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.

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

For even if I made you sad ¹  by my letter, ²  I do not regret having written it ³  (even though I did regret it, ⁴  for ⁵  I see that my letter made you sad, ⁶  though only for a short time).

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.

For if what was made ineffective ¹  came with ²  glory, how much more has what remains ³  come in glory!

always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, ¹  so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible ²  in our body.

And even if I am unskilled ¹  in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way.

for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, ¹  but are made powerful by God ²  for tearing down strongholds. ³  We tear down arguments ⁴ 

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.

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 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 not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites ¹  from staring ²  at the result ³  of the glory that was made ineffective. ⁴ 

So here is my opinion on this matter: It is to your advantage, since you ¹  made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give,

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 if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad ¹  but the one I caused to be sad?

For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, ¹  is dismantled, ²  we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens.

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, ¹  and I do not burn with indignation?

Thus ¹  we urged ²  Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, ³  so also he should complete this act of kindness ⁴  for you.

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

Each one of you should give ¹  just as he has decided in his heart, ²  not reluctantly ³  or under compulsion, ⁴  because God loves a cheerful giver.