3 May the God and father of our master Yeshua Messiah be blessed. He is the father of compassion and God of all comfort 4 who comforts us through all our trials so that we can comfort others through all their trials with the same comfort that God comforts us with. 5 In the same way that Messiah’s many sufferings are expected of us, so too the Messiah’s plentiful comfort also reaches us. 6 If we’re being oppressed, it’s for your comfort and salvation, and if we’re being comforted, it’s for your comfort which enables you all to endure the same sufferings that we’re suffering. 7 We have confident expectations for you all because we know that you are partners in suffering, and hence also in comfort.

8 [ref]Brothers and sisters, we don’t want you to miss out on knowing about our difficulties in the province of Asia Minor. We were weighed down with a situation totally beyond our power, so much so that we thought we wouldn’t live through it. 9 We were resigned in ourselves to the death sentence so that we wouldn’t trust in ourselves but in God who brings the dead back to life—10 the one who rescued us from that death and will rescue us again. He’s the one we put our hope in that he will continue to rescue us 11 as you also cooperated with us through your requests to him. Through this, many people will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that was granted to us in answer to the prayers of many.

12 So this is our boast: Our consciences testify that we have conducted ourselves in the world (and even more so towards all of you) with purity and godly sincerity, not with worldly wisdom, but relying on God’s grace. 13 We’re not writing other ideas to you other than what you’re all reading. You’re also understanding it and I’m hoping that you’ll be able to understand it all the way through to the end 14 as you initially partially understood us. Then on the day when Master Yeshua returns, you’ll be able to boast about us just as we do about all of you.

15 Because of my confidence in that, I had wanted to visit you all so that you’d have a second taste of grace, 16 [ref]and to continue on to Macedonia and to stay again on the way back, and then to have you all help send me on my way to Yudea. 17 Was I just being light-headed when I hoped for that? Or what was I thinking? Was I just thinking in worldly ways where yes, I might, and at the same time, no, I might not? 18 But our message to you all hasn’t been both ‘yes’ and ‘no’, because God is faithful. 19 [ref]His son Yeshua Messiah who I’ve preached about to you all, as well as hearing it from Silas and Timothy, didn’t become ‘yes’ and ‘no’, but in him it’s become ‘yes’. 20 Concerning the many promises made by God, in Messiah they’re ‘yes’, and therefore through him the ‘Let it be so’, resulting in honour for God through us. 21 It’s God who commissioned us and who confirms you and us to Messiah, 22 and God also places his seal on us and places his spirit in our hearts.

23 I call on God as a witness for my soul that it was to spare you all that I didn’t come to Corinth. 24 Not that we are in any way the masters of your faith, but rather we are fellow-workers sharing in your happiness because you all stand in the faith.

2 So I made the decision myself not to make a sad visit to you, 2 because if I’m making you all upset, who would be left to cheer me up except for the people that I would’ve just upset? 3 So I wrote this same thing, so that when I came, I wouldn’t get your upsets when I should be being happy, having trusted in you all that my happiness is in you. 4 I wrote to you much difficulty and anguish in my heart and through many tears, not wanted to make you all upset, but rather so that you’d know how much love toward you all is much greater than all that.

5 If someone has caused grief, he hasn’t upset me, well not much, because I don’t want to be burdening you all. 6 The punishment imposed on him by most of you is appropriate, 7 so now you should forgive and comfort him in case excess pain should drive him out. 8 That’s why I’m urging all of you to reaffirm him now with your love. 9 Another reason that I wrote to you was to find out if you would stand strong and be obedient in everything. 10 But anyone that you forgive for anything, I also forgive, because what I’ve also forgiven (if I have forgiven anything), it was for you all in the presence of Messiah 11 so that we can’t be exploited by Satan (because we’re not ignorant about his intentions).

12 When I went to Troas[ref] to preach the good message of the messiah and an opportunity presented itself to me in the messiah, 13 my spirit couldn’t relax because I found out that my brother Titos wasn’t there, so I said my goodbyes to them and continued on to Macedonia.

