For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the sake of the truth.

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.

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.<n id="1" />

For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation,<n id="1" /> how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness<n id="2" /> excel<n id="3" /> in glory!

begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping<n id="1" /> the saints.

I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others.<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">For it is not necessary<n id="1" /> for me to write you about this service<n id="2" /> to the saints,

But if we are afflicted,<n id="1" /> 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.

But I am afraid that<n id="1" /> just as the serpent<n id="2" /> deceived Eve by his treachery,<n id="3" /> your minds may be led astray<n id="4" /> from a sincere and pure<n id="5" /> devotion to Christ.

that during a severe ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth<n id="1" /> of their generosity.

And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you share in<n id="1" /> our sufferings, so also you will share in<n id="2" /> our comfort.

If I must boast,<n id="1" /> I will boast about the things that show my weakness.<n id="2" />

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,<n id="1" /> regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia,<n id="2" /> that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living.

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" />

But we have rejected<n id="1" /> shameful hidden deeds,<n id="2" /> not behaving<n id="3" /> with deceptiveness<n id="4" /> or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone&#8217;s conscience before God.

For God, who said &#8220;<i>Let light shine out of darknessi>,&#8221;<n id="1" /> is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge<n id="2" /> of God in the face of Christ.<n id="3" />p>

For indeed, what had been glorious now<n id="1" /> has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it.<n id="2" />

For our momentary, light suffering<n id="1" /> is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison

by truthful<n id="1" /> teaching,<n id="2" /> by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left,<n id="3" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters,<n id="1" /> the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia,