It is necessary to go on boasting. ¹  Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

So ¹  I made up my own mind ²  not to pay you another painful visit. ³ 

Now as a fair exchange – I speak as to my ¹  children – open wide your hearts to us ²  also.

We did this ¹  as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering.

Just as it is written, “He ¹  has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.” ² 

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying.

We are not trying to commend ¹  ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, ²  so that you may be able to answer those who take pride ³  in outward appearance ⁴  and not in what is in the heart.

At the present time, your abundance will meet their need, ¹  so that one day their abundance may also meet your need, and thus there may be equality,

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 

that during a severe ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth ¹  of their generosity.

since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He ¹  is not weak toward you but is powerful among you.

In addition, ¹  this brother ²  has also been chosen by the churches as our traveling companion as we administer this generous gift ³  to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our readiness to help. ⁴ 

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 

Now I appeal to God as my witness, ¹  that to spare ²  you I did not come again to Corinth. ³ 

I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you! ¹ 

was caught up into paradise ¹  and heard things too sacred to be put into words, ²  things that a person ³  is not permitted to speak.

And I wrote this very thing to you, ¹  so that when I came ²  I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours.

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 

And God is able to make all grace overflow ¹  to you so that because you have enough ²  of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow ³  in every good work.

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