For, not that unto others should be relief, and unto you distress do I speak , but, by equality, in the present season, your surplus for their deficiency, -

In order that their surplus may come to be for your deficiency: that there may come about an equality: -

Even as it is written - He that gathered the much, had not more than enough, and, he that gathered the little, had not less,

But thanks be to God who has inspired in the heart of Titus the same zeal on your behalf that I have.

In that, though, indeed, the exhortation, he welcomed; yet already being, greatly in earnest, of his own accord, hath he gone forth unto you.

And I am sending with him that brother whose fame in the service of the gospel is spread through all the churches.

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.

looking to things that are right not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

and we sent with them our brother, whom we proved in many things many times being diligent, and now much more diligent, by the great confidence that is toward you,

As for Titus, remember that he is a partner of mine, and is also my associate in labors for you. As for the other brothers, remember that they are delegates from the churches, men in whom Christ is glorified.

Wherefore show unto them the proof of your love, and of the rejoicing that we have of you, that the congregations may see it.

For, indeed, concerning the ministration that is for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you,

for I know how ready you are, and am always boasting about you to the Macedonians, telling them that Greece has been ready for a year past; and your zeal has been a spur to the majority of them.

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.

Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

So I have thought that I must ask these brothers to visit you beforehand, and get your promised contribution ready in advance. I want it to be given of your bounty, not extorted from your covetousness.

As to this, however, he that soweth sparingly, sparingly, also shall reap, and, he that soweth with blessings, with blessings, also shall reap:

But let each give according to the purpose of his heart; not grudgingly of under compulsion. It is a cheerful giver that God loves.

And God is able to give you an overflowing measure of every grace, so that all your wants of every kind may be supplied at all times, and you may give of your abundance to every good work;

as it is written, "He that dispersed abroad and hath given to the poor, his righteousness remaineth for ever."

Now, he that supplieth seed to the sower, and bread for eating, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and cause to grow your fruits of righteousness:

You yourselves will be enriched with all good things, that you may give ungrudgingly; and your gifts, of which I am the agent, will make men give thanks to God.

For the office of this ministration, not only supplieth the need of the saints: but also is abundant herein, that for this laudable ministering, thanks might be given to God of many,

seeing that through the proving of you by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution unto them and unto all;

Moreover, in their prayers for you they will be longing after you, because of the exceeding grace of God that is resting upon you.

Now I Paul, myself, appeal to you by the humble-heartedness and selflessness of Christ??aul who "in your presence is humble, but bold enough when he is absent"??2 I beseech you, and I say, do not make me show my boldness, when I come in the boldness with which I think I shall show my courage against some who think that I am walking on the low level of the flesh.

I entreat, however, that, when present, I may not be bold with the assurance wherewith I think to be daring against some who account of us as though, according to flesh, we were walking, -

For, though we are still living in the world, it is no worldly warfare that we are waging.

For I pull down imaginations and every crag that lifts itself against the knowledge of God. And I carry every thought away into captivity and subjection to Christ;

Being ready to give punishment to whatever is against his authority, after you have made it clear that you are completely under his control.

Look these facts in the face. If any man is fully persuaded as regards himself that he belongs to Christ, let him consider again with himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also am I.

for even if also anything more abundantly I shall boast concerning our authority, that the Lord gave us for building up, and not for casting you down, I shall not be ashamed;

That I may not seem as though I would be terrifying you through means of my letters;

(for 'tis objected that my letters are weighty and powerful, but my bodily presence weak, and my preaching

Let such a man assure himself that my actions, when I am present, will be just like my words in my letters when I am absent.

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned to us, which reaches even to you.

For it is not the case, as it would be if we were not in the habit of coming to you, that we are exceeding our bounds! Why, we were the very first to reach you with the Good News of the Christ!

I am not "boasting beyond measure in the labors of others," but it is my hope that, as your faith goes on increasing among yourselves, by the enlargement of my appointed limits,

so that we may proclaim the good news to the regions beyond you, not boasting about what has already been done in someone else’s area of ministry.

He that boasteth, however, in the Lord, let him boast;

For, not he that commendeth himself, he, is approved, but he whom, the Lord, doth commend.

Would that you could put up with a little "folly" from me! Nay, do bear with me.

