Therefore we are truly ambitious, whether being present or absent, to be well pleasing unto him.

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.

For the love of Christ constraineth us, being fully persuaded of this, that if One died for all, then were all dead.

So if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new being; the old state of things has passed away; there is a new state of things.

He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].

And being also co-laborers we exhort you not to receive the grace of God in vain,??2 for he says, In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you; behold, now is an acceptable time, behold, now is a day of salvation,??3 giving no offense in any thing, that the ministry may not be blamed,

To keep my ministry from being found fault with, I am trying not to put a single hindrance in anybody's way.

In a clean heart, in knowledge, in long waiting, in being kind, in the Holy Spirit, in true love,

as unknown yet recognized;
as dying and look—we live;
as being disciplined yet not killed;

As being grieved, and always rejoicing; as poor, and making many rich; as having nothing, and possessing all things.

For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had not one relief, but being oppressed in everything: battles outside, fears within.

In fact, if I did pain you by that letter, I do not regret it. I did regret it when I discovered that my letter had pained you even for the time being,

For lo! this very thing - the being caused to grieve, according to God: - what manner of diligence it wrought out in you, - nay! defence, - nay! sore displeasure, - nay! fear, - nay! earnest desire, - nay! jealousy, - nay! avenging. In every way, ye shewed yourselves to be, chaste, in the matter.

Hence, if I even wrote unto you, it was not for the sake of him that did the wrong, naynot even for the sake of him that suffered the wrong; but for the sake of your earnestness, which was on our account, being made manifest unto you, before God:-

who tho' labouring under great trial of affliction, and extreme poverty, have notwithstanding with exceeding cheerfulness contributed very liberally: being forward of themselves to the utmost of their power,

with earnest entreaty, they kept on begging me for the favor of sharing in this service that is being rendered to God's people.

for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that because of you he became poor -- being rich, that ye by that poverty may become rich.

in this I only advise you: it being for your credit, since you have not only begun to execute it, but you were the first that form'd the design a year ago.

but by equality: your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want; that there may be equality:

For he not only consented to my request, but being thoroughly in earnest, comes to you of his own accord.

Not only so, however, but he hath also been appointed by the assemblies, as a fellow-traveler with us in this favour, which is being ministered by us with a view to the Lord's glory and our earnest desire: -

Arranging this - lest anyone, upon us, should cast blame, in this munificence which is being ministered by us;

For I aim at being above reproach, 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,

Therefore, show these men, in the sight of the churches, the proof of your love and our reason for being proud of you.

It is really superfluous for me to write to you about this service which is being rendered to God's people,

But I have sent the brothers [See 8:18, 22], so that our boasting about you being prepared will not prove to be empty words.

to keep me -- not to mention you -- from being humiliated for having such confidence in you, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready.

Therefore I think it necessary to urge the Brothers to go to you in advance, and to complete the arrangements for the gift, which you have already promised, so that it may be ready, as a gift, before I come, and not look as if it were being given under pressure.

and God is able to make every charitable gift redound to your advantage; that being always sufficiently supply'd in every thing, you may excel in every good work:

In every thing, being enriched, unto every kind of liberality, - which, indeed, worketh out, through us, thanksgiving unto God;

Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

and I beseech you, that, being present, I may not have courage, with the confidence with which I reckon to be bold against certain reckoning us as walking according to the flesh;

For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards,

and being in readiness to avenge every disobedience, whenever your obedience may be fulfilled.

This, let such a one reckon - that, what we are, in our word, through means of letters, being absent, such, also, being present, are we, in our deed.

not boasting of things unmeasured in the labors of others, but having a hope, your faith being increased, that we shall be magnified among you according to our rule abundantly,

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

I robbed other churches, having received support for your ministry, and being present with you and being destitute, I burdened no one;

Even when I lacked the actual necessities of life while I was with you, I was a burden to no one; for whatever I lacked, the brothers from Macedonia supplied, when they came. So I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.

But I will persist in the same line of conduct in order to cut the ground from under the feet of those who desire an opportunity of getting themselves recognized as being on a level with us in the matters about which they boast.

For such the falsely sent, crafty workers, being transformed into the sent of Christ.

To return to what I was saying. Let no one suppose that I am foolish. Or if you must, at any rate make allowance for me as being foolish, in order that I, as well as they, may boast a little.

For, gladly, do ye bear with the foolish, being yourselves , discreet, -

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as being beside myself) I above measure so; in labours exceedingly abundant, in stripes to excess, in prisons exceedingly abundant, in deaths oft.

Who is weak without my being weak too? Who is caused to fall without my being fired with indignation?

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the one being blessed forever, knows that I lie not.

In Damascus the governor under king Aretas, kept the city of the Damascenes with a guard, being determined to apprehend me.

And being let down in a basket from the wall through a window, I got free from his hands.

