Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep;

Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not?

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for evermore knoweth that I lie not.

I must needs glory, though it is not expedient; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up even to the third heaven.

And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth),

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

On behalf of such a one will I glory: but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses.

For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I shall speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he seeth me to be , or heareth from me.

And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch.

For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the churches, except it be that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this wrong.

Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a burden to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

But be it so, I did not myself burden you; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means there should be'strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults;

lest again when I come my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they committed.

I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, to them that have sinned heretofore, and to 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:

Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate.

But I hope that ye shall know that we are not reprobate.

Now we pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do that which is honorable, though we be as reprobate.

For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not when present deal sharply, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for casting down.

Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),

which is not another gospel only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.

For I make known to you, brethren, as touching the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not after man.

to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood:

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

But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

But from those who were reputed to be somewhat (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth not man's person)-- they, I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me:

But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

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

yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nought.

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

and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them.

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

Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.

Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one.

Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:

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

But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband.

Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman.

Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.

For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.

Ye were running well; who hindered you that ye should not obey the truth?

This persuasion came not of him that calleth you.

For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another.

But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would.

But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another.

But let each man prove his own work, and then shall he have his glorying in regard of himself alone, and not of his neighbor.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

For not even they who receive circumcision do themselves keep the law; but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

not of works, that no man should glory.

which in other generation was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;

Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which are your glory.

from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.

But ye did not so learn Christ;

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

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

Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.

And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints;

nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks.

Be not ye therefore partakers with them;

Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise;

Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit;

that he might present the church to himself a glorious church , not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord.

not in the way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

with good will doing service, as unto the Lord, and not unto men:

For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places .

but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds.

But if to live in the flesh, -- if this shall bring fruit from my work, then what I shall choose I know not.

because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf:

not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,

So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain.

For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.

But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need;

for indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not irksome, but for you it is safe.

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:

Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus.

Brethren, I could not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do , forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content.