I do not say this to condemn you; for I have said before, that you are in our hearts, so that we could die with you, and live with you.

For when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest; but we were oppressed on every side: without were battles, within were fears.

and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you when he told us of your strong affection, your grief, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced the more.

For although I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that the same letter gave you sorrow, though but for a short time.

Now I rejoice not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed in order to repentance. For you sorrowed in a way acceptable to God, that you might in nothing receive injury from us.

For godly sorrow works repentance not to be regretted, which leads to salvation: but the sorrow of the world works death.

For behold this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner; what earnestness it produced in you; what defense of yourselves; what indignation; what fear; what strong affection; what zeal; what assertion of right. In all respects you have shown yourselves to be blame less in this matter.

Therefore, though I wrote to you, it was not on account of him who did the wrong, nor on account of him who received the wrong; but that our diligent care for you, in the sight of God, might be made manifest to you.

For this reason, we have been comforted by means of your comfort: and we rejoiced exceedingly more indeed, on account of the joy of Titus, for his spirit was refreshed by you all.

For if I boasted of you to him, in any respect, I am not made ashamed; but as I have spoken all things to you in truth, so also has our boasting to Titus been found to be truth:

and his affection for you is the more abundant, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.

for I testify that according to their power, and beyond their power, they gave voluntarily,

Now as you excel in every thing, in faith, and in speech, and in knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love for us, see that you excel in this gift also.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet, for your sakes, he became poor, that you, through his poverty, might become rich.

And I give my judgment in this matter; for this is profitable for you, who began not only to do, but to show a willing mind, a year ago.

For if there is a readiness of mind, one is accepted according to what he has, not according to what he has not.

For I do not intend that there shall be relief to others, and affliction to you; but that, according to equality, your abundance, at the present time, may supply their wants;

But thanks be to God, who put the same earnest care for you in the heart of Titus:

for he accepted my exhortation, and, being more earnest, he went to you of his own accord.

being careful for this that no one shall blame us in this abundance, which is ministered by us;

for we provide what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

If it is necessary to speak of Titus, he is my partner and fellow-worker for you; if our brethren are spoken of, they are the apostles of the churches, the glory of Christ.

For of the relief which is for the saints, it is needless for me to write to you.

For I know your readiness of mind, on account of which I boasted of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago: and your zeal has incited very many.

Let each one give, as he purposes in his heart; not with grief, nor from necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to confer every gift upon you abundantly, that you, always having all sufficiency in every thing, may have enough for every good work;

Now, he that furnishes seed to the sower will both furnish bread for food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;

that you may be enriched in every thing, for all liberality which produces through us thanksgiving to God;

(since through the proof which this service gives, they glorify God for your acknowledged subjection to the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution for them, and for all;)

and in their prayer for you, since they have strong affection for you on account of the eminent grace of God that is in you.

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, for the overthrowing of strongholds,)

For though I should boast even, somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I would not be ashamed:

For his letters, says one, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his style of speech contemptible.

For we do not presume to rank or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves: but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with them selves, have no understanding.

But we will not boast ourselves with respect to regions not measured to us; but according to the measure of the line which God, who measures, has appointed for us to reach even to you.

For we do not stretch ourselves too far, as if we did not come to you: for even as far as to you, have we already come in the gospel of the Christ,

for he that commends himself is not approved; but he whom the Lord commends.

for I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy: for I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ.

But I fear lest, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity which pertains to Christ.

For if he that comes should preach another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or, if you receive another Spirit, which you did not receive, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you would well bear with him.

for the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied my wants; and in every thing I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and will continue to keep myself.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, trans forming themselves into the apostles of Christ;

and no wonder, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

For it is a pleasure to you to bear with men of no understanding, since you yourselves are wise.

For you bear it, if one enslave you, if one devour you, if one take from you, if one exalt himself, if one smite you on the face,

besides those things which come upon me from other sources, I have a daily concourse of troubles my anxiety for all the churches.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie.

To boast is not suitable for me; I will come to visions and revelations from the Lord. -

was caught away to Paradise, and heard words not to be spoken, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

For though I should choose to boast, I would not be void of understanding: for I will speak the truth. But I forbear, lest any one should think of me more than what he sees me to be, or what he hears of me.

and he said to me: My grace is sufficient for you; for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I boast in my infirmities, that the power of the Christ may abide upon me.

For this reason, I take pleasure in infirmities, in outrages, in necessities, in persecutions, in straits, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

I have become of no understanding; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you: I am in no respect inferior to the very greatest of the apostles, although I am nothing.

For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, unless in this that I did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong.

Behold, I am ready the third time to come to you, and I will not burden you: for I seek not yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up treasure for the parents, but the parents for the children.

I, indeed, will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

Do you think again that we offer you a defense of ourselves? We speak all these things before God in Christ, beloved, for your edification.

For I fear, lest when I come I shall find you not, such as I wish, and I shall be found by you not such as you wish: lest there shall be contentions, envies, excitements, strife, evil speaking, whisperings, party spirit, disorderly conduct:

for though he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

For we can do nothing against the truth, but we can do something for the truth.

For we rejoice when we are weak, and you are strong. And we pray also for this your perfection.

For this reason, I write these things, while absent, that I may not, when present, use severity, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification, and not for destruction.

who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

For, do I now seek the favor of men, or of God? or do I strive to please men? If, indeed, I would still please men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

for neither did I receive it from man, nor was it taught me, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my former mode of life in Judaism, that I greatly persecuted the church of God, and laid it waste;

and I surpassed in Judaism many of my own age and nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the tradition of my fathers.

to whom we yielded in submission, not even for an hour, in order that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.

(for he who gave efficiency to Peter, for the apostleship of the circumcision, gave efficiency to me also, as an apostle for the Gentiles,)

For, before certain persons came from James, he ate- with the Gentiles: but, when they had come, he withdrew, and separated himself, because he feared those who were of the circumcision.

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are also found sinners, is Christ, there fore, the minister of sin? It can not be.

For if I build again those things which I have destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

For, through law, I have died to law, that I might live to God.

I have been crucified with Christ, yet I live; no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I do not set aside the grace of God: for if righteousness be through law, then Christ has died in vain.

even as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

For the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached beforehand the gospel to Abraham, saying: In you shall all the nations be blessed.

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that does not continue in all things written in the book of the law to do them.

But that no one is justified by law in the sight of God, is evident: for the just by faith shall live.

Christ has bought us off from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us: (for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:)

And this I affirm, that the covenant which had been before confirmed by God with respect to Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, could not annul so as to make the promise of no effect.

For if the inheritance be by law, it is no longer by promise: but God bestowed it on Abraham by promise.

Now, a mediator for one is impossible; but God is one.

Is the law, then, against the promises of God? It can not be. For if a law had been given which could have given life, surely righteousness would have been by law.

for you are all the sons of God, by faith in Christ Jesus:

for as many of you as have been immersed into Christ, have put on Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bondman nor free man, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

fear for you, lest I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.

How great, then, was your blessedness! For I testify for you, that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes, and have given them to me.

My little children, for whom I again suffer the pains of gestation, till Christ be formed in you,

I desire to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am in doubt concerning you.

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; one by a bondmaid, and one by a free woman.

But the one by the bondmaid was born according to the flesh; the other, by the free woman, was by promise.

These things are allegorized: for these women are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai that brings forth for bondage, which is Hagar.

For Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage with her children.

But Jerusalem which is above is free; and she is the mother of us all.

For it is written: Rejoice you barren, that do not bear: break forth and cry aloud, you that travail not: for many more are the children of the deserted, than of her that had the husband of the deserted.

But what says the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman.