Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.

And with this confidence I intended to come to you first so that you would get a second opportunity to see us,

Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? Or do I make my plans according to mere human standards so that I would be saying both "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time?

For if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad but the one I caused to be sad?

And I wrote this very thing to you, so that when I came I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours.

But their minds were closed. For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away.

among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.

Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away -- look, what is new has come!

God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.

For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality.

For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.

For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me!

What I am saying with this boastful confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness.

For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me,

even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me -- so that I would not become arrogant.

I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me.