Now when I intended this, was I chargeable with levity? or what I purpose, do I purpose from carnal motives, that with me there should be yea, yea, and then no, no?

But the faithful God, He knows, that our word to you was not yes and no.

For Jesus Christ the Son of God, who was preached among you by us, even by me, and Silvanus, and Timothy, was not yea and nay,

but was yea in Him, (for all the promises of God are in Him yea, and in Him amen,) to the glory of God by us:

So that when I came to Troas on account of the gospel of Christ, and a door was opened to me in the Lord,

Now if the ministration of death which was in writing, and engraven on stones, was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly on the face of Moses, because of the lustre of his countenance, which was to be taken away:

For if the ministration of condemnation was so glorious, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory:

since what was then made glorious was not in comparison glorious, because of the glory that surpasseth it.

For if that, which was to be taken away, came with glory, much more that which abideth is glorious.

and do not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, intimating that the children of Israel could not look to the end of that which was to be abolished; but their minds were blinded:

to declare, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing to them their trespasses, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

and not only by his coming, but especially by the consolation wherewith he was comforted on your account, acquainting us with your earnest desire towards us, your grief, and your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced greatly.

For though I grieved you by my letter, I do not repent, though I did repent; for I perceive that that epistle grieved you, though it was but for a little while.

Wherefore if I wrote in such a manner to you, it was not merely on his account who had done the wrong, nor for his sake who had been injured; but that our care for you in the sight of God might be manifested among you.

We were therefore comforted by your consolation; and rejoiced the more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all;

and because if I boasted of any thing to him concerning you, I was not ashamed; but as we have spoken all things to you in truth, so likewise our boasting of you to Titus was truth.

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye by his poverty might be rich.

Now therefore perfect also the doing it; that as there was a readiness of will, so there may be also a performance according to your ability.

(and not only so, but he was also chosen by the churches to accompany us with this grace, which is administered by us for the glory of the same Lord, and to shew your readiness of mind:)

for I know your readiness of mind, which I boast of concerning you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath excited many.

For I think I was not inferior to the very chiefest apostles: and if I am unskilled in speech,

And when I was present among you, and in want, I was chargeable to no one. For the brethren that came from Macedonia supplied my want: and in every thing I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.

Thrice I have been beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I have been shipwrecked, and was a night and a day on the deep:

and I was let down by the wall through a window in a basket, and so escaped his hands.

I know not, God knoweth) that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unutterable words, which it is not permitted unto man to speak.

And least I should be too much lifted up with the abundance of the revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, least I should be too much elevated.

For what is it that ye were inferior in to the rest of the churches, unless it be that I myself was not burdensome to you?--- Forgive me this injury.

For if He was crucified as from weakness, yet He now liveth by the power of God: for we also are weak in Him, but shall live with Him by the power of God manifested to you.