and did anoint us, is God,

for, for this also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether in regard to all things ye are obedient.

Because of this, having this ministration, according as we did receive kindness, we do not faint,

but did renounce for ourselves the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully using the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth recommending ourselves unto every conscience of men, before God;

in whom the god of this age did blind the minds of the unbelieving, that there doth not shine forth to them the enlightening of the good news of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God;

because it is God who said, Out of darkness light is to shine, who did shine in our hearts, for the enlightening of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

And having the same spirit of the faith, according to that which hath been written, 'I believed, therefore I did speak;' we also do believe, therefore also do we speak;

knowing that He who did raise up the Lord Jesus, us also through Jesus shall raise up, and shall present with you,

And He who did work us to this self-same thing is God, who also did give to us the earnest of the Spirit;

for all of us it behoveth to be manifested before the tribunal of the Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body, in reference to the things that he did, whether good or evil;

so that if any one is in Christ -- he is a new creature; the old things did pass away, lo, become new have the all things.

And the all things are of God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and did give to us the ministration of the reconciliation,

for him who did not know sin, in our behalf He did make sin, that we may become the righteousness of God in him.

for He saith, 'In an acceptable time I did hear thee, and in a day of salvation I did help thee, lo, now is a well-accepted time; lo, now, a day of salvation,' --

receive us; no one did we wrong; no one did we waste; no one did we defraud;

but He who is comforting the cast-down -- God -- He did comfort us in the presence of Titus;

and not only in his presence, but also in the comfort with which he was comforted over you, declaring to us your longing desire, your lamentation, your zeal for me, so that the more I did rejoice,

because even if I made you sorry in the letter, I do not repent -- if even I did repent -- for I perceive that the letter, even if for an hour, did make you sorry.

for, lo, this same thing -- your being made sorry toward God -- how much diligence it doth work in you! but defence, but displeasure, but fear, but longing desire, but zeal, but revenge; in every thing ye did approve yourselves to be pure in the matter.

If, then, I also wrote to you -- not for his cause who did wrong, nor for his cause who did suffer wrong, but for our diligence in your behalf being manifested unto you before God --

because of this we have been comforted in your comfort, and more abundantly the more did we rejoice in the joy of Titus, that his spirit hath been refreshed from you all;

because if anything to him in your behalf I have boasted, I was not put to shame; but as all things in truth we did speak to you, so also our boasting before Titus became truth,

and his tender affection is more abundantly toward you, remembering the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye did receive him;

because in much trial of tribulation the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, did abound to the riches of their liberality;

and not according as we expected, but themselves they did give first to the Lord, and to us, through the will of God,

so that we exhorted Titus, that, according as he did begin before, so also he may finish to you also this favour,

and an opinion in this do I give: for this to you is expedient, who not only to do, but also to will, did begin before -- a year ago,

according as it hath been written, 'He who did gather much, had nothing over; and he who did gather little, had no lack.'

for I have known your readiness of mind, which in your behalf I boast of to Macedonians, that Achaia hath been prepared a year ago, and the zeal of you did stir up the more part,

This one -- let him reckon thus: that such as we are in word, through letters, being absent, such also, being present, we are in deed.

and we in regard to the unmeasured things will not boast ourselves, but after the measure of the line that the God of measure did appoint to us -- to reach even unto you;

for not as not reaching to you do we stretch ourselves overmuch, for even unto you did we come in the good news of the Christ,

for I am zealous for you with zeal of God, for I did betroth you to one husband, a pure virgin, to present to Christ,

and I fear, lest, as the serpent did beguile Eve in his subtilty, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in the Christ;

for if, indeed, he who is coming doth preach another Jesus whom we did not preach, or another Spirit ye receive which ye did not receive, or other good news which ye did not accept -- well were ye bearing it,

The sin did I do -- myself humbling that ye might be exalted, because freely the good news of God I did proclaim to you?

other assemblies I did rob, having taken wages, for your ministration;

and being present with you, and having been in want, I was chargeable to no one, for my lack did the brethren supply -- having come from Macedonia -- and in everything burdenless to you I did keep myself, and will keep.

from Jews five times forty stripes save one I did receive;

Concerning this thing thrice the Lord did I call upon, that it might depart from me,

I have become a fool -- boasting; ye -- ye did compel me; for I ought by you to have been commended, for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles -- even if I am nothing.

And be it so, I -- I did not burden you, but being crafty, with guile I did take you;

any one of those whom I have sent unto you -- by him did I take advantage of you?

I entreated Titus, and did send with him the brother; did Titus take advantage of you? in the same spirit did we not walk? -- did we not in the same steps?

lest again having come, my God may humble me in regard to you, and I may bewail many of those having sinned before, and not having reformed concerning the uncleanness, and whoredom, and lasciviousness, that they did practise.

because of this, these things -- being absent -- I write, that being present, I may not treat any sharply, according to the authority that the Lord did give me for building up, and not for casting down.