Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.

And with this confidence I intended to come to you first so that you would get a second opportunity to see us,

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.

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

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

For it is not necessary for me to write you about this service to the saints,

I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you!

Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.

because I know your eagerness to help. I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal to participate has stirred up most of them.

(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.

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!

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,

Now God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow.

because some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is weak and his speech is of no account.”

But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his treachery, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.

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.

We were encouraged not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement you gave him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your deep concern for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

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.