14 But we’re thankful to God who displays us as victors in the messiah, and reveals the aroma of the knowledge of the messiah, through us in every place. 15 Because of Messiah, we who are being saved are a sweet fragrance to God, and also the ones perishing. 16 On one hand we’re an aroma of death to those choosing death, and on the other hand, an aroma of life to those choosing life. Wow, who’s worthy enough for that? 17 We’re not like the many others who’re peddling God’s message to make a profit, but we speak in front of God in sincerity. As followers of God, we speak about Messiah.

3 Oh, are we beginning to pat ourselves on the back again? Don’t we need written references for you all, or from you all, like some others do? 2 It’s all of you who’re our references, and having been written in our hearts, it’s known about and being read by all people. 3 [ref]It shows that you who were served by us, are now Messiah’s letter that wasn’t written with ink but with God’s living spirit—not written on stone tablets but on people’s hearts.

4 We have such confidence towards God through the messiah, 5 not that we ourselves are worthy to consider ourselves anything special, but our qualifications come from God. 6 [ref]He qualified us as servants of a new agreement—not following it by the letter, but by the spirit, because following by the letter leads to death whereas following by the spirit gives life.

7 [ref]The system which was inscribed on stone tablets and which results in death was so incredible when it was given that the Israeli’s couldn’t even bring themselves to look at Moses’ face because it shone so brightly. But if that system is being nullified, 8 won’t this system via the spirit be even greater? 9 If the system that brought condemnation was incredible, how much greater is the system that leads to righteousness, 10 because that earlier system seems ordinary now when compared with the more incredible greatness of the new system, 11 and if what ended up being replaced was incredible, how much more incredible is the system that lasts.

12 So then, since that’s our expectation, we can be very bold, 13 [ref]not just like Moses putting a veil over his face because the Israeli’s couldn’t even look at him when introducing a system that would be replaced. 14 But their thinking was inflexible because even until this very day, the same veil remains during the public reading of the Hebrew scriptures—it’s not opened up because it’s only Messiah that nullifies it. 15 So these days whenever Moses’ writings are being read, a veil lies across their hearts, 16 [ref]but whenever that heart might turn towards the master, the veil will be removed. 17 Now the master is the spirit, and there’s freedom wherever the master’s spirit is. 18 All of us who’ve had our faces unveiled are reflecting the master’s greatness, and that same image transforms us from greatness to greatness. This comes from the master who is the spirit.

4 So because we have this ministry as a result of God’s mercy, we’re not discouraged 2 but rather, we have renounced any shameful things that were hidden and continue our spiritual journey. Avoiding deception and taking care not to distort God’s message, we present the truth clearly even as we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God. 3 But even if our good message is concealed, it’s concealed from those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the thinking of the unbelievers so that the light of the good message about the greatness of the messiah who’s God’s image, doesn’t radiate out to them, 5 because it’s not us ourselves that we’re proclaiming, but the master Yeshua Messiah. We serve as your slaves because of him, 6 [ref]because the God who said, ‘Light will be shining out of the darkness’, shined in our hearts so that we could experience God’s greatness in the face of Yeshua Messiah.

7 So we have this treasure stored in containers made from the dirt, so that the excellence of the power will be from God and not from us ourselves. 8 We might be oppressed but we won’t be crushed, perplexed but we won’t despair, 9 persecuted but we won’t be abandoned, and struck down but we won’t perish. 10 We always carry around in our bodies the death of Yeshua, so that the life of Yeshua may also be revealed in our bodies, 11 because we who are alive are always being given over to death for Yeshua’s sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal bodies. 12 So then, death is working in us, but life is working in all of you.

13 [ref]We have the same spirit of faith as what’s written: ‘I believed, therefore I talked about it.’ We also believe so we also talk about it, 14 knowing that the one who brought Yeshua back to life, will also bring us back to life along with Yeshua, and will be presenting us along with all of you. 15 All of this is for you, so that after experiencing much grace, you all will be even more thankful and thus honour God.

