So I made up my own mind not to pay you another painful visit.

Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become discouraged.

For this reason also I wrote you: to test you to see if you are obedient in everything.

Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering.

My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.

This is the third time I am coming to visit you. By the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter will be established.

For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified.

For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died.

Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit.

So here is my opinion on this matter: It is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give,

You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on this again: Just as he himself belongs to Christ, so too do we.

Let such a person consider this: What we say by letters when we are absent, we also are in actions when we are present.

Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? Or do I make my plans according to mere human standards so that I would be saying both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

And I wrote this very thing to you, so that when I came I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours.

For see what this very thing, this sadness as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, what punishment! In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

Because of this I am writing these things while absent, so that when I arrive I may not have to deal harshly with you by using my authority – the Lord gave it to me for building up, not for tearing down!