and not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and [then] to us, by the will of God.

At the present time your abundance [will be] for their need, in order that their abundance may also be for your need, so that there may be equality,

Now [the point is] this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Now the one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed, and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow,

Through the proven character of this service [they will] glorify God because of the submission of your confession to the gospel of Christ and the generosity of [your] participation toward them and toward everyone,

now I ask [when I] am present [that I will] not [need] to be bold with the confidence [with] which I propose to show boldness toward some who consider us as behaving according to the flesh.

For even if I boast somewhat more about our authority that the Lord gave [us] {for building you up and not for tearing you down}, I will not be put to shame,

Let such a person consider this: that what we are in word by letters [when we] are absent, [we will] also [be] in {actions} [when we] are present.

But we will not boast {beyond limits}, but according to the measure of the assignment that God has assigned to us as a measure to reach even as far as you.

And [when I] was present with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will keep [myself from being a burden].

[As the] truth of Christ is in me, this boasting {of mine} will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

But what I am doing, I will also do, in order that I may remove the opportunity of those who want an opportunity, that they may be found just as also we [are] in what they are boasting about.

Therefore [it is] not a great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

Since many are boasting according to human standards, I also will boast.

If it is necessary to boast, I will boast [about] {the things related to my weakness}.

It is necessary to boast; [it is] not profitable, but I will proceed to visions and revelations of the Lord.

On behalf of such a person I will boast, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

For if I want to boast, I will not be foolish, because I will be telling the truth, but I am refraining, so that no one can credit to me more than what he sees [in] me or hears anything from me,

And he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness." Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me.

Behold, this third [time] I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden [to you]. For I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

But I will spend and be expended most gladly for your lives. If I love you much more, am I to be loved less?

For I am afraid lest somehow [when I] arrive, I will not find you as I want, and I may be found by you as you do not want. [I am afraid] lest somehow [there will be] strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, pride, disorder.

[I am afraid] lest [when I] come again my God will humiliate me {in your presence}, and I will grieve over many of those who sinned previously and have not repented because of their impurity and sexual immorality and licentiousness that they have practiced.

This [is] the third [time] I am coming to you. {By the testimony} of two or three witnesses every word will be established.

I have already said when was present the second time, and [although I] am absent now also say in advance to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare [anyone],

For indeed, he was crucified because of weakness, but he lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him because of the power of God toward you.

And I hope that you will recognize that we are not unqualified!

Finally, brothers, rejoice, be restored, be encouraged, {be in agreement}, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

who gave himself for our sins in order to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

but knowing that a person is not justified by the works of the law, if not by faith in Jesus Christ, and we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law {no human being will be justified}.

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the good news in advance to Abraham: "In you all the nations will be blessed."

Now [it is] clear that no one is justified in the sight of God by the law, because "the one who is righteous will live by faith."

But the law is not from faith, but "the one who does these [things] will live by them."

But what does the scripture say? "Drive out the female slave and her son, for the son of the female slave will never inherit with the son" of the free woman.

Look! I, Paul, tell you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing!

I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will think nothing different, but the one who is confusing you {will pay the penalty}, whoever he may be.

But I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never carry out the desire of the flesh.

envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, [things] which I am telling you [in advance], just as I said before, that the ones who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in someone else.

For each one will carry his own burden.

Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked, for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap,

because the one who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

And let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, [if we] do not give up.

As many as are wanting to make a good showing in the flesh, these are attempting to compel you to be circumcised, only so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus:

having predestined us to adoption through Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will,

making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in him,

in whom also we were chosen, having been predestined according to the purpose of the One who works all [things] according to the counsel of his will,

among whom also we all formerly lived in the desires of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the mind, and we were children of wrath by nature, as also the rest of [them] were.

for everything made visible is light. Therefore it says, Wake up, sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

Because of this do not become foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord [is].

"For this [reason] a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."

not {while being watched}, as people pleasers, but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart,

[because you] know that each one of you, whatever good he should do, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

Now, so that you also may know {my circumstances}, what I am doing, Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all [things],

convinced of this same [thing], that the one who began a good work in you will finish [it] until the day of Christ Jesus,

Some even because of envy and strife preach Christ, but some also because of good will.

{What is the result?} Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. But also I will rejoice,

for I know that this will turn out to me for deliverance through your prayer and the support of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

according to my eager expectation and hope, that I will be put to shame in nothing, but with all boldness, even now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether through life or through death.

But if [it is] to live in the flesh, this [is] fruitful work for me, and which I will prefer [I do] not know.

And because I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

For the one at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure, is God.

For I have no one like-minded who [will] sincerely be concerned about {your circumstances}.

And I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will arrive shortly also.

Therefore as many as [are] perfect, {let us hold this opinion}, and if you think anything differently, God will reveal this also to you.

who will transform our humble body [to be] conformed to his glorious body, in accordance with the power that enables him even to subject all [things] to himself.

And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

And [the things] which you have learned and received and heard about and seen in me, practice these [things], and the God of peace will be with you.

And my God will fulfill your every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

Because of this also we, from the day we heard about [it], did not cease praying for you, and asking that you may be filled [with] the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual insight,

I say this in order that no one will deceive you with persuasive speech,

When Christ, [who is] your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

Fathers, do not provoke your children, so that they will not become discouraged.

[because you] know that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.

For the one who does wrong will receive back whatever wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord, will make known to you all {my circumstances},

together with Onesimus, my faithful and dear brother, who is [one] of you. They will make known to you all {the circumstances} here.

Epaphras, who is [one] of you, greets you, a slave of Christ always struggling on behalf of you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: [that] you abstain from sexual immorality;

Now we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you will not grieve as also the rest, who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose [again], thus also God will bring those who have fallen asleep through Jesus together with him.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who remain until the Lord's coming, will not possibly precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive, who remain, will be snatched away at the same time together with them in the clouds for a meeting with the Lord in the air, and thus we will be together with the Lord always.

Whenever they say "Peace and security," then sudden destruction will overtake them like the birth pains of {a pregnant woman}, and they will not possibly escape.

who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live at the same time with him.

give thanks in everything; for this [is] the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

The one who calls you [is] faithful, who also will do [this].

who will pay the penalty [of] eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength,

Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, for [that day will not come] unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

And you know that which restrains [him] now, so that he will be revealed in his own time.

For the mystery of lawlessness is at work already; only the one who now restrains [will do so] until he is out of the way,

and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth, and wipe out by the appearance of his coming,

And because of this, God sends them {a powerful delusion} so that they will believe the lie,

But the Lord is faithful, who will strengthen you and guard [you] from the evil one.

And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are both doing and you will do [the things] that we are commanding.

But she will be saved through the bearing of children, if she continues in faith and love and holiness with self-control.

(but if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),