16 Because of that we’re not discouraged because even if our outer person is being ruined, our inner person is being renewed day by day 17 because our small, temporary troubles will produce an excess of great honour for us. 18 We don’t just look at what we can see, but include the things that can’t be seen, because visible things are temporary, but the things that last forever are invisible to our eyes.

5 We know that when the temporary, earthly home (our body) that we live in is demolished, we will have a building from God that’s not built by human hands—an eternal house in the heavens. 2 Actually, that’s also why we groan—wanting to be clothed in our heavenly bodies. 3 Yes, once we’re properly dressed we won’t feel naked 4 because while we live in these temporary homes we are groaning. It’s not that we want to dispose of these temporary homes, but we want to be permanently clothed so that our mortal parts might be enveloped by life. 5 It’s God who prepared us for this reason—yes, the one who deposited the spirit into us.

6 Because of that, we’re always confident and known that while we’re at home in our bodies, we are distanced from the master, 7 but we walk by faith and not by how things look. 8 And we do have confidence and look forward to being absent out of these bodies and being at home with the master, 9 so that’s why we’re ambitious to please the master, whether we’re still in these bodily homes or absent from them. 10 [ref]Yes, we must all stand at our court hearing in front of the messiah, so that each of us may receive justice for what we did while in these bodies, whether it was good or evil.

11 Because of that, having known the fear of the master, we are persuading people, but God sees what we’re doing, and I’m hoping that your consciences also see the same. 12 Again, we’re not trying to promote ourselves to you, but we’re giving you all an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can respond to those who take pride in outside appearances rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we’re being crazy, it’s to serve God, or if we’re being sensible, it’s for all of you, 14 because the messiah’s love controls us since we are convinced that he died for everyone. Hence we’ve all died 15 and he died for everyone, so that anyone who’s living, won’t be living for themselves any more, but for the one who died for them and then came back to life from the dead.

16 So from now on, we don’t just know people in the physical dimension, and even if we have known Messiah physically, that’s no longer how we know him. 17 So then if anyone is in Messiah, they’re a new creation—the old has gone, and wow, it’s now become new! 18 Everything is from God, the one who reconciled us to himself by Messiah and who has given the ministry of reconciliation to us. 19 God was in Messiah reconciling the world to himself, not listing their sins against them, and having given the message of reconciliation to us.

20 Because of that, we are ambassadors for Messiah, as though God is encouraging others through us, so we implore you for Messiah: Make your peace with God. 21 God took the one who hadn’t experienced sin and made him into sin for us so that in him, we could become not guilty in God’s sight.

6 Since we’re working together, we want to encourage you all not to accept God’s grace wastefully 2 [ref]because he said,

‘I listened to you at the right time,

and I helped you on the day when you were saved.’

Listen, today is the right time to ask. And listen again, today is the right day to get saved.

3 Don’t give anyone a reason to stumble, so that the ministry won’t be tarnished, 4 but as God’s servants we commend ourselves in every way—by great endurance when facing afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 [ref]beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger, 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the holy spirit, genuine love, 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God. Hold the weapons of righteousness in both your right and left hands 8 whether in victory or dishonour, through bad reports and good reports, even if being called fakes (but being genuine). 9 We’re regarded as unknowns despite being well-known, considered to be dying off yet very much alive, being beaten but not yet being killed, 10 regarded as sad but always happy, as poor but making many people rich, as having nothing but possessing everything.

11 We’ve shared our thoughts with you all from Corinth and our hearts have been expanded. 12 You haven’t been restricted by us, but your own compassions restrict you all. 13 In return, you also should be expanded. (Yes, I know it’s like I’m talking to children.)

14 Don’t be teamed together with unbelievers, because how can there be a partnership between obeying and disobeying God, or in other words, how can light socialise with darkness? 15 So what harmony can Messiah have with Satan, or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 [ref]What agreement can God’s temple have with idols, because we are the temple of the living God? As God said,

‘I will live with them

and I will walk among them.

I will be their God

and they will be my people.’

17 [ref]Therefore the master says,

‘Come out from among them and be separate.

Touch nothing that’s ceremonially prohibited

and then I will accept you.

