as for me, though I am absent in person, yet being present by my authority, with regard to him that has committed this fact, I am come to the same resolution, as if I was present,

if I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you: for your being christians is the proof of my apostleship.

if others partake of your substance, have not I a better title? nevertheless, I have not made use of this privilege; but bear with any thing rather than obstruct the gospel of Christ.

for in barely preaching the gospel, I have nothing to glory in: because I am under an obligation to do it; yea, wo is unto me if I preach not the gospel.

for tho' I am independent of all men, yet have I subjected myself to all, that I might gain the more.

every one that strives for the mastery, is extremely temperate: now, they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible one.

neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and were slain by the destroying angel.

if I am thankful for what I have, why should I chuse to be evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

Now in what I am going to say, I do not commend you, because your assemblies are not to your advantage, but to your prejudice.

what, have you no houses to eat and drink in? or have ye a contempt for the church of God, or is it to insult those who are in want? what shall I say to you? shall I commend such behaviour? I do not approve of it.

in the same manner he took the cup, after supper, and said, "this cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."

if the foot should say, "because I am not the hand, I am not of the body;" is it therefore not of the body?

and if the ear should say, "because I am not the eye, I am not of the body;" is it therefore not of the body?

you are contesting about the superiority of your gifts: but I point out to you a more excellent way.

and last of all, he was seen by me too, who am as it were an abortive;

for I am the meanest of the apostles, not worthy the name of an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

it is by the divine favour that I am what I am: and his favour to me was not in vain; no, I laboured more than they all: yet it was not I, it was the divine favour which assisted me.

I am daily receiving new mortifications, witness your cruel boastings against me, which I bear for the sake of Christ Jesus our Lord;

I shall now tell you a very great secret: we shall not all of us sleep, but we shall all be changed,

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet (for the trumpet shall sound) and the dead shall rise incorruptible; but as for us, we shall be changed.

as to brother Apollos, I earnestly entreat him to make you a visit, with the brethren: but he has not the least mind to it at present; however, he will be with you when a fit occasion offers.

I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus are come: for what was wanting on your side, they have supplied.

but whether I am afflicted, it is for your consolation and relief, which is effected by your perseverance, patiently enduring the same sufferings which I also undergo: or whether I am comforted, it is for your consolation and relief.

as some of you have already own'd, that I am matter of joy to you, as you will be to me in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ:

not to call upon you as I pass into Macedonia, but in my return from thence, to be conducted by you toward Judea.

Do I begin again to commend my self? or need I, as some others, commendatory letters to you, or from you?

not that I am sufficient of myself to effect any thing by the strength of my own reason: but my sufficiency is from God.

I am press'd on every side, yet not crush'd; perplexed, but not in despair;

for which cause I am not discouraged, but tho' my body decays, yet my mind is daily renewed.

for the light affliction, which I at present suffer, will be infinitely over-ballanced by an eternal weight of glory;

while I am thus incas'd, I groan with desire to have that celestial vehicle superinduc'd:

therefore being always certainly assur'd that whilst I sojourn in this body, I am absent from the Lord,

Shall I then, who know this terrible judgment of the Lord, endeavour to appease men? as for God, I am approved by him, and I trust also you are convinced of my being so approved.

and this I say, not to commend myself again unto you, but to give you an occasion of glorying on my account, that you may confront those who make a false show of glorying.

for if I glory even to transport, my glorying is in God: if I am moderate, my glorying is for your service.

to this I am urg'd by the love I bear to Christ, persuaded as I am, that if one died for all, then were all in a dying state: and that he died for all,

as unknown, and yet celebrated; as dying, and yet I am alive; as chastised, but not slain;

our affections are as enlarged towards you, as yours are contracted towards us.

I address myself to you as a parent, be not you wanting in the returns of filial respect to me.

I speak not this to your reproach: for I have already assured you, that I am so heartily well affected to you, I could live and die with you.

I use indeed great freedom of speech toward you, yet I greatly glory upon your account: I am filled with comfort, and my joy is still superiour to all my affliction.

so that I am not ashamed of the commendations I have formerly given you to him; but as I have always preached the truth to you, so in my commendation to Titus, I have said nothing but truth of you.

I who am a person of a mean presence, when among you, but exert myself upon your account, when absent; I Paul intreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, not to let me exert that authority,

when I am present, which I think to exercise against some, who censure me, as if I was actuated by worldly views.

for tho' I am involv'd with the world, I don't sustain the war with their poor arts:

and I am prepar'd, when you have discharg'd your duty, to make examples of the rest for their disobedience.

contemptible) let such a one depend upon this, that the same authority which appear'd in my letters, when I was absent, will appear in fact, when I am present.

for I am jealous over you with religious jealousy: since I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

for I think I am not at all inferior to the chiefest of the apostles.

so am I: are they ministers of Christ? is it my vanity? I am more so: in toilsome labours I surpass them, in stripes I am exceedingly beyond them, in prisons I have been oftner, and frequently in the very jaws of death.

I take pleasure then in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am afflicted, then it is I have fortitude.

