For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the sake of the truth.

Through the evidence ¹  of this service ²  they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing ³  with them and with everyone.

I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm. ¹ 

For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation, ¹  how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness ²  excel ³  in glory!

begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping ¹  the saints.

I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others. ¹ 

For it is not necessary ¹  for me to write you about this service ²  to the saints,

But if we are afflicted, ¹  it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

But I am afraid that ¹  just as the serpent ²  deceived Eve by his treachery, ³  your minds may be led astray ⁴  from a sincere and pure ⁵  devotion to Christ.

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

And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you share in ¹  our sufferings, so also you will share in ²  our comfort.

If I must boast, ¹  I will boast about the things that show my weakness. ² 

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, ¹  regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, ²  that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living.

But their minds were closed. ¹  For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. ²  It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. ³ 

But we have rejected ¹  shameful hidden deeds, ²  not behaving ³  with deceptiveness ⁴  or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God.

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 

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

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

by truthful ¹  teaching, ²  by the power of God, with weapons of righteousness both for the right hand and for the left, ³ 

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