18 [ref]I will be a Father for you,

and you will be my sons and daughters,’

says the all-powerful master.

7 Dear brothers and sisters, because we have those promises we should avoid doing anything that would defile our bodies or our spirits, thus staying pure due to our respect for God.

2 Please do accept us because we didn’t wrong anyone, and we didn’t corrupt or exploit anyone. 3 I’m not pronouncing condemnation because I’ve said previously that you all are in our hearts so together we’ll die and together we’ll live again. 4 I feel very bold towards you all and boast a lot about you. I’m filled with encouragement and even in our troubles I’m overflowing with happiness .

5 [ref]Actually, since we arrived in Macedonia we’ve had no physical rest but we’ve been oppressed in every way—on the outside there’s quarrels and on the inside we’ve had our fears, 6 but the God who comforts those who’re humble, comforted us with the arrival of Titos. 7 It wasn’t just his coming, but also because he’d been comforted by all of you. He told us about your longing for me, and your mourning for my troubles and your zeal for me, and it really cheered me up.

8 Yes, because even if I made you sad with my letter, I don’t regret sending it. (Well, for a while I was sad for you that I had sent the letter.) 9 Anyway, now I’m happy, not that it made you sad, but because that sadness led to turning away from your sin because that sorrow was according to God’s values so you didn’t lose anything because of us. 10 Because sorrow according to God’s values brings repentance that leads to salvation without regrets, but the world’s sorrow leads to death. 11 See how this sorrow according to God’s values has produced earnestness in you all, but also eagerness to clear yourselves, resentment, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance. You have proved yourselves innocent in the matter in every area.

12 So if I also wrote to you all, not on account of the one having done wrong, nor on account of the one having been wronged, but on account of your earnestness that would be revealed to us all before God, 13 then we’ve been comforted because of this.

And talking about our comfort, we were quite thrilled at Titos’ happiness because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.

14 Yes, if I’ve boasted anything about you all to him, I wasn’t disgraced, but as we spoke the truth to you all about everything, so also did our boasting to Titos become true 15 and his affection towards you all increased when he’s reminded about your obedience and how you accepted him with fear and trembling. 16 I’m thrilled that I can have confidence in you all about everything.

8 [ref]And then, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about how God showed kindness to the assemblies in Macedonia 2 in that as they proved themselves in a time of persecution, they continued to show great positivity and from the depth of their poverty, their generosity resulted in plentiful riches. 3 So I’m testifying about their ability, and besides that, they voluntarily 4 and enthusiastically begged us to allow them the grace and fellowship that would come from their service to other believers. 5 It wasn’t something that we expected of them, but they gave themselves—firstly to the master, and also to us by God’s will. 6 So we encouraged Titos that just as he began to do previously, that he would go on to cultivate this generosity in you. 7 But since you’re all prolific in everything—in faith and speech and knowledge and all earnestness and in the love from us to you all—make sure that you’re all prolific in this grace of giving.

8 I’m not saying this as a command, but approving the genuineness of your love through the earnestness of others. 9 because you all have experienced the grace of our master Yeshua Messiah: that although he was rich, he became poor so that all of you in your poverty might become rich.

10 And I’m giving my opinion on this because it’s beneficial for you all not only to do what began last year, but to do it willingly. 11 Now you should see this through so that you’re all not just ready to be willing, but also to actually accomplish that from what you have, 12 because if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what they do not have.

13 Of course, it’s not that others should be relaxing while you all endure difficulty, but with an aim of equality. 14 At the present time, your excess will help those who’re in need—another time their excess might meet your need to bring about equality. 15 As the scriptures say:[ref]

‘The person who gathered much didn’t have too much,

and the person who gathered little didn’t have any lack.’

16 But may God be thanked for putting the same earnestness for you all into Titos’ mind 17 because indeed he accepted our appeal, but being so earnest he volunteered to visit you all. 18 And we sent another brother along with him, who is praised by all the assemblies for his good message, 19 and not only that, he was also chosen by the assemblies as our travelling companion as we bring this gift as our service for the master’s honour and for our readiness. 20 We want to avoid the possibility of being criticised in our excitement in serving this way, 21 [ref]because we are providing good, not only towards the master, but also for people.

