For if also I grieved you in the letter, I do not regret it, if even I have regretted it; for I see that that letter, if even it were only for a time, grieved you.

Now I rejoice, not that ye have been grieved, but that ye have been grieved to repentance; for ye have been grieved according to God, that in nothing ye might be injured by us.

So then, if also I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of him that injured, nor for the sake of him that was injured, but for the sake of our diligent zeal for you being manifested to you before God.

Because if I boasted to him anything about you, I have not been put to shame; but as we have spoken to you all things in truth, so also our boasting to Titus has been the truth;

And not according as we hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us by God's will.

I do not speak as commanding it, but through the zeal of others, and proving the genuineness of your love.

And I give my opinion in this, for this is profitable for you who began before, not only to do, but also to be willing, a year ago.

For if the readiness be there, a man is accepted according to what he may have, not according to what he has not.

For it is not in order that there may be ease for others, and for you distress,

and not only so, but is also chosen by the assemblies as our fellow-traveller with this grace, ministered by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and a witness of our readiness;

for we provide for things honest, not only before the Lord, but also before men.

But I have sent the brethren, in order that our boasting about you may not be made void in this respect, in order that, as I have said, ye may be prepared;

lest haply, if Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, that we say not ye, may be put to shame in this confidence.

I thought it necessary therefore to beg the brethren that they would come to you, and complete beforehand your fore-announced blessing, that this may be ready thus as blessing, and not as got out of you.

each according as he is purposed in his heart; not grievingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Because the ministration of this service is not only filling up the measure of what is lacking to the saints, but also abounding by many thanksgivings to God;

but I beseech that present I may not be bold with the confidence with which I think to be daring towards some who think of us as walking according to flesh.

For walking in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.

For the arms of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful according to God to the overthrow of strongholds;

For and if I should boast even somewhat more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord has given to us for building up and not for your overthrowing, I shall not be put to shame;

that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters:

For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves; but these, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are not intelligent.

Now we will not boast out of measure, but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure has apportioned to us, to reach to you also.

For we do not, as not reaching to you, overstretch ourselves, (for we have come to you also in the glad tidings of the Christ;)

not boasting out of measure in other people's labours, but having hope, your faith increasing, to be enlarged amongst you, according to our rule, yet more abundantly

to announce the glad tidings to that which is beyond you, not to be boasting in another's rule of things made ready to hand.

For not he that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.

For if indeed he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or ye get a different Spirit, which ye have not got, or a different glad tidings, which ye have not received, ye might well bear with it.

But if I am a simple person in speech, yet not in knowledge, but in everything making the truth manifest in all things to you.

And being present with you and lacking, I did not lazily burden any one, (for the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied what I lacked,) and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will keep myself.

The truth of Christ is in me that this boasting shall not be stopped as to me in the regions of Achaia.

Why? because I do not love you? God knows.

And it is not wonderful, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Again I say, Let not any one think me to be a fool; but if otherwise, receive me then even as a fool, that I also may boast myself some little.

What I speak I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in folly, in this confidence of boasting.

Thrice have I been scourged, once I have been stoned, three times I have suffered shipwreck, a night and day I passed in the deep:

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is stumbled, and I burn not?

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows he who is blessed for ever that I do not lie.

Well, it is not of profit to me to boast, for 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 out of the body I know not, God knows;) such a one caught up to the third heaven.

And I know such a man, (whether in the body or out of the body I know not, God knows;)

that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable things said which it is not allowed to man to utter.

Of such a one I will boast, but of myself I will not boast, unless in my weaknesses.

For if I shall desire to boast, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth; but I forbear, lest any one should think as to me above what he sees me to be, or whatever he may hear of me.

And that I might not be exalted by the exceeding greatness of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn for the flesh, a messenger of Satan that he might buffet me, that I might not be exalted.

For in what is it that ye have been inferior to the other assemblies, unless that I myself have not been in laziness a charge upon you? Forgive me this injury.

Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be in laziness a charge; for I do not seek 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 burden you, but being crafty I took you by guile.

