May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.

Heartfelt thanks be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ--the Father who is full of compassion and the God who gives all comfort.

Who gives us comfort in all our troubles, so that we may be able to give comfort to others who are in trouble, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Yes, we ourselves have had the answer of death in ourselves, so that our hope might not be in ourselves, but in God who is able to give life to the dead:

Who gave us salvation from so great a death: on whom we have put our hope that he will still go on to give us salvation;

Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

For this is our confidence: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with God-given sincerity and purity, not by fleshly wisdom but by God’s grace.

For in our letters we say no other things to you, but those which you are reading, and to which you give agreement, and, it is my hope, will go on doing so to the end:

It was because I was sure of this that I wanted to come to see you before going anywhere else, to give you a double pleasure;

and to go on to Macedonia with your help, then come to you again from Macedonia and be given a start by you on my journey to Judea.

For every one of God's promises are "Yes" in him; therefore also through him the "Amen" is spoken, to the glory we give to God.

Now he who makes our faith strong together with you, in Christ, and has given us of his grace, is God;

Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

For if I of all men give you pain, who then is there to gladden my heart, but the very persons to whom I give pain?

I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours.

For out of much trouble and pain of heart and much weeping I sent my letter to you; not to give you sorrow, but so that you might see how great is the love which I have to you.

Now if any person hath given cause for grief, he hath not grieved me [merely], but partly all of you; that I may add no farther burden.

Wherefore, I exhort you to give him an assurance of your love.

But if you give forgiveness to anyone, I do the same: for if I have given forgiveness for anything, I have done it because of you, in the person of Christ;

When an opportunity was given me by the Lord to preach the gospel of Christ, upon my arrival at Troas,

who also makes us adequate [as] servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

And all of us, with faces from which the veil is lifted, seeing, as if reflected in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into his likeness, from glory to glory, as it is given by the Lord, the Spirit.

Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up.

And we have given up the secret things of shame, not walking in false ways, and not making use of the word of God with deceit; but by the revelation of what is true, as before God, we have the approval of every man's sense of right and wrong.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

For we who live are always given over to death because of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.

Because we are certain that he who made the Lord Jesus come back from the dead, will do the same for us, and will give us a place in his glory with you.

For we go through all things on account of you, because the greater the number to whom the grace is given, the greater is the praise to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day.

For truly, we who are in this tent do give out cries of weariness, for the weight of care which is on us; not because we are desiring to be free from the body, but so that we may have our new body, and death may be overcome by life.

Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities].

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.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

That is, that God was in Christ making peace between the world and himself, not putting their sins to their account, and having given to us the preaching of this news of peace.

(For he says, I have given ear to you at a good time, and I have been your helper in a day of salvation: see, now is the good time; now is the day of salvation):

we put no obstruction in anyone’s path, so that the ministry will not be discredited,

as unknown, though well known; as dying, and lo! we live; as chastened, yet not given over to death;

Now to give me back payment of the same sort (I am talking as to my children), let your hearts be wide open to me.

Wherefore come ye forth out of their midst, and be separated, - saith the Lord, - and, one impure, do not touch; and, I, will give you welcome,

Because God, then, will give us such rewards, dear brothers, let us make ourselves clean from all evil of flesh and spirit, and become completely holy in the fear of God.

Give place to us! no one, have we wronged, no one, have we corrupted, no one, have we defrauded.

But God who gives comfort to the poor in spirit gave us comfort by the coming of Titus;

and not only by his coming, but by the comfort you had given him, for he told me how you longed to see me, how sorry you were, and how you took my part, which made me happier still.

For the sorrow which God gives is the cause of salvation through a change of heart, in which there is no reason for grief: but the sorrow of the world is a cause of death.

See how earnest this God-given pain has made you! how eager to clear yourselves, how indignant, how alarmed, how eager to see me, how zealous, how avenging! At every point you have proved that you are clear of this matter.

so that I am not ashamed of the commendations I have formerly given you to him; but as I have always preached the truth to you, so in my commendation to Titus, I have said nothing but truth of you.

It gives me great joy to see you answering to my good opinion of you in every way.

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

How while they were undergoing every sort of trouble, and were in the greatest need, they took all the greater joy in being able to give freely to the needs of others.

For I can testify that to the utmost of their power, and even beyond their power, they have of their own free will given help.

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.

and not according as we expected, but themselves they did give first to the Lord, and to us, through the will of God,

I am not saying this as a command [to dictate to you], but to prove, by [pointing out] the enthusiasm of others, the sincerity of your love as well.

And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

Then make the doing of it complete; so that as you had a ready mind, you may give effect to it as you are able.

For if the eagerness [to give] is there, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

I do not urge you to give in order that others may have relief while you are unduly pressed,

at this present time your surplus [over necessities] is going to supply their need, so that [at some other time] their surplus may be given to supply your need, that there may be equality;

Thus it is to give and take ??as it is written, He who got much had nothing over, and he who got little had not too little.

But thanks be to God, who gives the same diligent zeal for you in the heart of Titus.

Therefore, give to them, in the presence of the churches, a proof of your love, and of our boasting of you.

because I know your eagerness to help. I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal to participate has stirred up most of them.

For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.

So it seemed to me wise for the brothers to go before, and see that the amount which you had undertaken to give was ready, so that it might be a cause for praise, and not as if we were making profit out of you.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

And God is able to give you all grace in full measure; so that ever having enough of all things, you may be full of every good work:

(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

And he who gives seed for putting into the field and bread for food, will take care of the growth of your seed, at the same time increasing the fruits of your righteousness;

In every way you will grow richer and become even more generous, and this will cause others to give thanks to God because of us,

For the office of this ministration, not only supplieth the need of the saints: but also is abundant herein, that for this laudable ministering, thanks might be given to God of many,

seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all;

And in their prayers to God for you, long after you, for the abundant grace of God given unto you.

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

Being ready to give punishment to whatever is against his authority, after you have made it clear that you are completely under his control.

Give attention to the things which are before you. If any man seems to himself to be Christ's, let him keep in mind that we are as much Christ's as he is.

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:

We will not give glory to ourselves in over-great measure, but after the measure of the rule which God has given us, a measure which comes even to you.

For I have a very great care for you: because you have been married by me to one husband, and it is my desire to give you completely holy to Christ.

But what I do, that I will go on doing, so that I may give no chance to those who are looking for one; so that, in the cause of their pride, they may be seen to be the same as we are.

Again, I say - let no one deem me to be, foolish; but, otherwise, at least, as foolish, give me welcome, that, I also, some little, may boast myself.

For you tolerate it, if any one enslaves you, lives at your expense, makes off with your property, gives himself airs, or strikes you on the face.

Five times I have been given one less than forty lashes, by the Jews.

Although I must boast about myself [See 11:21-27], it [really] is not profitable. So, I will go on to [tell about] visions and [inspired] revelations given [to me] from the Lord.

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

And I will gladly give all I have for your souls. If I have the more love for you, am I to be loved the less?

And that when I come again, my God may put me to shame among you, and I may have grief for those who have done wrong before and have had no regret for their unclean ways, and for the evil desires of the flesh to which they have given way.

I gave a warning when I was present the second time, and now I give a warning while I am absent to those who sinned before and to all the rest: If I come again, I will not be lenient,

Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

Finally, brethren, be joyful, secure perfection of character, take courage, be of one mind, live in peace. And then God who gives love and peace will be with you.

Give one another a holy kiss.