¹⁴ But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.^{(A) 15} For I will give you^(B) words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit^(A) and began to speak in other tongues^[a](B) as the Spirit enabled them.

³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.^(A) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit^(B) and spoke the word of God^(C) boldly.^(D)

⁸ He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless^(A) on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.^(B)

⁸ We do not want you to be uninformed,^(A) brothers and sisters,^[a] about the troubles we experienced^(B) in the province of Asia.^(C) We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God,^(D) who raises the dead.^{(E) 10} He has delivered us from such a deadly peril,^(F) and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope^(G) that he will continue to deliver us, ¹¹ as you help us by your prayers.^(H) Then many will give thanks^(I) on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

⁹ But he said to me, “My grace^(A) is sufficient for you, for my power^(B) is made perfect in weakness.^(C)”^(D) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight^(E) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,^(F) in persecutions,^(G) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(H)

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹ I have made a fool of myself,^(I) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”^[a](J) even though I am nothing.^{(K) 12} I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.^{(L) 13} How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you?^(M) Forgive me this wrong!^(N)

¹⁴ Now I am ready to visit you for the third time,^(O) and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents,^(P) but parents for their children.^{(Q) 15} So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.^(R) If I love you more,^(S) will you love me less? ¹⁶ Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you.^(T) Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! ¹⁷ Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged^(U) Titus^(V) to go to you and I sent our brother^(W) with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

¹⁹ Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God^(X) as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends,^(Y) is for your strengthening.^{(Z) 20} For I am afraid that when I come^(AA) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.^(AB) I fear that there may be discord,^(AC) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,^(AD) slander,^(AE) gossip,^(AF) arrogance^(AG) and disorder.^{(AH) 21} I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved^(AI) over many who have sinned earlier^(AJ) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery^(AK) in which they have indulged.