Letters to the Churches

and He said to me, `Sufficient for thee is My grace, for My power in infirmity is perfected;' most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of the Christ may rest on me:

wherefore I am well pleased in infirmities, in damages, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses--for Christ; for whenever I am infirm, then I am powerful;

I have become a fool--boasting; ye--ye did compel me; for I ought by you to have been commended, for in nothing was I behind the very chiefest apostles--even if I am nothing.

The signs, indeed, of the apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds,

for what is there in which ye were inferior to the rest of the assemblies, except that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this injustice!

Lo, a third time I am ready to come unto you, and I will not be a burden to you, for I seek not yours, but you, for the children ought not for the parents to lay up, but the parents for the children,

and I most gladly will spend and be entirely spent for your souls, even if, more abundantly loving you, less I am loved.

And be it so , I--I did not burden you, but being crafty, with guile I did take you;

any one of those whom I have sent unto you--by him did I take advantage of you?

I entreated Titus, and did send with him the brother; did Titus take advantage of you? in the same spirit did we not walk? --did we not in the same steps?

Again, think ye that to you we are making defence? before God in Christ do we speak; and the all things, beloved, are for your up-building,

for I fear lest, having come, not such as I wish I may find you, and I--I may be found by you such as ye do not wish, lest there be strifes, envyings, wraths, revelries, evil-speakings, whisperings, puffings up, insurrections,

lest again having come, my God may humble me in regard to you, and I may bewail many of those having sinned before, and not having reformed concerning the uncleanness, and whoredom, and lasciviousness, that they did practise.

This third time do I come unto you; on the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every saying be established;

I have said before, and I say it before, as being present, the second time, and being absent, now, do I write to those having sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare,

since a proof ye seek of the Christ speaking in me, who to you is not infirm, but is powerful in you,

for even if he was crucified from infirmity, yet he doth live from the power of God; for we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him from the power of God toward you.

Your own selves try ye, if ye are in the faith; your own selves prove ye; do ye not know your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, if ye be not in some respect disapproved of?

and I hope that ye shall know that we--we are not disapproved of;

and I pray before God that ye do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do that which is right, and we may be as disapproved;

for we are not able to do anything against the truth, but for the truth;

for we rejoice when we may be infirm, and ye may be powerful; and this also we pray for--your perfection!

because of this, these things--being absent--I write, that being present, I may not treat any sharply, according to the authority that the Lord did give me for building up, and not for casting down.

Henceforth, brethren, rejoice; be made perfect, be comforted, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of the love and peace shall be with you;

salute one another in an holy kiss;