Letters to the Churches

For the letters, sayeth hee, are sore and strong, but his bodily presence is weake, and his speache is of no value.

Let such one thinke this, that such as wee are in woorde by letters, when we are absent, such wil we be also in deede, when we are present.

For wee dare not make our selues of the nomber, or to compare our selues to them, which praise themselues: but they vnderstand not that they measure themselues with themselues, and compare themselues with themselues.

But we wil not reioyce of things, which are not within our measure, but according to the measure of the line, whereof God hath distributed vnto vs a measure to attaine euen vnto you.

For we stretche not our selues beyonde our measure, as though wee had not attained vnto you: for euen to you also haue we come in preaching the Gospel of Christ,

Not boasting of things which are without our measure: that is, of other mens labours: and we hope, when your faith shall increase, to bee magnified by you according to our line aboundantly,

And to preache the Gospel in those regions which are beyonde you: not to reioyce in another mans line, that is, in the thinges that are prepared alreadie.

But let him that reioyceth, reioyce in the Lord.

For hee that praiseth himselfe, is not alowed, but he whome the Lord praiseth.

Woulde to God, yee coulde suffer a litle my foolishnes, and in deede, ye suffer me.

For I am ielous ouer you, with godly ielousie: for I haue prepared you for one husband, to present you as a pure virgine to Christ:

But I feare least as the serpent beguiled Eue through his subtiltie, so your mindes shoulde be corrupt from the simplicitie that is in Christ.

For if he that commeth, preacheth another Iesus whome we haue not preached: or if yee receiue another spirite whome ye haue not receiued: either another Gospell, which yee haue not receiued, ye might well haue suffered him.

Verely I suppose that I was not inferior to the very chiefe Apostles.

And though I be rude in speaking, yet I am not so in knowledge, but among you wee haue beene made manifest to the vttermost, in all things.

Haue I committed an offence, because I abased my selfe, that ye might be exalted, and because I preached to you ye Gospell of God freely?

I robbed other Churches, and tooke wages of them to doe you seruice.

And when I was present with you, and had neede, I was not slouthfull to the hinderance of any man: for that which was lacking vnto me, the brethre which came from Macedonia, supplied, and in all thinges I kept and will keepe my selfe, that I should not be grieuous to you.

The trueth of Christ is in me, that this reioycing shall not be shut vp against me in the regions of Achaia.

Wherefore? because I loue you not? God knoweth.

But what I doe, that will I doe: that I may cut away occasion from them which desire occasion, that they might be found like vnto vs in that wherein they reioyce.

For such false apostles are deceitfull workers, and transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ.

And no marueile: for Satan himselfe is transformed into an Angel of light.

Therefore it is no great thing, though his ministers transforme themselues, as though they were the ministers of righteousnes, whose end shall be according to their workes.

I say againe, Let no man thinke that I am foolish, or els take mee euen as a foole, that I also may boast my selfe a litle.