Therefore show them openly before the churches the proof of your love and of our pride in you.

For it is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person the Lord commends.

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.

And I hope that you will realize that we have not failed the test!

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.

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.

among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.

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.

Now I appeal to God as my witness, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth.

But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds,

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing,

So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him.

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

Our affection for you is not restricted, but you are restricted in your affections for us.

For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily,

But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you,

because he not only accepted our request, but since he was very eager, he is coming to you of his own accord.

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

Just as it is written, “He has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.”

For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards,