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,

being made rich in every [way] for all generosity, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God,

and [they are] longing for you in their prayers for you, because of the surpassing grace of God to you.

Thanks [be] to God for his indescribable gift!

For [although we] are living in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh,

for the weapons of our warfare [are] not merely human, but powerful to God for the tearing down of fortresses, tearing down arguments

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,

For we do not dare to classify or to compare ourselves with some who commend themselves, but [they] themselves, [when they] measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, do not understand.

For we are not overextending ourselves, as [if we] had not reached you, because we have reached even as far as you with the gospel of Christ,

For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but [the one] whom the Lord commends.

For I am jealous [for] you with a godly jealousy, because I promised you [in marriage] to one husband, to present [you] [as] a pure virgin to Christ.

For if the one who comes proclaims another Jesus whom we have not proclaimed, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or a different gospel which you did not accept, you put up with [it] well [enough]!

For I consider myself in no way to be inferior to the preeminent apostles.

I robbed other churches [by] accepting support [from them] for the ministry to 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].

For such people [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light.

For [because you] are wise, you put up with foolish people gladly!

For you put up with [it] if someone enslaves you, if someone devours [you], if someone takes advantage of [you], if someone is presumptious [toward you], if someone strikes you in the face.

that he was caught up to paradise and heard words not to be spoken, which [it is] not permitted for a person to speak.

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.

Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

I have become a fool! You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for [I am] in no way inferior to the preeminent apostles, even if I am nothing.

{For in what respect are you made worse off} more than the rest of the churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

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?

Have you been thinking all this time that we are defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and all [these things], dear friends, [are] for your edification.

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.

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.

For we are not able [to do] anything against the truth, but rather [only] for the truth.

For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong, and we pray for this: your maturity.

Because of this, I am writing these [things] [although I] am absent, in order that [when I] am present I may not have to act severely according to the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

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,

For am I now making an appeal to people or [to] God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

For I make known to you, brothers, the gospel that has been proclaimed by me, that it is not {of human origin}.

For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught [it], but [I received it] through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism, that to an extraordinary degree I was persecuting the church of God, and trying to destroy it,

to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, in order that the truth of the gospel might remain continually with you.

But from those {who were influential} (whatever they were, [it makes] no difference to me, {God does not show partiality})--for those who were influential added nothing to me.

(for the one who was at work through Peter for [his] apostleship to the circumcision was at work also through me for the Gentiles),

For before certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, [because he] was afraid of those [who were] of the circumcision,

For if I build up again these [things] which I destroyed, I show myself [to be] a transgressor.

For through the law I died to the law, in order that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ,

and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that [life] I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

I do not declare invalid the grace of God, for if righteousness [is] through the law, then Christ died to no purpose.

Have you suffered so many [things] for nothing--if indeed also [it was] for nothing?

Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,

For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed [is] everyone who does not abide by all [the things] that are written in the book of the law to do them."

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law [by] becoming a curse for us, because it is written, "Cursed [is] everyone who hangs on a tree,"

For if the inheritance [is] from the law, [it is] no longer from the promise, but God graciously gave [it] to Abraham through the promise.

Now the mediator is not for one, but God is one.

Therefore [is] the law opposed to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, certainly righteousness would have been from the law.

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,

for as many [of you] as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Now I say, for as long a time [as] the heir is a child, [he is] no different from a slave, [although he] is master of everything,

I am afraid [for] you, lest perhaps I have labored for you in vain!

And you did not despise or disdain [what was] a trial for you in my flesh, but you welcomed me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus.

So where [is] your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes [and] given [them] to me!

My children, for whom I am having birth pains again, until Christ is formed in you!

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the female slave and one by the free woman.

which [things] are spoken allegorically, for these [women] are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai, bearing [children] for slavery, who is Hagar.

Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is a slave with her children.

For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren woman, who does not give birth to [children]; burst out and shout, [you] who do not have birth pains, because many [are] the children of the desolate [woman], even more than [those of] the one who has a husband."

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.

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

For through the Spirit by faith we eagerly await the hope of righteousness.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not let your freedom [become] an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

For the flesh desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another, so that whatever you want, you may not do these [things].

Brothers, even if a person is caught in some trespass, you [who are] spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of humility, looking out for yourself, lest you also be tempted.

For if anyone thinks he is something [although he] is nothing, he is deceiving himself.

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,

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.

For not even those who are circumcised observe the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised in order that they may boast in your flesh.

But [as] for me, may it never be [that I] boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

For neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I carry on my body the marks of Jesus.

for the administration of the fullness of times, to bring together all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him

[that] we who hoped beforehand in Christ should be for the praise of his glory,

Because of this I also, hearing of {your faith} in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,

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

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this [is] not from yourselves, [it is] the gift of God;

For we are his creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we may walk in them.

For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity, in his flesh,

On account of this I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles

--if indeed you have heard [about] the stewardship of God's grace given to me for you.

for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

from whom the whole body, joined together and held together by every supporting ligament, according to the working by measure of each single part, the growth of the body makes for the building up of itself in love.

who, becoming callous, gave themselves over to licentiousness, for the pursuit of all uncleanness in greediness.

{No rotten word must proceed} from your mouth, but only something good for the building up of the need, in order that it may give grace to those who hear,

and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

and live in love, just as also Christ loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant smell.

But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or greediness, must not even be named among you (as is fitting for saints),

For this you know {for certain}, that every sexually immoral [person], or unclean [person], or greedy [person] (who is an idolater), does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.