I have known a man in Christ, fourteen years ago -- whether in the body I have not known, whether out of the body I have not known, God hath known -- such an one being caught away unto the third heaven;

And I know that this man?? do not know whether it was in the body or out of it, God knows??4 was caught up into Paradise, and heard things that must not be told, which no human being can repeat.

who was caught up into Paradise, and heard unutterable words which no human being is permitted to utter.

I might glory in being the man; but I will not glory in any thing relating to myself, unless it be my sufferings.

For if I desire to boast, I shall not be foolish. For I will speak the truth. But I spare, lest anyone should think of me as being beyond what he sees me, or hears of me;

So, to keep me from being over-elated, there was sent upon me a physical disease, sharp as a piercing stake, a messenger of Satan, to continue afflicting me, and so to keep me, I repeat, from being over-elated.

So I take pleasure in being feeble, in unkind words, in needs, in cruel attacks, in troubles, on account of Christ: for when I am feeble, then am I strong.

Truly, I endured [opposition] patiently, while showing evidence of being an apostle among you. I performed [supernatural] signs, and wonders and powerful miracles.

But let it be! - I, myself, did not burden you, - Notwithstanding, being crafty, with guile, I caught you?

I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

For we [apostles] have no power [to act] against the truth, but [only] for the truth. [Note: Paul here alludes to his gifts and ministry being intended only to promote what was right according to God's truth].

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.

[It also comes from] all of the brothers who are with me [and is being sent] to the churches of Galatia [i.e., Iconium, Derbe, Lystra and Antioch of Pisidia].

I am surprised that you are being so quickly turned away from him whose word came to you in the grace of Christ, to good news of a different sort;

owing to nothing but your being practised upon by some, who would overturn the gospel of Christ.

And was making advancement, in Judaism, above many contemporaries in my nation, being, surpassingly zealous, of my paternal instructions.

But when God who gave me being and called me by his grace,

and had called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach his gospel among the Gentiles, without consulting a human being,

I went up [to Jerusalem] because of a [divine] revelation, and I put before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so in private before those of reputation, for fear that I might be running or had run [the course of my ministry] in vain.

But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was made to undergo circumcision:

and that because of incomers, being false brethren, which came in among others to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.

But from those who were conspicuous as being somewhat whatsoever they were, it makes no difference to me: God does not accept man's person; for to me those who were conspicuous communicated nothing;

When they saw the grace which was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who had the name of being pillars, gave to me and Barnabas their right hands as friends so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision;

For before certain came from James, he ate with the nations: and when they came, he drew down, and separated himself, being afraid of them of the circumcision.

But when I saw that they were not living uprightly in agreement with the true words of the good news, I said to Cephas before them all, If you, being a Jew, are living like the Gentiles, and not like the Jews, how will you make the Gentiles do the same as the Jews?

We being Jews by birth, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

Being conscious that a man does not get righteousness by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we had faith in Christ Jesus, so that we might get righteousness by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law will no flesh get righteousness.

For if I [or anyone else should] rebuild [through word or by practice] what I once tore down [the belief that observing the Law is essential for salvation], I prove myself to be a transgressor.

I have been crucified [i.e., died] with Christ, and so I am not the one who lives [anymore] but rather, it is Christ who lives in my heart. And [now] my entire life is being lived by trusting in the Son of God [to save and keep me], because He loved me and gave Himself up for me.

You foolish people [of the churches] of Galatia [Note: This was a province in present-day Turkey], who tricked you? Was not Jesus Christ graphically portrayed before you as being put to death on a cross?

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

And, this, I say - a covenant previously confirmed by God, the law which, after four hundred and thirty years, hath been brought into being, doth not annul, so as to do away with the promise.

Why then the Law? It was added because of transgressions, until the Seed should come to those to whom it had been promised, being ordained through angels in the Mediator's hand.

Now an intermediary does not serve in a situation involving [only] one person. However, God is one [Being].

Then was the law against the promises of God? it could not be so. For if the law was given being able to create life, truly justification would have been by law:

But the words of Scripture represent the whole world as being in bondage to sin, so that the promised blessing, dependent, as it is, upon faith in Jesus Christ, may be given to those who have faith in him.

Before the coming of the faith, however, under law, were we being kept in ward, being shut up unto the faith which should afterwards, be revealed.

but now faith being come, we are no longer under a pedagogue.

And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant -- being lord of all,

being under tutors and guardians, 'till the time prefix'd by his father.

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, coming into being out of a woman, having come under Law,

But once, when you Gentiles had no knowledge of God, you were slaves to gods which have no real being.

and now, having known God -- and rather being known by God -- how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude?

so that your enemy have I become, being true to you?

and it is good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being present with you;

Tell me, ye who are desirous of being under law, do ye not listen to the law?

which things are being allegorized; for these are the two covenants, one indeed from Mount Sinai bringing forth to slavery, which is Hagar.

this Agar answers to the Jerusalem now in being, for she is in servitude with her children:

If you are being justified by law, you are cut off from Christ; you are fallen away from grace.

For we are waiting for the hope [to be fulfilled] of being made right with God by [the power of] the Holy Spirit.