Paul’s Reliance upon the Spirit

2 And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, I ^(A)did not come as someone superior in ^[a]speaking ability or ^[b]wisdom, as I proclaimed to you ^(B)the ^[c]testimony of God. ² For I determined to know nothing among you except ^(C)Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. ³ I also was with you in ^(D)weakness and ^(E)fear, and in great trembling, ⁴ and my ^[d]message and my preaching were ^(F)not in persuasive words of ^[e]wisdom, but in demonstration of ^(G)the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith would not ^[f]rest on the ^[g]wisdom of mankind, but on ^(H)the power of God.

^9 (A)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and ^(B)cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Christ Is Our Example

²¹ For ^(A)you have been called for this purpose, ^(B)because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^(C)an example, so that you would follow in His steps, ²² He who ^(D)committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; ^23 [a]and while being ^(E)abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ and He Himself ^[b](F)brought our sins in His body up on the ^[c](G)cross, so that we ^(H)might die to ^[d]sin and live for righteousness; ^(I)by His ^[e]wounds you were ^(J)healed.

¹⁶ Therefore we ^(A)do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our ^(B)inner person is ^(C)being renewed day by day.