I have a divine jealousy on your behalf; for I betrothed you to one only husband, even to Christ, that I might present you to him, a chaste virgin.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For, if, indeed, he that cometh, is proclaiming, another Jesus, whom we have not proclaimed, or, a different Spirit, ye are receiving, which ye had not received, or a different glad-message, which ye have never welcomed, ye are, well, bearing.

For I reckon that I am in no respect behind your superapostolic apostles.

Though untrained in public speaking, I am certainly not untrained in knowledge. Indeed, we have always made that clear to you in everything.

Is it a sin, forsooth, that I humbled myself that you might be exalted, in preaching the gospel to you free of cost?

Other assemblies, I despoiled, receiving supplies that I might minister, unto you;

And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

Truth of Christ is in me, that, this boasting, shall not be silenced unto me, in the regions of Achaia.

Why? Because I do not love you? God knows that I do!

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.

I say again, let no one think me a fool. Or, if you must, at least bear with me as a fool, that I, too, may do a little boasting.

That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

For ye suffer fools gladly because that ye yourselves are wise.

I say that I was weak, and yet for whatever reason any one is bold (I speak in mere folly) I too am bold.

Are they ministers of Christ? So am I. I am talking like a man that has gone crazy -- as such I am superior! -- serving Him with labors greater by far, with far more imprisonments, with floggings vastly worse, and often at the point of death.

Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

If, to boast, is needful, in the things that concern my weakness, will I boast.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am telling the truth.

When I was in Damascus, the Governor under King Aretas had the gates of that city guarded, so as to arrest me,

I know a man who belongs to the Messiah. Fourteen years ago whether in his body or outside of his body, I do not know, but God knows that man was snatched away to the third heaven.

I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know, God knows—

How that he was caught away into paradise, and heard unspeakable things, which it is not allowable for a man to utter:

Of an experience like that I am prepared to boast, but not of myself personally ??not except as regards my weaknesses.

For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me,

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;

but he has answered me. "My grace is sufficient for you; it is in weakness that my power is perfected."

Most gladly therefore will I boast rather of my weakness, that over me like a tent may be pitched the power of Christ. That is why I rejoice in weakness, in ill-treatment, in troubles, in persecutions and calamities for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

I have become a fool; it is ye that compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the very foremost apostles, though I am nothing.

The marks that signify the genuine apostle were exhibited among you in my perfect patience, in signs, wonders, and wonder-works.

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!

It is now the third time that I have been ready to come to see you, and I will never ask you for financial support, for it is not your money but you yourselves that I want; for children are not by duty bound to lay up money for their parents, but parents for their children.

I shall be glad to sacrifice myself and all I have for your service, even tho' it should happen that the more I love you, the less I should be beloved.

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.

I did not make any money out of you through anybody that I sent to you, did I?

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.

For I dread that perhaps, when I come, I may not find you to be such as I wish, and that I may be found by you such as you do not wish; I dread lest there should be quarrels, jealousy, tempers, party spirit, slandering, gossip, arrogance, tumults;

I fear that when I come my God will again humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented of the moral impurity, sexual immorality, and promiscuity they practiced.

This is the third time that I am coming to you. From the mouth of two or three witnesses will every word be made certain.

I have said beforehand, and do say beforehand, - as present the second time, although now absent, unto them who before sinned, and unto all the rest, - that, if I come again, I will not spare.

seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me; who to you-ward is not weak, but is powerful in you:

And verily, though it came of weakness that he was crucified, yet liveth he through the power of God: and we no doubt are weak in him; but we shall live with him, by the might of God among you.

Examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith; put your own selves to the proof. Or do you not know, your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed you fail to abide the proof?

But I hope you will find that I abide the proof.

And my prayer to God is that you may do no evil; not in order that I may appear approved, but that you may do what is noble, though I should seem unable to abide the proof.

We are glad when we are weak, and ye strong. This also we wish for, even that ye were perfect.

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.

and all the brethren that are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

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

I am amazed that you are so soon shifting your ground, and deserting him who called you by the grace of Christ,

Which is not, another, only there are, some, that are troubling you, and wishing to change the glad-message of the Christ.

But even though I myself or an angel from heaven were to preach any gospel other than that which I did preach to you, let him be accursed.

I have said it before, and I now repeat it, if any one is preaching a gospel to you other than that which you have received, let him be accursed.

Think you that I am now trying to conciliate men or God? Or am I "seeking to please men"? If I were still seeking to please men, I should not be a slave of Christ.