Did I display any vacillation or caprice in this? Or the purposes which I form--do I form them on worldly principles, now crying "Yes, yes," and now "No, no"?

Faithful, however, is God, in that, our discourse, which was delivered unto you, is not Yea and Nay;

For God's son Jesus Christ which was preached among you by us - that is to say, by me and Silvanus and Timothy - was not "yea" and "nay": but in him it was "Yea."

Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

which hath also sealed us, and hath given the earnest of the spirit into our hearts.

Not that we have authority over your faith, but we are helpers of your joy: for it is faith which is your support.

For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

Now if any one has caused sorrow, it has been caused not so much to me, as in some degree--for I have no wish to exaggerate--to all of you.

Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

For which cause my desire is that you will make your love to him clear by your acts.

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which ascends] to God, [discernible both] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;

To the latter we are an odor which arises from death and tells of Death; to the former an odor which arises from life and tells of Life. But who is equal to such a task?

For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is understood and read of all men;

Manifesting yourselves that ye are a letter of Christ, ministered by us, - inscribed - not with ink, but with the Spirit of a Living God, not in tablets of stone, but in tablets which are hearts of flesh.

Such is the confidence which we have through Christ in the presence of God;

Not as if we were able by ourselves to do anything for which we might take the credit; but our power comes from God;

It is He also who has made us competent to serve Him in connexion with a new Covenant, which is not a written code but a Spirit; for the written code inflicts death, but the Spirit gives Life.

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

For if the service which pronounces doom had glory, far more glorious still is the service which tells of righteousness.

For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Therefore, being engaged in this service and being mindful of the mercy which has been shown us, we are not cowards.

Nay, we have renounced the secrecy which marks a feeling of shame. We practice no cunning tricks, nor do we adulterate God's Message. But by a full clear statement of the truth we strive to commend ourselves in the presence of God to every human conscience.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

For God who said, "Out of darkness let light shine," is He who has shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory, which is radiant on the face of Christ.

For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, I believed, and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we speak;

Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

For we know that if the earthly tent [our physical body] which is our house is torn down [through death], we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

For indeed we who are in the tabernacle groan, being burdened; while yet we do not wish to be unclothed, but clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

He that hath ordained us for this thing, is God: which very same hath given unto us the earnest of the spirit.

For, we all, must needs be made manifest before the judgment seat of the Christ, that each one may get back the things done by means of the body, according to the things which he practised, whether good or corrupt.

For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

For the love of Christ overmasters us, the conclusion at which we have arrived being this--that One having died for all, His death was their death,

And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Nevertheless, all things are of God, which hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given unto us the office to preach the atonement.

for he hath made him to be sin for us, which knew no sin, that we by his means should be that righteousness which before God is allowed.

Working together with Him, we strongly urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain [by turning away from sound doctrine and His merciful kindness].

It is not our feelings to you which are narrow, but yours to us.

For which cause, Come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, and let no unclean thing come near you; and I will take you for myself,

Therefore, dear friends, since we have such promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, completing our sanctification in the fear of God.

and not by his coming only, but also through the encouragement with which he was encouraged as to you; relating to us your ardent desire, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I the more rejoiced.

Now I rejoice, not in your grief, but because the grief led to repentance; for you sorrowed with a godly sorrow, which prevented you from receiving injury from us in any respect.

For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Note the results of this pain which God permitted; what earnestness it has called forth in you, what explanations, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what fervor, what punishment of wrong. In every way you have proved yourselves innocent 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:-

so that your comfort was no small satisfaction to me: yea, and I was the more exceedingly pleased for that cheerful tranquillity of mind which Titus received from the behaviour of you all.

For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.

His affection is greater than ever as he remembers the obedience [to his guidance] that all of you exhibited, and how you received him with the greatest respect.

Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been given in the churches of Macedonia;

begging of us with much entreaty to give effect to the grace and fellowship of the service which was to be rendered to the saints.

But, just as, in everything, ye superabound, - in faith, and discourse, and knowledge, and all earnestness, and in the love among you which proceedeth from us, in order that, in this favour also, ye would superabound.

Ye know the liberality of our Lord Jesus Christ, which though he were rich, yet for your sakes became poor: that ye through his poverty might be made rich.

I give you my opinion in this matter: this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to take action [to help the believers in Jerusalem], but also [the first] to desire to do it.

Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

for if the willing mind is present, according to that which any one may have it is well-accepted, not according to that which he hath not;

But so that things may be equal; that from those things of which you have more than enough at the present time their need may be helped, and that if you are in any need they may be a help to you in the same way, making things equal.

agreeing to that which is written, "He that gathered much had never the more abundance, and he that gathered little, had nevertheless."

But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

For we are trying to make arrangements which shall be right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.

And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

hath caused me this to do: partly for Titus' sake - which is my fellow, and helper as concerning you - partly because of others which are our brethren, and the messengers of the congregations, and the glory of Christ.

Make clear then to them, as representatives of the churches, the quality of your love, and that the things which we have said about you are true.

For concerning the ministration which is for the saints, it is superfluous my writing to you.

For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

Yet I sent the brothers, lest our boasting (which is on your behalf) should not be in vain, that, as I said, you may be ready.

in case any Macedonians accompany me and find you are not ready ??which would make me (not to speak of yourselves) ashamed of having been so sure.

I have thought it absolutely necessary therefore to request these brethren to visit you before I myself come, and to make sure beforehand that the gift of love which you have already promised may be ready as a gift of love, and may not seem to have been something which I have extorted from you.

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Now He who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing [that is, your resources] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [which shows itself in active goodness, kindness, and love].

Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

Because of this act of ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to the gospel of Christ which you confess, as well as for your generous participation [in this gift] for them and for all [the other believers in need],

And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

Praise be to God for what he has given, which words have no power to say.

I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and softness of Christ, which when I am present among you, am of no reputation, but am bold toward you being absent.

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

The weapons with which we fight are not human weapons, but are mighty for God in overthrowing strong fortresses.

Putting an end to reasonings, and every high thing which is lifted up against the knowledge of God, and causing every thought to come under the authority of Christ;

You are looking [only] at the outward appearance of things. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, he should reflect and consider this, that just as he is Christ’s, so too are we.

For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.

contemptible) let such a one depend upon this, that the same authority which appear'd in my letters, when I was absent, will appear in fact, when I am present.

For we cannot find in our hearts to make ourselves of the number of them, or to compare ourselves to them, which laud themselves. Nevertheless, while they measure themselves with themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they understand nought.

But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

Not taking credit to ourselves for what is not our business, that is, for the work of others; but having hope that, with the growth of your faith, we may get the credit for an increase which is the effect of our work,

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.

I wish you would bear with me [while I indulge] in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me [as you read this].