Letters to the Churches

And he said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee: for power is made perfect in infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

For which cause I please myself in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ. For when I am weak, then am I powerful.

I am become foolish. You have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended by you. For I have no way come short of them that are above measure apostles, although I be nothing.

Yet the signs of my apostleship have been wrought on you, in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.

For what is there that you have had less than the other churches but that I myself was not burthensome to you? Pardon me this injury.

Behold now the third time I am ready to come to you and I will not be burthensome unto you. For I seek not the things that are yours, but you. For neither ought the children to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

But I most gladly will spend and be spent myself for your souls: although loving you more, I be loved less.

But be it so: I did not burthen you: but being crafty, I caught you by guile.

Did I overreach you by any of them whom I sent to you?

I desired Titus: and I sent with him a brother. Did Titus overreach you? Did we not walk with the same spirit? Did we not in the same steps?

Of old, think you that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ: but all things, my dearly beloved, for your edification.

For I fear lest perhaps, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found by you such as you would not. Lest perhaps contentions, envyings, animosities, dissensions, detractions, whisperings, swellings, seditions, be among you.

Lest again, when I come, God humble me among you: and I mourn many of them that sinned before and have not done penance for the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness that they have committed.

Behold, this is the third time I am coming to you: In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand.

I have told before and foretell, as present and now absent, to them that sinned before and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare.

Do you seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me, who towards you is not weak, but is mighty in you?

For although he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him: but we shall live with him by the power of God towards you.

Try your own selves if you be in the faith: prove ye yourselves. Know you not your own selves, that Christ Jesus is in you, unless perhaps you be reprobates?

But I trust that you shall know that we are not reprobates.

Now we pray God that you may do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is good and that we may be as reprobates.

For we can do nothing against the truth: but for the truth.

For we rejoice that we are weak and you are strong. This also we pray for, your perfection.

Therefore I write these things, being absent, that, being present, I may not deal more severely, according to the power which the Lord hath given me unto edification and not unto destruction.

For the rest, brethren, rejoice, be perfect, take exhortation, be of one mind, have peace. And the God of grace and of love shall be with you.

Salute one another with a holy kiss. All the saints salute you.