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 

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.

For it is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person the Lord commends.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

In Damascus, the governor ¹  under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus ²  in order to arrest ³  me,

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

Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! ¹  If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified. ¹ 

But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession ¹  in Christ ²  and who makes known ³  through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place.

For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, ¹  but we are speaking in Christ before ²  God as persons of sincerity, ³  as persons sent from God.

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.

And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, ¹  are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, ²  which is from ³  the Lord, who is the Spirit. ⁴ 

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power ¹  belongs to God and does not come from us.

For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible ¹  in our mortal body. ² 

And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised. ¹ 

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.

And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, ¹  but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, ²  so that you were not harmed ³  in any way by us.

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 

And his affection for you is much greater ¹  when he remembers the obedience of you all, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling.