revealing ¹  that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, ²  written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets ³  but on tablets of human hearts.

who made us adequate ¹  to be servants of a new covenant ²  not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

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

We did this 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 ¹  about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; if there is any question about our brothers, they are messengers 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 ¹  you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift ²  and not as something you feel forced to do. ³ 

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,

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 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 ¹  to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

But if the ministry that produced death – carved in letters on stone tablets ¹  – came with glory, so that the Israelites ²  could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face ³  (a glory ⁴  which was made ineffective), ⁵ 

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

For our momentary, light suffering ¹  is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison

For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself ¹  is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have.

For you put up with ¹  it if someone makes slaves of you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone behaves arrogantly ²  toward you, if someone strikes you in the face.

What I am saying with this boastful confidence ¹  I do not say the way the Lord would. 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 ¹  will also reap generously.

Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance ¹  by signs and wonders and powerful deeds. ² 

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!