I begged Titus, and sent the brother with him: did Titus at all make gain of you? have we not walked in the same spirit? have we not in the same steps?

For I fear lest perhaps coming I find you not such as I wish, and that I be found by you such as ye do not wish: lest there might be strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, puffings up, disturbances;

lest my God should humble me as to you when I come again, and that I shall grieve over many of those who have sinned before, and have not repented as to the uncleanness and fornication and licentiousness which they have practised.

I have declared beforehand, and I say beforehand as present the second time, and now absent, to those that have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare.

Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, (who is not weak towards you, but is powerful among you,

examine your own selves if ye be in the faith; prove your own selves: do ye not recognise yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed ye be reprobates?

Now I hope that ye will know that we are not reprobates.

But we pray to God that ye may do nothing evil; not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do what is right, and we be as reprobates.

On this account I write these things being absent, that being present I may not use severity according to the authority which the Lord has given me for building up, and not for overthrowing.

Paul, apostle, not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father who raised him from among the dead,

which is not another one; but there are some that trouble you, and desire to pervert the glad tidings of the Christ.

For do I now seek to satisfy men or God? or do I seek to please men? If I were yet pleasing men, I were not Christ's bondman.

But I let you know, brethren, as to the glad tidings which were announced by me, that they are not according to man.

was pleased to reveal his Son in me, that I may announce him as glad tidings among the nations, immediately I took not counsel with flesh and blood,

Now what I write to you, behold, before God, I do not lie.

to whom we yielded in subjection not even for an hour, that the truth of the glad tidings might remain with you.

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;

But when I saw that they do not walk straightforwardly, according to the truth of the glad tidings, I said to Peter before all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as the nations and not as the Jews, how dost thou compel the nations to Judaize?

We, Jews by nature, and not sinners of the nations,

but knowing that a man is not justified on the principle of works of law nor but by the faith of Jesus Christ, we also have believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified on the principle of the faith of Christ; and not of works of law; because on the principle of works of law no flesh shall be justified.

I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness is by law, then Christ has died for nothing.

For as many as are on the principle of works of law are under curse. For it is written, Cursed is every one who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them;

but the law is not on the principle of faith; but, He that shall have done these things shall live by them.

But to Abraham were the promises addressed, and to his seed: he does not say, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed; which is Christ.

Now I say this, A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which took place four hundred and thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect.

But a mediator is not of one, but God is one.

But then indeed, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods;

Be as I am, for I also am as ye, brethren, I beseech you: ye have not at all wronged me.

and my temptation, which was in my flesh, ye did not slight nor reject with contempt; but ye received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

They are not rightly zealous after you, but desire to shut you out from us, that ye may be zealous after them.

But it is right to be zealous at all times in what is right, and not only when I am present with you --

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

For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break out and cry, thou that travailest not; because the children of the desolate are more numerous than those of her that has a husband.

But what says the scripture? Cast out the maid servant and her son; for the son of the maid servant shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.

So then, brethren, we are not maid servant's children, but children of the free woman.

Christ has set us free in freedom; stand fast therefore, and be not held again in a yoke of bondage.

Ye ran well; who has stopped you that ye should not obey the truth?

The persuasibleness is not of him that calls you.

For ye have been called to liberty, brethren; only do not turn liberty into an opportunity to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

but if ye bite and devour one another, see that ye are not consumed one of another.

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these things are opposed one to the other, that ye should not do those things which ye desire;

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

envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revels, and things like these; as to which I tell you beforehand, even as I also have said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit God's kingdom.

Let us not become vain-glorious, provoking one another, envying one another.

but let each prove his own work, and then he will have his boast in what belongs to himself alone, and not in what belongs to another.

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

but let us not lose heart in doing good; for in due time, if we do not faint, we shall reap.

As many as desire to have a fair appearance in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not be persecuted because of the cross of Christ.

do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you at my prayers,

above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come;

For ye are saved by grace, through faith; and this not of yourselves; it is God's gift:

not on the principle of works, that no one might boast.