Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!<n id="1" />p>

My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously<n id="1" /> will also reap generously.

Therefore we have been encouraged. And in addition to our own encouragement, we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit.<n id="1" />

But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds,<n id="1" />

Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us,<n id="1" /> so that we would not trust in ourselves<n id="2" /> but in God who raises the dead.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now I appeal to God as my witness,<n id="1" /> that to spare<n id="2" /> you I did not come again to Corinth.<n id="3" />

And in their prayers on your behalf they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you.<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">This is the third time I am coming to visit<n id="1" /> you. <b><i>By the testimonyi>b><n id="2" /> <b><i>of two or three witnesses every matter will be establishedi>b>.<n id="3" />

and not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites<n id="1" /> from staring<n id="2" /> at the result<n id="3" /> of the glory that was made ineffective.<n id="4" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">I have great confidence in you; I take great pride<n id="1" /> on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement;<n id="2" /> I am overflowing with joy in the midst of<n id="3" /> all our suffering.

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<n id="1" /> according to human standards.<n id="2" />

You are looking at outward appearances.<n id="1" /> 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.

who comforts us in all our troubles<n id="1" /> so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble<n id="2" /> with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

And I wrote this very thing to you,<n id="1" /> so that when I came<n id="2" /> I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours.

But their minds were closed.<n id="1" /> For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read.<n id="2" /> It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away.<n id="3" />

For we groan while we are in this tent,<n id="1" /> since we are weighed down,<n id="2" /> because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

We were encouraged<n id="1" /> not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement<n id="2" /> you gave<n id="3" /> him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning,<n id="4" /> your deep concern<n id="5" /> for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.

For if I have boasted to him about anything concerning you, I have not been embarrassed by you,<n id="1" /> but just as everything we said to you was true,<n id="2" /> so our boasting to Titus about you<n id="3" /> has proved true as well.

Through the evidence<n id="1" /> of this service<n id="2" /> they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing<n id="3" /> with them and with everyone.

But<n id="1" /> he said to me, &#8220;My grace is enough<n id="2" /> for you, for my<n id="3" /> power is made perfect<n id="4" /> in weakness.&#8221; So then, I will boast most gladly<n id="5" /> about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in<n id="6" /> me.