But their minds were blinded: for until this day the same vail remaineth untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man is wasted, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heaven:

And not by his coming only, but by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind towards me; so that I rejoiced the more.

For if I have boasted any thing to him concerning you, I am not ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.

Now therefore finish the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

And not that only, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often proved to be diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath incited very many.

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before to you, and make up before hand your bounty, of which ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not of covetousness.

Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, with which I think to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

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

But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even to you.

I earnestly wish ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

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

As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

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

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

If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my infirmities.

That he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or what he heareth from me.

For what is that in which ye were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

And lest, when I come again, my God may humble me among you, and I shall bewail many who have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and lewdness, and lasciviousness, which they have committed.

Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we should be as reprobates.

For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

Which is not another; but there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.

Now the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I lie not.

And was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ:

But they had heard only, That he who persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

And I went by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them who were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run in vain.

And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privately to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

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

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth 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.

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

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of no effect.

Is the law then against the promises of God? By no means: for if there had been a law given which could give life, verily righteousness would have been by the law.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up to the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

However then, when ye knew not God, ye did service to them which by nature are no gods.

But now, after ye have known God, or rather are known by God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which ye desire again to be in bondage?

And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

To the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he hath made us accepted in the beloved:

In which he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence;

Having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might collect in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

In which in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me on your account.

By which when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ,

Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

Of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effectual working of his power.

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fullness of God.

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation by which ye are called,

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive:

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love.

That ye put off concerning the former manner of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts:

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

And be not drunk with wine, in which is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise)

Above all, taking the shield of faith, with which ye will be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

For which I am an embassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened to me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel;

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; with respect to the righteousness which is by the law, blameless.

And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith: