For we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about our trouble in [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor], how we were utterly weighed down, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life [itself].

It is not that we are [so] competent as to consider anything [we do] as coming from ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

Men whose minds have been blinded by the God of this Age, unbelievers as they are, so that the light from the Good News of the glory of the Christ, who is the very incarnation of God, should not shine for them.

I speak not this to condemn you: for I said before that ye are so much in our hearts that we could live and die with you.

This say I not as commanding: but because others are so fervent, therefore prove I your love, whether it be perfect or no.

but this I do, and shall do, to make them drop their hire, who are so bent upon hire: and then indeed they will be as they pretend to be, like me.

therefore it is not strange if his agents are so disguised as to appear like ministers of the gospel; but their end shall be answerable to their actions.

Since many are so human as to boast, I will do it also.

For you, being so wise, gladly tolerate and accept the foolish [like me]!

I am ashamed to say that I was, as it were, so weak in the matter. And yet in whatever respect anyone else is daring to boast -- I am talking like a fool -- I too will dare to boast.

And because the revelations were so very great, in order that I might not be overmuch lifted up, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, one sent from Satan to give me pain.