22 We also sent with them another brother who we approved of in many ways—often being diligent, but now much more diligent because of his high confidence in you all. 23 Concerning Titos, he is my partner and your fellow-worker, and the accompanying brothers are ambassadors of the assemblies which are Messiah’s splendour, 24 so show them signs of your love and fulfill what we boasted about you all in the various assemblies.

9 It’s unnecessary for me to write to you all about this ministry to the believers 2 because I know about your readiness to help and I’ve been boasting about it to those from Macedonia—that you all in Achaia were ready last year—and your zeal provoked more of them to act. 3 But I sent the brothers so that our boasting about you all won’t be invalidated in this regard, so that you’ll be prepared just as I had told them. 4 Otherwise if somehow some might come with me from Macedonia and find you unprepared, then we (or might we say you all as well) might be disgraced by our confidence. 5 That’s why I considered it necessary to encourage the brothers to go ahead to you all there so they could prearrange the gift that you’d previously promised so that it would be ready as a blessing and not appear as our greediness.

6 Also this: the person who plants sparingly will also harvest sparingly, and the person sowing generously will also have a generous harvest. 7 Let each person do what their own heart tells them—not out of sorrow or from pressure, but because God loves those who’re cheerful givers. 8 And God is able to shower generosity onto you all so that you’ll be content having everything you need, thus able to be prolific in doing good to others. 9 As it’s written in the scriptures:[ref]

‘He distributed his gifts and gave to the poor,

now his righteousness will remain to the end of the age.’

10 [ref]Thus God who supplies the seed to the person sowing and supplies our food, will be supplying and multiplying your seeds as you sow in others and will increase the harvest resulting from your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched towards generosity in every way, which will lead us all to give thanks to God. 12 Serving in this kind of ministry meets the needs of the believers, but also leads to plenty of occasions to give thanks to God. 13 In proving yourselves by this ministry, they will honour God as it displays your commitment to the good message of the messiah, and your generosity toward them and towards everyone, 14 and they will wish the best for you all and pray for you because of God’s overflowing goodness to you all. 15 Yes, we thank God for his incredible gift.

10 Now I myself, Paul, am indeed humble when I’m with you all, but when I’m absent I’m bolder. I implore you all by the humility and gentleness of the messiah 2 and I beg you so that when I come I won’t have to be as bold as I’m expecting to counter those who consider us to be motivated by worldly desires. 3 We might be living in this world, but it’s not people that we’re at war with, 4 because the weapons that we use in war are not physical but come with God’s power for tearing down anti-God institutions and nullifying their arguments. 5 We attack every theory that’s used to argue against the possibility of knowing God, and capturing all thinking so it becomes obedient to the messiah, 6 and being ready to stand against all disobedience for whenever your obedience might be complete.

7 You all are looking at the outside appearance of things. Anyone who has personally decided to follow Messiah needs to take this into account: just as they belong to Messiah, so also do we. 8 So if I boast too often about our authority (which the master gave us for building you up rather than for tearing you down), I won’t be ashamed of it 9 so that hopefully I won’t be terrifying you all with my letters. 10 Some are saying, “His letters are heavy and strongly-worded, but when he’s actually here, he’s weak and his words get mocked.” 11 Those people should reconsider and realise that as we are in our letters when we’re absent, that’s also how we’ll work when we’re present.

12 We don’t dare to classify ourselves or compare with some of those who commend themselves, but they measure and compare themselves with each other—not understanding what they’re doing. 13 But we won’t boast about immeasurable things—only those domains where God allotted a measure to us which was to reach all of you. 14 In not reaching you we don’t overextend ourselves, because we came your way with the good message about the messiah. 15 We don’t boast of things we can’t measure like other peoples’ work, but we have hope that as your faith grows, you’ll see us as more important in more areas 16 so we can preach the good message to the areas beyond you—not boasting about things already done in others’ areas.

