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.

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,

and through your help to go on into Macedonia and then from Macedonia to come back to you and be helped on our way into Judea by you.

But as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”

who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.

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

But if anyone has caused sadness, he has not saddened me alone, but to some extent (not to exaggerate) he has saddened all of you as well.

so that now instead you should rather forgive and comfort him. This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair.

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?

We do so because we know that the one who raised up Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence.

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

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

But God, who encourages the downhearted, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.

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

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 in their prayers on your behalf they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you.

And even if I am unskilled in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way.

Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

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 just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you.