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 

For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” ¹  is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge ²  of God in the face of Christ. ³ 

In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us ¹  the message of reconciliation.

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

Nor do we boast beyond certain limits ¹  in the work ²  done by others, but we hope ³  that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded ⁴  among you according to our limits, ⁵ 

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven.

But ¹  he said to me, “My grace is enough ²  for you, for my ³  power is made perfect ⁴  in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly ⁵  about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in ⁶  me.

For every one of God’s promises are “Yes” in him; therefore also through him the “Amen” is spoken, to the glory we give to God.

who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment. ¹ 

Now when I arrived in Troas ¹  to proclaim the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord had opened ²  a door of opportunity ³  for me,

You yourselves are our letter, ¹  written on our hearts, known and read by everyone,

For indeed, what had been glorious now ¹  has no glory because of the tremendously greater glory of what replaced it. ² 

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing,

Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth ¹  we are absent from the Lord –

So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away ¹  – look, what is new ²  has come! ³ 

God ¹  made the one who did not know sin ²  to be sin for us, so that in him ³  we would become the righteousness of God.

But God, who encourages ¹  the downhearted, encouraged ²  us by the arrival of Titus.

Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, ¹  the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia,

But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same devotion ¹  I have for you,

And we are sending ¹  along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel. ²