For this reason also I wrote you: ¹  to test you to see ²  if you are obedient in everything.

among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe ¹  so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel ²  of Christ, ³  who is the image of God.

For even if I made you sad ¹  by my letter, ²  I do not regret having written it ³  (even though I did regret it, ⁴  for ⁵  I see that my letter made you sad, ⁶  though only for a short time).

Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you – unless, indeed, you fail the test! ¹ 

And with this confidence I intended to come to you first so that you would get a second opportunity to see us, ¹ 

as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying and yet – see! – we continue to live; as those who are scourged ¹  and yet not executed;

For see what this very thing, this sadness ¹  as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, ²  what indignation, ³  what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, ⁴  what punishment! ⁵  In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling ¹  the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard ²  me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me,

Since many ¹  are boasting according to human standards, ²  I too will boast.

But as you excel ¹  in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you ²  – make sure that you excel ³  in this act of kindness ⁴  too.

for we live ¹  by faith, not by sight.

For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” ¹  Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation!

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we behave with great boldness, ¹ 

I rejoice because in everything I am fully confident in you.

For since you are so wise, you put up with ¹  fools gladly.

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

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. ¹ 

because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, ¹  we do not become discouraged. ² 

We are experiencing trouble on every side, ¹  but are not crushed; we are perplexed, ²  but not driven to despair;