Am I become vain? 'tis you have forc'd me to it: for I ought to have been commended by you: since I am not inferior to the chiefest of the apostles, tho' in myself I am nothing.

for in what were ye inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? an injury I hope you will easily forgive.

do you think I have been making excuses for not coming? as I am a christian, in the presence of God, I have, my beloved, in every thing consulted your advantage.

yet I fear when I do come I shall not find you such as I would, and that you will find me such as you least desire: I am afraid there are among you debates, envyings, animosities, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, arrogance, tumults:

and I am afraid, God will humble me when I come again among you, and I shall bewail many who have formerly sinned, and have not yet repented of their impurity, their fornication, and dissoluteness.

This is the third time I am coming to you: "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."

I am therefore glad when I am disarm'd by the strength of your integrity: and this is what I pray for, even your perfection.

for by one law, I am dead to the other law, that I might live unto God:

I am crucified with Christ, it is not I that now live, but Christ that liveth in me; the life I have in this body I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

for as many of you as have been baptized into christianity, have been invested as christians.

I beseech you, brethren, be as I am, for I was as you are.

but it is just you should cultivate my affection for you upon all proper occasions, and not only when I am present with you.

but far be it from me that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world is as contemptible to me, as I am to the world.

who by his spirit has likewise made you a part of this divine mansion.

by the reading whereof you may perceive how far I am let into the secret of Christ.

upon me, who am the meanest of all christians, is this favour bestowed, that I should proclaim to the Gentiles the undiscoverable advantages by Christ;

Wherefore I desire that you be not dejected at the tribulations I am under for your sake, which are matter of glory to you.

But fornication, and all impurity, or inordinate desire, let it not be approved by you, as being unworthy of christians: neither ribaldry,

that he himself might make her appear illustrious to his own eye, a church without spot, or any thing like a defect; so as to be holy and irreprehensible.

for which I am an embassador, tho' in chains: that I may duely represent it to the full.

I should have this opinion of you, being sensible you make the dispensation I am under a common concern, with respect to my confinement, and the defence and confirmation of the gospel.

so that the whole court and publick are well appriz'd that I am a prisoner upon the account of Jesus Christ.

I am doubly press'd between my desire to depart, in order to be with Christ, which is by far the best for ME;

being engag'd in the same conflict, in which you saw I was formerly, and hear that I am at present engag'd.

for the same temper of mind ought to be in you as was in Christ Jesus:

Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obey'd the gospel, not only when I was with you, but much more now while I am absent, continue the work of your own salvation, whatever persecutions you apprehend:

I hope therefore to send him to you as soon as I find what turn my affairs shall take:

if zeal is to be regarded, I persecuted the church; if the integrity prescrib'd by the law, I am without reproach;

for I am not yet secure of the prize, I have not yet finish'd my course: but I press to obtain the reward, which Jesus Christ invited me to.

I don't imagine, my brethren, that I am arriv'd at the goal; but this I do, unmindful of what is pass'd, I stretch towards that which is in view,

it is not my indigence that makes me say this: for I have learn'd, in whatevever state I am, therewith to be content: I know how to be in want,

to these things I am equal, thro' Christ who strengthens me.

I have now receiv'd the whole, and have more than sufficient: I am loaded with the presents you sent by Epaphroditus, which I have receiv'd as grateful incense, as a sacrifice which God accepts and approves.

which you heard was offer'd to you, by the instructions of Epaphras, our dear fellow-servant, who is to you a faithful minister of Christ:

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and am filling up the measure of those remaining afflictions, which in my turn I am to suffer in this life, in the cause of Christ, for the sake of his body, which is the church:

for tho' I am absent in person, yet I am present with you in my mind, and am glad to perceive the regularily of your affairs, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

If then you are dead with Christ, in respect of those shadows of the Jewish state; why do ye, as if you were still in that state, submit to those ordinances?

put up your requests likewise for me, that God would give me an opportunity to declare the mystery of Christ (for which I am even in bonds:)

we never courted you nor any others, from an affectation of human applause. instead of making our apostolical character any ways expensive to you, as we might;

Our affection therefore to you being so great, we were as ready to give our lives for you, as we were to communicate the divine gospel to you, so much did you engage our love.

you likewise know, that we exhorted and encouraged every one of you, as a father doth his children,

for now I am reviv'd, since you continue stedfast in the christian profession.

it is a proposition worthy to be believ'd, and be embrac'd by all, that Jesus Christ is come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the greatest.

This I write, tho' I hope to make you a visit in a little time, that in case I am retarded,

while I am absent apply yourself to reading, to exhortation, and instruction.

When I remember you, as I continually do in my prayers night and day, I give thanks to God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, after the example of my fore-fathers.

especially when I reflect upon the sincerity of your faith, and the attachment your grand-mother Lois first show'd, and then your mother Eunice, examples which I am persuaded you will follow.

be not therefore asham'd of the testimony of the Lord, nor of me who am a prisoner upon his account. but share with me in the afflictions, which attend the gospel, supported as you are by the power of God,

yet I am not ashamed, for I know in whom I have confided, and I am persuaded he is able to keep what I have committed to him against that day.