17 But [ref]‘if anyone does boast, they should boast in the master’, 18 because it’s not the people who commend themselves that are approved, but those who the master commends.

11 I wish you all could tolerate a bit of foolishness from me, but yes, you do tolerate me, 2 because I’m jealous of you all with godly jealousy as I had committed you to your future husband—a pure bride to present to the messiah. 3 [ref]But I’m afraid that just as the crafty serpent somehow deceived Heva (Eve), your thinking might get corrupted from its sincerity and purity in the messiah. 4 Indeed even if another Yeshua came and proclaimed something different from what we proclaimed, or if you receive another spirit that you hadn’t received already, or a good message different from what you’ve already heard, you might tolerate it.

5 I reckon that I wasn’t deficient compared to the ‘super missionaries’, 6 but even if my speaking is just ordinary, my knowledge isn’t and I’ve made everything clear to you all in every way.

7 Or did I disobey God when I humbled myself so that all of you might be elevated, because I shared the good message with you all without any personal gain? 8 I’ve ‘robbed’ other assemblies in order to support my ministry to all of you, 9 [ref]and when I was with you and needed something, I wasn’t a burden to anyone, because the believers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. Thus I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will keep doing so. 10 The messiah’s truth is in me such that my boasting in the regions of Achaia won’t be stopped. 11 Why’s that? Because I don’t love you all? God knows that I do.

12 But what I’m doing, I’ll keep on doing, so that I can deny the opportunity to those people who’re looking for an opportunity so that what they boast about, we’ll already be doing, 13 because they are false ambassadors and deceitful workers—masquerading themselves as Messiah’s missionaries, 14 and that’s no surprise because Satan himself masquerades as a messenger of light. 15 So then it’s no great surprise if his servants are masquerading as God’s servants, but their end will be the consequence of their actions.

16 I’ll say it again: no one should suppose that I’m foolish, but if they do, at least accept me as foolish so that I can also boast a little. 17 When I say that, I’m not talking words from the master, but like a fool confidently boasting. 18 Many boast like worldly people, so I’ll boast as well, 19 because you prudent ones happily tolerate foolish people. 20 Yes, you tolerate those who’ll enslave you all, those who’ll exploit you, those who’ll take advantage of you all, those who promote themselves, and anyone whacks you in the face. 21 I’m talking about dishonour as if we were weak, but (speaking foolishly again), anything that anyone else is brave enough to do, then I will also be brave enough to match. 22 Are they Hebrews? I am too. Are they Israelis? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? Me also. 23 [ref]Are they Messiah’s servants? Well, I’m above them (speaking insanely now): I’ve worked harder, been in prison more often, endured uncountable beatings, and been close to death more often. 24 [ref]I’ve received the thirty-nine lashes from the Jewish leadership five times, 25 [ref]was beaten three times with rods, was stoned once, shipwrecked three times, and I was in the ocean for a day and a night. 26 [ref]I’ve done many long trips, crossed dangerous rivers, risked being robbed, was persecuted by my own people as well as by non-Jews, have been in danger in the city, in the wilderness and on the ocean, as well as being attacked by false teachers. 27 I’ve worked often and worked hard, often needing to keep guard, suffered famine and thirst, fasted often, and been cold and lacking clothing. 28 Then apart from all those external things, I’ve been opposed every day—not to mention my concern for all the assemblies. 29 What person falters and I don’t falter with them? Who stumbles in their walk with God and I don’t suffer with them?

30 If it’s appropriate to be boasting, what I’d boast about would be my weaknesses. 31 The god and father of the master Yeshua—the one who should be praised for all the ages—knows that I’m not lying. 32 [ref]The governor of Aretas (appointed by the king) had guards around the city of Damascus to try to arrest me, 33 but I was lowered down from a window in the city wall in a basket and thus able to escape his clutch.

