revealing<n id="1" /> that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us,<n id="2" /> written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not <i>on stone tabletsi><n id="3" /> but on tablets of human hearts.p>

who made us adequate<n id="1" /> to be servants of a new covenant<n id="2" /> not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.p>

So then from now on we acknowledge<n id="1" /> no one from an outward human point of view.<n id="2" /> Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view,<n id="3" /> now we do not know him in that way any longer.

We did this<n id="1" /> as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering.

If there is any question<n id="1" /> about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; if there is any question about our brothers, they are messengers<n id="2" /> of the churches, a glory to Christ.

Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution<n id="1" /> you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift<n id="2" /> and not as something you feel forced to do.<n id="3" />

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

And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals<n id="1" /> in the things they boast about.

Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have<n id="1" /> to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

<t /><p class="bodytext">But if the ministry that produced death &#8211; carved in letters on stone tablets<n id="1" /> &#8211; came with glory, so that the Israelites<n id="2" /> could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face<n id="3" /> (a glory<n id="4" /> which was made ineffective),<n id="5" />

This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him,

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

For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself<n id="1" /> is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have.

For you put up with<n id="1" /> it if someone makes slaves of you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone behaves arrogantly<n id="2" /> toward you, if someone strikes you in the face.

What I am saying with this boastful confidence<n id="1" /> I do not say the way the Lord would.<n id="2" /> Instead it is, as it were, foolishness.

And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows)

On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.

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.

Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance<n id="1" /> by signs and wonders and powerful deeds.<n id="2" />

For he says, &#8220;<i><b>I heard you at the acceptable timeb>, <b>and in the day of salvation I helped youb>i>.&#8221;<n id="1" /> Look, now is <b><i>the acceptable timei>b>; look, now is <b><i>the day of salvationi>b>!