as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying and yet – see! – we continue to live; as those who are scourged and yet not executed;

as sorrowful, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

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.

And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you will share in our comfort.

through glory and dishonor, through slander and praise; regarded as impostors, and yet true;

Now as a fair exchange – I speak as to my children – open wide your hearts to us also.

I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters,

Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift and not as something you feel forced to do.

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?

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

Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!”

But as God’s servants, we have commended ourselves in every way, with great endurance, in persecutions, in difficulties, in distresses,

What I am saying with this boastful confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness.

And his affection for you is much greater when he remembers the obedience of you all, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling.

now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that (I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving according to human standards.

For we were not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach as far as you, because we were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel about Christ.

Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.

I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

(To my disgrace I must say that we were too weak for that!) But whatever anyone else dares to boast about (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing.

In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation.