For our reason for confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with pure motives and sincerity which are from God – not by human wisdom but by the grace of God – we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more toward you.

I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.

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.

But we have rejected shameful hidden deeds, not behaving with deceptiveness or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God.

As a result, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

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.

Now because we are fellow workers, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death.

Thus we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you.

And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel.

If there is any question about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; if there is any question about our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.

And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.

But we will not boast beyond certain limits, but will confine our boasting according to the limits of the work to which God has appointed us, that reaches even as far as you.

Nor do we boast beyond certain limits in the work done by others, but we hope that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded among you according to our limits,

so that we may preach the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, and not boast of work already done in another person’s area.

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

in hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing.

was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak.

For how were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.