For our glory is in this, in the knowledge which we have that our way of life in the world, and most of all in relation to you, has been holy and true in the eyes of God; not in the wisdom of the flesh, but in the grace of God.

Even as you have been ready, in part, to say that we are your glory, in the same way that you are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.

So when I planned this, was I irresponsible? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human way so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” simultaneously?

I had also written to you to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in every way.

But we have renounced the disgraceful things hidden because of shame; not walking in trickery or adulterating the word of God, but by stating the truth [openly and plainly], we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

If, however, the meaning of our Good News has been veiled, the veil has been on the hearts of those who are on the way to perdition,

every way afflicted, but not straitened; seeing no apparent issue, but our way not entirely shut up;

We always carry around in our [physical] bodies the [threat of] dying, as Jesus did [i.e., the apostles were constantly exposed to impending danger and death], so that the life of Jesus [i.e., His virtue, courage, faithfulness, etc.] may be demonstrated in our bodies [i.e., in the way we live] also.

But having the same spirit of faith, as it is said in the Writings, The words of my mouth came from the faith in my heart; in the same way, our words are the outcome of our faith;

For which cause we do not give way to weariness; but though our outer man is getting feebler, our inner man is made new day by day.

We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but we speak [in such a way as] to give you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you can have an answer for those who take pride in [outward] appearances instead of what is in the heart.

So then, from now on we know no one {from a human point of view}, if indeed we have known Christ {from a human point of view}, but now we know [him this way] no longer.

Therefore, if any person is in [fellowship with] Christ, he is a new person. His old ways have passed away; now his ways have become new.

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

but we commend ourselves in every way as servants of God: in great endurance, in sufferings, in hardships, in distresses,

Now in the same way as a fair exchange [for our love toward you]—I am speaking as [I would] to children—open wide [your hearts] to us also.

For indeed, when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way; without combats, within fears.

now I rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved to repentance. For you were grieved according to [the will of] God, so that you suffered loss in no way through us.

For having sorrow in a godly way results in repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets. But the sorrow of the world produces death.

For, behold, this same thing, your being grieved according to God, how much diligence it wrought in you, but what excusing of yourselves, but what indignation, but what fear, but what ardent desire, but what zeal, but what vengeance: in every way ye have proved yourselves to be pure in the matter.

And his love to you is the more increased by his memory of you all, how you gave way to his authority, and how you took him to your hearts with fear and honour.

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

And that, not only in the way we had expected; but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us also, in accordance with God's will.

So we urged Titus to finish this work of kindness among you in the same way that he had started it.

but even as ye abound in every way, in faith, and word, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in love from you to us, that ye may abound in this grace also.

I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.

But I will tell you what I think about it. For this is the best way to deal with you, for you were the first not only to do anything about this, but to want to do anything, and that was last year.

Now, carry it through, so that your readiness to take it up may be equalled by the way you carry it through ??so far as your means allow.

For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality—

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.

We are trying to avoid any criticism of the way we are administering this great undertaking.

And we have sent with them our brother, whose ready spirit has been made clear to us at times and in ways without number, but it is now all the more so because of the certain faith which he has in you.

Lest if in some way the Macedonians come with me, and find you unprepared, we should be ashamed, (that we should not say, ye) in this principle of boasting.

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brothers that they would go ahead to you, and arrange in advance your gift that was earlier announced, for this to be ready this way as a gift and not as an exaction.

Now this is the way it is: Whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly too, but whoever sows bountifully will reap bountifully too.

But God is able to make every gracious gift abound towards you, that, having in every way always all-sufficiency, ye may abound to every good work:

enriched in every way unto all free-hearted liberality, which works through us thanksgiving to God.

For when, through this work of giving, they see what you are, they give glory to God for the way in which you have given yourselves to the good news of Christ, and for the wealth of your giving to them and to all;

I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way.

For though we live in the body, we do not wage war in an unspiritual way,

For his letters, they say, have weight and are strong; but in body he is feeble, and his way of talking has little force.

We, however, will not give way to unlimited boasting, but will confine ourselves to the limits of the sphere to which God limited us, when he permitted us to come as far as Corinth.

It is no strain for me to do this, as it might be for people who had never got so far, for I was the first to come all the way to you with the good news of the Christ.

But I have a fear, that in some way, as Eve was tricked by the deceit of the snake, your minds may be turned away from their simple and holy love for Christ.

Yet I consider myself in no way inferior to the [so-called] super-apostles.

But though I be rude in speech, yet am I not in knowledge; nay, in every way have we made this manifest unto you in all things.

And when I was with you and ran short [financially], I did not burden any of you; for what I needed was fully supplied by the brothers (Silas and Timothy) who came from Macedonia (the church at Philippi). So I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.

Again I say, no one should think I am foolish, but if you do, [then] accept me that way, so that I too can boast a little bit.

What I say in this confident boasting, I say not as the Lord would [with His authority], but foolishly.

Since many people boast in a fleshly way, I will do it, too.

You put up with it, though they make slaves of you, live on you, seize your property, lord it over you, even strike you in the face, in the way of degradation!

I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

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.

So in what way were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

I gave orders to Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus make any profit out of you? were we not guided by the same Spirit, in the same ways?

For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don't desire; that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots;

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.

Now we pray to God that you not do wrong in any way, not that we are seen as approved, but that you do what is good, even [though] we are [seen] as though unqualified.

I am glad to be weak if you are strong; mend your ways, that is all I ask.

Now brothers, goodbye; mend your ways, listen to what I have told you, live in harmony, keep the peace; then the God of love and peace will be with you.