12 It’s not appropriate or beneficial to be boasting, so I’ll come to the visions and revelations from the master.[fn] 2 Fourteen years ago I observed a man who was a believer in Messiah who was pulled up to the third heaven. (I didn’t know whether this physically happened or just in the spiritual realm.) 3 And I know that man (God only knows if it was in the physical or just the spiritual realm) 4 was pulled up into paradise and heard messages which can’t be put into words (because living people aren’t allow to speak them). 5 I’m prepared to boast about that man, but I won’t boast about myself because I won’t boast at all except about my weaknesses, 6 because even if I did want to boast, I wouldn’t be being foolish, because I would be speaking the truth. But I’ll refrain in case anyone reckons that I’m more than what they can see or hear about me.

7 So to keep my head from getting too big because of those incredible revelations, I was given a ‘thorn’ in my body—Satan’s messenger to harass me and keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I begged the master that it might leave me 9 and he told me, “Is my grace good enough for you? My power reaches its conclusion through weakness.” Therefore I’ll quite gladly boast about my weaknesses so that the messiah’s power can take residence in me. 10 So then I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults and hardships, in persecutions and distresses for Messiah because whenever I might be faltering, that’s when I’m powerful.

11 You have forced me to become foolish, because I should have been commended by you all because I’m no less than those ‘super missionaries’ even if I am just ‘nothing’. 12 Indeed, I persevered to deliver missionary results among you all, as well as signs, wonders, and miracles. 13 In what way were you all treated less than the rest of the assemblies, except that I didn’t load you with any burdens? Forgive me for this mistake.

14 Now listen, I’m ready to visit you all for the third time and I won’t be aiming to burden you down because I’m not after what you have, but rather my interest is in you yourselves. The children shouldn’t be saving to support the parents, but the parents should support the children. 15 I’m happy to invest everything I have, including all of myself, for the sake of your souls. Am I being loved less the more that I love you all?

16 So that’s that. I’m didn’t burden you all, but being crafty by nature, I took you all by trickery. 17 Did any of those that I sent to you exploit you all? 18 I urged Titos to go there along with another believer. Surely Titos must have exploited you all? No, didn’t we all do the same things as guided by the same spirit.

19 Now you’re already supposing that we’re defending ourselves? Actually, we’re speaking as followers of Messiah knowing that God is watching, and dear friends, everything has been with the aim of building you up. 20 You see, I’m worried that when I come, I might not find you living how I’d want, and you all might not find me how you’d want. I’m worried that I might find strife and jealousy, anger and selfish ambition, slander and gossip, and conceit and disturbances. 21 I’m worried that when I come, God will humble me there with you all, and I might be upset about many who’ve sinned in the past and haven’t repented from the impurity and sexual immorality and self-centred living that they practiced.

13 This is the third time that I’ll be coming there to you all. ‘Every account must be confirmed by at least two, preferably three, witnesses.’[ref] 2 I said previously on my second visit and while I’m absent I’ll say it again to those who sinned previously and to all the rest as well: if I come back to find the same again, I won’t be sparing anyone, 3 because you’re all wanting proof that I speak from Messiah who isn’t incapable of handling you all but is quite able to do what he wants. 4 Although he was executed in weakness, now he’s living by God’s power. We also falter in him, but will be living with him by God’s power towards you all.

5 Test yourselves to check if you’re living in the faith—you yourselves can decide that. Or can’t you all recognise whether or not Messiah Yeshua is living in you? Surely you’re not that unqualified? 6 But I’m hoping that you all will know that we’re not unqualified. 7 And we’re asking God that you won’t do evil—not so that we’ll be seen to be approved, but so that you all will be doing good, even if we may seem unqualified, 8 because we’re not able to do anything against the truth—only for the truth. 9 So we’re glad whenever we falter, but you all might be quite capable as we also desire that you all grow to perfection. 10 I’m writing these things while I’m absent, so that when I’m present I won’t have to treat you all severely according to the authority that the master gave me for building and not for tearing down.

11 Finally, brothers and sisters, stay happy, be prepared and be comforted, be united with each other and at peace. May God who’s the source of love and peace be with all of you.

12 Greet each other with an innocent kiss.

The believers here send their greetings to all of you.[fn]

13 May the grace of the master Yeshua Messiah and God’s love and the holy spirit’s companionship be with all of you.