For indeed he was crucified by reason of weakness, but he lives because of God’s power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him, because of God’s power toward you.

to the latter an odor from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,

Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.

For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, but we are speaking in Christ before God as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God.

I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers,

For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling,

He delivered us from so great a risk of death, and he will deliver us. We have set our hope on him that he will deliver us yet again,

For if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad but the one I caused to be sad?

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we?

Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

as you also join in helping us by prayer, so that many people may give thanks to God on our behalf for the gracious gift given to us through the help of many.

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.

For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens.

And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you,

Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, so that you were not harmed in any way by us.

to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, you can also complete it according to your means.

For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality.

For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you.